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Just a Girl
Senior Rianne Hettrick-Wynne has had her share of hookups and parties in small-town Wereford, Minnesota. Now volleyball season is over and her once-solid friendships are unraveling, while an all-of-a-sudden relationship with Luke Pinsky is weirdly becoming serious. Add to that the possibility of getting kicked out of her house, and Rianne is desperate to make a plan that doesn’t include going to college or working at Planet Tan for the rest of her life.
At the same time, her divorced parents have started cohabiting again without any explanation, making Rianne wonder why they’re so intent on pointing out every bad choice she makes when they can’t even act like adults.
That’s not the only question she can’t answer: How is it that Sergei, a broken-English-speaking Russian who makes his own vodka, is the only one who seems to understand her? And why, when she has Luke, the most unattainable boy in Wereford, all to herself, does she want anything but?
Perhaps most confounding is the “easy girl” reputation that Rianne has gotten stuck with by doing the same things that guys do without judgment or consequence. If they’re just being guys, then why can’t Rianne just be a girl?
At the same time, her divorced parents have started cohabiting again without any explanation, making Rianne wonder why they’re so intent on pointing out every bad choice she makes when they can’t even act like adults.
That’s not the only question she can’t answer: How is it that Sergei, a broken-English-speaking Russian who makes his own vodka, is the only one who seems to understand her? And why, when she has Luke, the most unattainable boy in Wereford, all to herself, does she want anything but?
Perhaps most confounding is the “easy girl” reputation that Rianne has gotten stuck with by doing the same things that guys do without judgment or consequence. If they’re just being guys, then why can’t Rianne just be a girl?
294 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2017
11 people are currently reading
1266 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
February 10, 2017
(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a YA contemporary story about a girl called Rianne.
Rianne was a girl who seemed to get used a lot, especially by boys. She seemed to throw her virginity away like it meant nothing, and then hooked up with quite a few other guys just for something to do. I did feel sorry for her when her mother told her she needed to move out though.
The storyline in this was basically just about Rianne’s day-to-day life and her sex life, and we did get cheating in this book, with Rianne sleeping with another guy whilst in a relationship with someone else. The story was enjoyable though, even if it seemed to lack direction a bit.
The ending to this was a little odd, and I really did wonder what would happen to Rianne next.
6.5 out of 10
“Even having this sex was boring. Uninteresting. She tried to make good sounds so he wouldn’t notice.”
This was a YA contemporary story about a girl called Rianne.
Rianne was a girl who seemed to get used a lot, especially by boys. She seemed to throw her virginity away like it meant nothing, and then hooked up with quite a few other guys just for something to do. I did feel sorry for her when her mother told her she needed to move out though.
The storyline in this was basically just about Rianne’s day-to-day life and her sex life, and we did get cheating in this book, with Rianne sleeping with another guy whilst in a relationship with someone else. The story was enjoyable though, even if it seemed to lack direction a bit.
The ending to this was a little odd, and I really did wonder what would happen to Rianne next.
6.5 out of 10
March 28, 2017
From the blurb, I expected this to be a sex-positive coming-of-age story about a girl who figures out her life and all. But Just a Girl veers far from that. First, the narration is very detached; it is in the third person but describes all her random musings through the book. Some of them are very philosophical and make for good quotes, yes, but if you were hoping to understand her through it, you are out of luck. Rianne is sort of indifferent when it comes to sex - she has had it plenty of times, and thought it doesn't excite her, she goes along with it. She and Luke, another guy like her, form sort of a relationship and even though it gets serious on his side, she is mostly non-committal about it. She likes being needed, but she doesn't want it herself - I think that's the way I figured it out. I should warn that the book involves several sex scenes (obviously), so here's your content warning.
But when she meets Sergei, she starts wanting him. Never mind that she is at a crossroads in her life, with her mother giving her an ultimatum to get her life in order and move out, her future plans to live with her best friends abruptly disbanded - now she doesn't know what she wants, except for him. And she goes for it, even though she knows it is wrong that she is cheating on Luke. Now, I'm all for a girl being comfortable with her sexuality, but cheating is where I draw the line. And as for breaking up with Luke, she does it in the worst way possible, and she doesn't even berate Sergei for it. Speaking of Sergei, please tell me I am not the only one who found him problematic - he is older than her, likes violence, gives her an ultimatum but makes the decisions for her. Like, that is certainly grounds for a stable relationship.
Look, I am never one for advising what teens should not read. But this book has me considering that. Because even with the realistic depiction of a girl's sexuality and psyche, I do not think it is advisable to encourage the message being sent by the ending of this book.
Anyway, even if I got past that ending, this book doesn't have much to commend for itself. The pacing is super slow, and if I was this close to not DNFing it. I thought, you know what, maybe the ending will make this directionless plot have some sense, like it would be something that would make me look past the utter boredom I felt despite the good writing. But it was like watching a wet firework burn and hoping it will go on and then it just fizzles out - that is what I felt when I finished this book.
But when she meets Sergei, she starts wanting him. Never mind that she is at a crossroads in her life, with her mother giving her an ultimatum to get her life in order and move out, her future plans to live with her best friends abruptly disbanded - now she doesn't know what she wants, except for him. And she goes for it, even though she knows it is wrong that she is cheating on Luke. Now, I'm all for a girl being comfortable with her sexuality, but cheating is where I draw the line. And as for breaking up with Luke, she does it in the worst way possible, and she doesn't even berate Sergei for it. Speaking of Sergei, please tell me I am not the only one who found him problematic - he is older than her, likes violence, gives her an ultimatum but makes the decisions for her. Like, that is certainly grounds for a stable relationship.
Look, I am never one for advising what teens should not read. But this book has me considering that. Because even with the realistic depiction of a girl's sexuality and psyche, I do not think it is advisable to encourage the message being sent by the ending of this book.
Anyway, even if I got past that ending, this book doesn't have much to commend for itself. The pacing is super slow, and if I was this close to not DNFing it. I thought, you know what, maybe the ending will make this directionless plot have some sense, like it would be something that would make me look past the utter boredom I felt despite the good writing. But it was like watching a wet firework burn and hoping it will go on and then it just fizzles out - that is what I felt when I finished this book.
August 17, 2020
There was a lot about this book that I loved, and a lot about this book that I hated?? This book feels pretty raw and real and it reminded me a lot of an Ellen Hopkins novel in that we're following our main character that isn't the usual teen Main Character. Rianne parties, she has sex with multiple people in this book, and not everything goes the way a "traditional" or "good" person would want their life to go. The book is messy in that way and I really enjoyed that.
I also feel like some of what Rianne experienced should've been enlightened on from maybe a different perspective. There were a couple spots where this did happen, and I'm glad they did. But at the same time, even though we did see that other perception of the situation, nothing was ever resolved. It felt a little bit like this book was saying some of the situations were fine because our main character doesn't see the problem with them. That's a more spoilery discussion that I won't get into here.
Overall, I went with a 3/5 stars because I felt like the parts I loved and the parts I really disliked balanced each other out in a way that I'm not sure I'd ever recommend this book to anyone, but I did enjoy it while I was reading (although I also did NOT like the ending).
Trigger Warnings:
Unconsenual sex with a minor
underage drinking
undiagnosed mental health issues
violence (fist fighting)
dementia
large age difference relationships
cheating
I also feel like some of what Rianne experienced should've been enlightened on from maybe a different perspective. There were a couple spots where this did happen, and I'm glad they did. But at the same time, even though we did see that other perception of the situation, nothing was ever resolved. It felt a little bit like this book was saying some of the situations were fine because our main character doesn't see the problem with them. That's a more spoilery discussion that I won't get into here.
Overall, I went with a 3/5 stars because I felt like the parts I loved and the parts I really disliked balanced each other out in a way that I'm not sure I'd ever recommend this book to anyone, but I did enjoy it while I was reading (although I also did NOT like the ending).
Trigger Warnings:
Unconsenual sex with a minor
underage drinking
undiagnosed mental health issues
violence (fist fighting)
dementia
large age difference relationships
cheating
Read
September 2, 2016Initial reaction after reading: meh... me no like.
February 4, 2017
Hard to engage with the main character. The stilted third person narrative doesn't help.
August 5, 2017
dnf @ 18%
Read
August 21, 2016Just a Girl is the second time I’m reading one of Mesrobian’s books and I think her writing style hasn’t changed much because I still think her work is realistic and strange which I can appreciate.
I’ve read the blurb a couple of months ago and it made me believe this was a book about a slut-shamed girl which couldn’t be farther from the truth. Rianne did whatever she wanted, with whomever she wanted without any consequences; despite her mother saying she would have to move out of the house after she graduated; her friends having messy lives; finding a guy who’s equally passionate about sex and getting close to Sergei who gave her orgasms. He was obviously the one. Because, hello, multiple orgasms vs. steady relationship. O always wins.
Something was really bothering me about the whole story and that is – depiction of foreign nationals. While writing books featuring foreigners, it’s important to realize people outside of US are also humans. Not a bunch of clichés. We’re not special butterflies! And we can speak English without sounding like typical tv immigrants. So just stop, please.
The more I think about this book, the more things are bothering me so I’m going to stop and simply say you should read this book if you’ve previously read one of Mesrobians’ books or if you’re into the realistic section of contemporaries.
I’ve read the blurb a couple of months ago and it made me believe this was a book about a slut-shamed girl which couldn’t be farther from the truth. Rianne did whatever she wanted, with whomever she wanted without any consequences; despite her mother saying she would have to move out of the house after she graduated; her friends having messy lives; finding a guy who’s equally passionate about sex and getting close to Sergei who gave her orgasms. He was obviously the one. Because, hello, multiple orgasms vs. steady relationship. O always wins.
Something was really bothering me about the whole story and that is – depiction of foreign nationals. While writing books featuring foreigners, it’s important to realize people outside of US are also humans. Not a bunch of clichés. We’re not special butterflies! And we can speak English without sounding like typical tv immigrants. So just stop, please.
The more I think about this book, the more things are bothering me so I’m going to stop and simply say you should read this book if you’ve previously read one of Mesrobians’ books or if you’re into the realistic section of contemporaries.
April 30, 2017
I can certainly appreciate what some of the negative reviews have to say about this book and respect that they don't understand or relate to the main character here but I got it. I had those awkward, irresponsible hookups when I was a teenager. I made stupid decisions without realizing that I was even making decisions at all. (I can also relate to Rianne seeing herself as beautiful or worthy through the act of sex, as I often didn't care about the act itself but the emotional high it gave my typically low self-opinion.) That is the beauty and the arrogance of youth. I would urge those who were young (similarly or slightly older than the character) when reading this book the first time to go back and read it again as a more mature adult (think: after marriage, children, divorce, traumatic life occurrences) and think about it in retrospect. And yes, the ending is not exactly what I was hoping for, but that's how life is.
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January 13, 2018I did not like anything about this book. At all.
October 16, 2017
2.5 I really did enjoy it but I had too many problems to say that I really liked it. First up is, every ending of this authors books are some of the worst endings ever and this one tops them all. Second is one of the love interests does something that rightfully Rianne should be mad at him for but she isnt which said love interest whom started out great quickly went downhill which is another thing. Fourth the problem isnt that Rianne sleeps around, the problem is shes a cheater who feels next to nothing guilt. Fifthly I just dont think all the other characters were fleshed out that well. And lastly, Rianne turns into a very unlikable person at the end with how she acts to certain characters.
October 2, 2018
Just a Girl is a novel of a teenage girl named Rianne Hettrick, which talks about her high school years and her personal life. In the novel there is lots of mention of sex and abuse which for some those are very heavy topics. You have to view the book with a open mind and try to put yourself the the narrators spot. The author did a great job introducing the characters in the novel and sketching out their role in Rianne’s life.
March 27, 2017
I just could never get into this one, or care about the main character. A short book that felt long.
December 8, 2017
I read, Just a girl by Carrie Mesrobian and I didn’t enjoy it.
The main character is Rianne Hettrick. She’s not a terrible student in school, nor a good one, she’s average. She was planning something after graduating from high school with a friend of hers. Although something happened that kind of changed her plans, and she wasn’t really happy. She didn’t know what to do, since the plan backfired. She has a perfect boyfriend, his name is Luke , but then she starts to realize that she doesn’t love him. Also, there’s not much character development, Rianne stays the same throughout the whole book. Though, she does do some things, that makes her want to change.
Anyway here’s some inappropriate language, and other things in the book. It made me a little uncomfortable. If you don’t like inappropriate things, then you probably shouldn’t read this book, especially if it’ll make you feel uncomfortable. The book just wasn’t meant for me, maybe you’ll enjoy the book, maybe you won’t. It was an alright book.
The main character is Rianne Hettrick. She’s not a terrible student in school, nor a good one, she’s average. She was planning something after graduating from high school with a friend of hers. Although something happened that kind of changed her plans, and she wasn’t really happy. She didn’t know what to do, since the plan backfired. She has a perfect boyfriend, his name is Luke , but then she starts to realize that she doesn’t love him. Also, there’s not much character development, Rianne stays the same throughout the whole book. Though, she does do some things, that makes her want to change.
Anyway here’s some inappropriate language, and other things in the book. It made me a little uncomfortable. If you don’t like inappropriate things, then you probably shouldn’t read this book, especially if it’ll make you feel uncomfortable. The book just wasn’t meant for me, maybe you’ll enjoy the book, maybe you won’t. It was an alright book.
April 1, 2019
what was even the point of this book? like, literally every single character was a disgusting human being.
October 19, 2017
I personally thought this book was okay but a little slow. Nothing really happened that kept me on the edge of my seat or kept me from putting the book down. I never finished the book because I just couldn't keep forcing myself to read it, when I did read it I would always space off and not really pay attention to what was happening in the book. I've been reading it for about two months and I don't even think I'm 100 pages into it. It was basically about weed and partying and drinking which wasn't really interested in at the moment. I would recommend it to people who like high school drama, that's about it. I think it was slow for me because most of the story was told through the main characters mind about her part not the actual present.
December 13, 2016
Let me begin by rehashing something I've said many times; I read at least 30% of a book before DNFing it. With this book, however, it's a different case.
Usually when I DNF a book it's because I'm bored. This time I'm DNFing because of the content. Despite being interesting, and mildly intriguing, this book isn't for me. Within the first 10% there's very detailed sex and 40-60 cusswords.
I've mentioned before that I don't believe in filling my mind and heart with things such as this. This is my personal opinion. If you want to read this--fine. I don't judge :) but I will not.
Usually when I DNF a book it's because I'm bored. This time I'm DNFing because of the content. Despite being interesting, and mildly intriguing, this book isn't for me. Within the first 10% there's very detailed sex and 40-60 cusswords.
I've mentioned before that I don't believe in filling my mind and heart with things such as this. This is my personal opinion. If you want to read this--fine. I don't judge :) but I will not.
January 17, 2023
i kinda liked this
May 14, 2017
I did not expect much from this book, but I was still disappointed while reading it until I finished it. Idk... I just had high hopes on this book because the story seems really good + social issues, but the way it was delivered or told was not enough for me. I kept on thinking that maybe in the long run it would get better.
I know we all love books that feels like a rollercoaster ride; and I think that's the reason why I didn't get to love this as much as I wanted to... because it didn't give me that rollercoaster-kind-of-feeling. It's frustrating how it has a potential to become a great book because of the social issues it has, but then... writing style destroyed the potential. :( I feel so sad for the lost potential.
Despite the fact that I didn't like the writing style, I still had some things that I loved about it. The thing I love most about it is its theme. It's clearly stated in the title, "Just a Girl." You see, the society has all its way to stereotype girls (or females) who drink, party, loves having fun, takes life easily, etc... Like, what? Why? I still can't understand why most people can say bad stuff about girls who are just being... a girl... If you have some thoughts about this, please comment down below so I could also think about it. ;)
**A review copy was sent to me by the publisher but it does not affect my opinion.**
---
Originally posted in books and photographs.
I know we all love books that feels like a rollercoaster ride; and I think that's the reason why I didn't get to love this as much as I wanted to... because it didn't give me that rollercoaster-kind-of-feeling. It's frustrating how it has a potential to become a great book because of the social issues it has, but then... writing style destroyed the potential. :( I feel so sad for the lost potential.
Despite the fact that I didn't like the writing style, I still had some things that I loved about it. The thing I love most about it is its theme. It's clearly stated in the title, "Just a Girl." You see, the society has all its way to stereotype girls (or females) who drink, party, loves having fun, takes life easily, etc... Like, what? Why? I still can't understand why most people can say bad stuff about girls who are just being... a girl... If you have some thoughts about this, please comment down below so I could also think about it. ;)
**A review copy was sent to me by the publisher but it does not affect my opinion.**
---
Originally posted in books and photographs.
November 15, 2018
Carrie Mesrobian is not an author who avoids edgy YA themes. Her "Sex and Violence", one of her best, dealt with the aftermath of teen promiscuity and violence. "Perfectly Good White Boy" again examines promiscuity, parental alcoholism and lack of direction. "Cut Both Ways" is about a possibly sociopathic teen's irresponsible sex life.
"Just a Girl" again delves into promiscuity, this time from the less tolerated young woman's experience. Rianne is a high school senior, volleyball player, dubbed "Hat Trick Girl" for hooking up with three guys in an evening. She's somehow secured popular hottie, Luke, who wants to be her serious boyfriend. Rianne knows she has a good thing, but isn't ready for any kind of commitment, romantic or practical. When her plans fall through to move to St. Paul with a friend and she becomes attracted to enigmatic Russian student and vodka maker Sergei, she questions her future with Luke.
What I like about Mesrobian, even though her novels aren't the most fun to read, is her portrayal of life for a good number of teens in the country. Living in nothing towns, trying and often failing to make appropriate choices. About half of her novels seem to point to a better future, others, this one included, are not so positive. I would recommend this to mature, less impressionable older teens.
"Just a Girl" again delves into promiscuity, this time from the less tolerated young woman's experience. Rianne is a high school senior, volleyball player, dubbed "Hat Trick Girl" for hooking up with three guys in an evening. She's somehow secured popular hottie, Luke, who wants to be her serious boyfriend. Rianne knows she has a good thing, but isn't ready for any kind of commitment, romantic or practical. When her plans fall through to move to St. Paul with a friend and she becomes attracted to enigmatic Russian student and vodka maker Sergei, she questions her future with Luke.
What I like about Mesrobian, even though her novels aren't the most fun to read, is her portrayal of life for a good number of teens in the country. Living in nothing towns, trying and often failing to make appropriate choices. About half of her novels seem to point to a better future, others, this one included, are not so positive. I would recommend this to mature, less impressionable older teens.
February 29, 2024
This book. Was…. Something. I did like how it described the struggles of being a girl in certain situations but there were some parts I just could not get behind. I was not expecting the very beginning where she basically gets raped and then in my opinion it kind of fucks up the rest of her life. Rianne did have some great thoughts and I did like her character. She was given a title at a young age and it defined who she became in her life.
The ending. Did not like it. Can’t believe she actually just ran off with Sergei to Russia without telling anyone or thinking it through. Something bad happens and she makes a bad decision. But maybe that was the whole point of the book. It mentions a lot that she’s never been good and she doesn’t want to do good, she just wants to feel good. And I mean after years of being known as this fuckup, I too would just want to feel important. To Sergei she was important. He made her feel important and wanted not only in a sexual way but in a mental way.
I did not like the cheating trope. Did not like that Sergei made her break up with Luke over the phone. I do like the reality of a tight nit girl group losing a member and the trouble it can cause. It felt real.
I probably would not recommend this book to friends. This book is going to be one of those weird conversations where I talk about the weird things that happened.
The ending. Did not like it. Can’t believe she actually just ran off with Sergei to Russia without telling anyone or thinking it through. Something bad happens and she makes a bad decision. But maybe that was the whole point of the book. It mentions a lot that she’s never been good and she doesn’t want to do good, she just wants to feel good. And I mean after years of being known as this fuckup, I too would just want to feel important. To Sergei she was important. He made her feel important and wanted not only in a sexual way but in a mental way.
I did not like the cheating trope. Did not like that Sergei made her break up with Luke over the phone. I do like the reality of a tight nit girl group losing a member and the trouble it can cause. It felt real.
I probably would not recommend this book to friends. This book is going to be one of those weird conversations where I talk about the weird things that happened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 30, 2017Just a girl is a book about a girl named Rianne. Rianne is a rebellious girl who since freshman year has not cared about anything in school. She gets bullied a lot and has been labeled the "easy girl" because she has been around with a lot of guys. In the beginning of the book she is dating a guy named Luke, from what it sounds like she thinks that there just together to mess around. Luke however is in love with Rianne. little does he know, Rianne cheats on him multiple times, especially with his Russian friend Sergei.
I didn't really care for this book much, there was no plot and it was just boring. The ending was terrible and was very abrupt and left you hanging. The problem I had with the book was the explaining of characters, You didn't know who you were reading about because the author didn't describe them as well as she should have. Also the main character Rianne is very unlikable. she sleeps around, and she is a cheater who feels almost no guilt. This book was just very hard to follow, and confusing. No climax. Nothing to make you want to keep reading.
I recommend this book to specifically girls. Boys can read it too absolutely but I think if a girl reads this they will see that Rianne is someone you don't want to turn in to, basically you can read and learn about her mistakes. Also the drama is really good. If you like coming of age books about teenagers and there problems with love, drinking and drugs than you should read more about this character Rianne and her interesting life.
I didn't really care for this book much, there was no plot and it was just boring. The ending was terrible and was very abrupt and left you hanging. The problem I had with the book was the explaining of characters, You didn't know who you were reading about because the author didn't describe them as well as she should have. Also the main character Rianne is very unlikable. she sleeps around, and she is a cheater who feels almost no guilt. This book was just very hard to follow, and confusing. No climax. Nothing to make you want to keep reading.
I recommend this book to specifically girls. Boys can read it too absolutely but I think if a girl reads this they will see that Rianne is someone you don't want to turn in to, basically you can read and learn about her mistakes. Also the drama is really good. If you like coming of age books about teenagers and there problems with love, drinking and drugs than you should read more about this character Rianne and her interesting life.
November 30, 2017
People wonder what is wrong with the world today and it because of books like this. This book screams nothing but pr0-sex! It teaches that everything Ria does is okay and therefore she is a girl that is 'easy', a cheater, lazy, she is someone who has no morals, standards, or responsibilities. It teaches just because a guy does it I can too. What ever happened to being better than that?
Many people with disagree with me but the only character I really though cared about her was her own mother. Throw your stones! Yes she gave her an ultimatum but if your going to do all the things adults do and not give a care then you can do it under your own roof. She had no respect for her mother or what she was putting her through she only cared about her self and about what guy she was going to do it with next.
I don't feel sorry for this character she was pathetic just another cry baby f*** girl. Nothing special here so just move on people!
Many people with disagree with me but the only character I really though cared about her was her own mother. Throw your stones! Yes she gave her an ultimatum but if your going to do all the things adults do and not give a care then you can do it under your own roof. She had no respect for her mother or what she was putting her through she only cared about her self and about what guy she was going to do it with next.
I don't feel sorry for this character she was pathetic just another cry baby f*** girl. Nothing special here so just move on people!
June 8, 2021
{3.5/5}
I FINALLY finished this after a month of this book putting me in a slump, ugh.
I really don't know what to think of this book. For one, it was definitely not what I expected. Like I knew Rianne was going to be a flawed character going into it but daaaamn girl, you got problems.
There was so much sex in this books, which honestly, wasn't something I had a problem with. However, I did think that it was used in a pretty negative way. I mean, the first time she was drunk and it was with one of her camp coaches and the rest was either with her boyfriend or the guy she was cheating on him with.
I don't know man I just had bad vibes throughout the entire book but at the same time I can't say I hated it... It was just meeeeeh.
I FINALLY finished this after a month of this book putting me in a slump, ugh.
I really don't know what to think of this book. For one, it was definitely not what I expected. Like I knew Rianne was going to be a flawed character going into it but daaaamn girl, you got problems.
There was so much sex in this books, which honestly, wasn't something I had a problem with. However, I did think that it was used in a pretty negative way. I mean, the first time she was drunk and it was with one of her camp coaches and the rest was either with her boyfriend or the guy she was cheating on him with.
I don't know man I just had bad vibes throughout the entire book but at the same time I can't say I hated it... It was just meeeeeh.
June 8, 2021
{3/5}
I FINALLY finished this after a month of this book putting me in a slump, ugh.
I really don't know what to think of this book. For one, it was definitely not what I expected. Like I knew Rianne was going to be a flawed character going into it but daaaamn girl, you got problems.
There was so much sex in this book, which honestly, wasn't something I had a problem with. However, I did think that it was used in a pretty negative way. I mean, the first time she was drunk and it was with one of her camp coaches and the rest was either with her boyfriend or the guy she was cheating on him with.
I don't know man I just had bad vibes throughout the entire book but at the same time I can't say I hated it... It was just meeeeeh.
I FINALLY finished this after a month of this book putting me in a slump, ugh.
I really don't know what to think of this book. For one, it was definitely not what I expected. Like I knew Rianne was going to be a flawed character going into it but daaaamn girl, you got problems.
There was so much sex in this book, which honestly, wasn't something I had a problem with. However, I did think that it was used in a pretty negative way. I mean, the first time she was drunk and it was with one of her camp coaches and the rest was either with her boyfriend or the guy she was cheating on him with.
I don't know man I just had bad vibes throughout the entire book but at the same time I can't say I hated it... It was just meeeeeh.
June 26, 2017
Rianne "Hatrick" Hettrick-Wynne finds herself in a caring relationship with a steady guy who is not threatened by her extensive sexual experience. This should be a good thing, but Rianne finds herself always thinking about a 25 year old Russian university student instead. She keeps secrets from friends/family/boyfriend. She struggles with the disappointing news that her future big city roommate has decided to stay in their small hometown after graduation. Rianne's mother is selling the house, effectively leaving Rianne on her own after graduation. Rianne has no goals or aspirations, just lets life happen to her. She is a very likable character and I hope there is a sequel so I can learn what happened after she sneaked out of town.
The sexual content may be too heavy for school libraries,but the story is a worthwhile read for older, mature students.
The sexual content may be too heavy for school libraries,but the story is a worthwhile read for older, mature students.
December 29, 2017
I’m not really sure how I feel about this book. I don’t hate it at all, but I don’t know if I loved it. I wish that more had been discussed, Rianne had started talking about gender roles and whatnot at points, but that was soon over. I kind of hoped that this book would go into what’s expected of women and challenge that with a strong main character, but that wasn’t what we got. I liked how Rianne wasn’t perfect though and we got to see family dynamics, not only hers but Mercy and Luke’s as well. Carrie Mesrobian didn’t shy away from things in this book, which I also thought was important. I think that this could have been longer or there should at least be another book since there’s so much that we don’t know, but that also made the story feel more real. With that said, I do think that this book is worth your time and if you have any interest in it, you should try it out.
January 21, 2019
2.5 stars.
It took me a little to get into because I jumped in having to learn all of these different characters and the time jump at the beginning.
Grammatically, the writing was eh. “Sentences” were very short, and choppy.
But my biggest reason for the low rating was because I did not like the ending. There were WAY too many loose ends, and I DID NOT like Sergei’s character. Rianne and his relationship seemed very weird and forced the whole time, whereas Luke did everything right. I know some of it probably just me wishing I had someone like Luke (🙃) but still!! You don’t just up and go to Russia with some dude that you don’t know that well (besides physically, in her case).
Even though I never had experiences like this, I am sure it was very authentic.
Disclaimer: Required read for grad school YA Lit course
It took me a little to get into because I jumped in having to learn all of these different characters and the time jump at the beginning.
Grammatically, the writing was eh. “Sentences” were very short, and choppy.
But my biggest reason for the low rating was because I did not like the ending. There were WAY too many loose ends, and I DID NOT like Sergei’s character. Rianne and his relationship seemed very weird and forced the whole time, whereas Luke did everything right. I know some of it probably just me wishing I had someone like Luke (🙃) but still!! You don’t just up and go to Russia with some dude that you don’t know that well (besides physically, in her case).
Even though I never had experiences like this, I am sure it was very authentic.
Disclaimer: Required read for grad school YA Lit course
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2019
a high school girl fucks a ton of dudes and never really actually enjoys it and then accidentally finds herself with a boyfriend who she doesn't like all that much and ends up cheating on him with an older russian guy who is the first guy that actually makes her come during sex and she eventually runs away with the russian dude back to russia and the whole time all this shit is happening there's a bunch of really poorly developed background drama going on with her friends and her parents.. idk, uh, i thought this was going to be a rad feminist sex positive book with a weird romance on the side bit it was just a bunch of shitty people being shitty to each other and i didn't find any of the characters compelling in any way. 1/5.
October 20, 2017
Mesrobian tells us a story of a girl who's been determined to be "easy" but isn't sure she agrees. Rianne likes boys and sex, and isn't ashamed of enjoying a good time. She does however hate the reputation and the awkwardness of being THAT girl in a small town. This story is really just an exploration of the character of Rianne, and it is well done. I'm not sure I agree with the ending, but the fact that I wanted to argue with Rianne's choices says a lot about how realistically written Mesrobian's character is.
March 21, 2017
I was a huge fan of Mesrobian's Sex and Violence and so eagerly grabbed this ARC. As with S&V, I was fascinated by the exploration of the early sexual experience and its ramifications. This book follows a similar path. It's the kind of book that is very discussable, especially around what it means for a female to have sex. It's also interesting to see a relationship that the girl is only partway invested in.
Sex is graphically described in a way that would have been too much for my 14-year-old self, and exactly what my 16-17-18-year-old self would have needed to read.
I seem to have missed two of Mesrobian's books. I look forward to catching up.
Sex is graphically described in a way that would have been too much for my 14-year-old self, and exactly what my 16-17-18-year-old self would have needed to read.
I seem to have missed two of Mesrobian's books. I look forward to catching up.
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