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Ever After #2
Dramatically Ever After
Senior year is not shaping up to be the picture perfect movie Em Katsaros had imagined. Her super hot leading man is five thousand miles away. Her dad just got laid off. And Em can kiss her first-pick university goodbye if she doesn't snag a scholarship.
To turn this Shakespearean tragedy into the Academy Award-winning dream Em has written for herself, she enters a speech competition and manages to cinch a spot in the US Youth Change Council national round. She gets to spend a week in Boston and her prayers might be answered if she can kick butt and win one of the national scholarships.
Everything seems to be going by the script until she finds out Kris Lambert--senior class president, stuck-up jerk, and her nemesis--is going, too. Cue the dramatic music. In Boston, Kris is different. Nice. Cute, even. But she knows his game way too well--be nice to your opponents and then throw them under the bus on your way to victory. Instead of becoming his next victim, Em decides to turn the tables by putting her acting and flirting skills to work. Unfortunately, as they get close to the final competition and judging, reality and acting start to blur.
Can Em use the drama from the stage to get the future she's been dreaming of?
To turn this Shakespearean tragedy into the Academy Award-winning dream Em has written for herself, she enters a speech competition and manages to cinch a spot in the US Youth Change Council national round. She gets to spend a week in Boston and her prayers might be answered if she can kick butt and win one of the national scholarships.
Everything seems to be going by the script until she finds out Kris Lambert--senior class president, stuck-up jerk, and her nemesis--is going, too. Cue the dramatic music. In Boston, Kris is different. Nice. Cute, even. But she knows his game way too well--be nice to your opponents and then throw them under the bus on your way to victory. Instead of becoming his next victim, Em decides to turn the tables by putting her acting and flirting skills to work. Unfortunately, as they get close to the final competition and judging, reality and acting start to blur.
Can Em use the drama from the stage to get the future she's been dreaming of?
363 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2017
8 people are currently reading
1443 people want to read
About the author
Isabel Bandeira
7 books268 followersIsabel Bandeira grew up surrounded by trees and lakes in Southern New Jersey, right on the edge of the Pine Barrens. Her summers were always spent in Portugal, where the cathedrals, castles, and ancient tombs only fed her fairy tale obsession. Between all those influences and her serious glitter addiction, it wasn’t a surprise when she started writing stories of her own.
In her free time between writing and her day job as a Mechanical Engineer who designs and develops medical devices, she reads, dances, figure skates, and knits.
Isabel lives in New Jersey with her little black cat, too many books, and a closetful of vintage hats. She is represented by Carrie Howland of Donadio & Olson. BOOKISHLY EVER AFTER is her debut novel.
In her free time between writing and her day job as a Mechanical Engineer who designs and develops medical devices, she reads, dances, figure skates, and knits.
Isabel lives in New Jersey with her little black cat, too many books, and a closetful of vintage hats. She is represented by Carrie Howland of Donadio & Olson. BOOKISHLY EVER AFTER is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
June 9, 2017
ARC from Netgalley for a fair review.
"I became a character, bur the character was actually me. I'd been so busy pigeonholding myself into characters everyone else believed I was this week that I almost let go of full, three-dimensional Em who had dreams and potential. The Em who could be pretty amazing, in her own way."
The kids from PCHS are back, and this time we are following Em, one of Phoebe from Bookishly Ever After's friends. Super confident and flirty Em has her chance at a scholarship that could help fund and convince her parents to let her pursue her theatrical dreams. Unfortunately, she is pitted up against the one boy in the school who she feels puts on more of a show than she does center stage.
This book was ridiculously cute. It had just the right amount of teenage uncertainty, teenage hormones, teenage maturity, and teenage heartbreak. In the first book, Phoebe drew from the characters in her books to give her confidence. In this book, Em uses her skills as an actress to befuddle the competition, and I just love how we all know that its going to definitely blow up in her face. Fake it till you make it is one of my mottoes, and in this case she literally does.
Em is such a ridiculous girl. Now, despite her feeling that she is pretty much a love guru, it turns out when it comes to her own situations she is as blind as a bat. It was agonizing (in a good way) to read her struggle through her relationship with her hot German boyfriend who no longer lives on the continent while juggling her flirting with the competition and keeping face against the other 100-so competitors. I loved that despite her lack of esteem in her skills, she still puts up a brave face and fights through her situations. She may make some pretty dumb decisions, and oh my gosh, the way she responds about Wil is just so....ughhh how is she so dumb?! But you know what? I know girls misunderstand the way she did all the time, and it was so frustrating (again, in a good way) to read her through it.
Kris. Dreamy Kris. Of course he has to be so freaking dreamy and all around perfect. Good looking, talented, kind, good Samaritan, and incredibly smart. Of course Em thinks he is a fake! At first, I was a little annoyed that he was so perfect too. And though I know as a reader that he is probably supposed to actually be all those things, I couldn't help but side with ridiculous Em and her accusations, thinking, NO ONE IS THAT ANGELIC! I was happy to see that he did actually have faults and his own learning curve when it came to his own actions.
I loved how Isabel Bandeira worked in phrases/terms that incorporate the dramatic aspect.
"I needed Wil's perfect leading man sotic support, the big silent shadow behind me always willing to hold me up."
"We were both actors in this high school drama and our roles were already scripted for us."
"Despite my natural cynicism, hope crept into me and I felt like breaking int a musical number like something out of thirties film."
If you want a cute YA romance with just a dash of heartbreak and a spoonful of gushiness, then this is the book for you.
"I became a character, bur the character was actually me. I'd been so busy pigeonholding myself into characters everyone else believed I was this week that I almost let go of full, three-dimensional Em who had dreams and potential. The Em who could be pretty amazing, in her own way."
The kids from PCHS are back, and this time we are following Em, one of Phoebe from Bookishly Ever After's friends. Super confident and flirty Em has her chance at a scholarship that could help fund and convince her parents to let her pursue her theatrical dreams. Unfortunately, she is pitted up against the one boy in the school who she feels puts on more of a show than she does center stage.
This book was ridiculously cute. It had just the right amount of teenage uncertainty, teenage hormones, teenage maturity, and teenage heartbreak. In the first book, Phoebe drew from the characters in her books to give her confidence. In this book, Em uses her skills as an actress to befuddle the competition, and I just love how we all know that its going to definitely blow up in her face. Fake it till you make it is one of my mottoes, and in this case she literally does.
Em is such a ridiculous girl. Now, despite her feeling that she is pretty much a love guru, it turns out when it comes to her own situations she is as blind as a bat. It was agonizing (in a good way) to read her struggle through her relationship with her hot German boyfriend who no longer lives on the continent while juggling her flirting with the competition and keeping face against the other 100-so competitors. I loved that despite her lack of esteem in her skills, she still puts up a brave face and fights through her situations. She may make some pretty dumb decisions, and oh my gosh, the way she responds about Wil is just so....ughhh how is she so dumb?! But you know what? I know girls misunderstand the way she did all the time, and it was so frustrating (again, in a good way) to read her through it.
Kris. Dreamy Kris. Of course he has to be so freaking dreamy and all around perfect. Good looking, talented, kind, good Samaritan, and incredibly smart. Of course Em thinks he is a fake! At first, I was a little annoyed that he was so perfect too. And though I know as a reader that he is probably supposed to actually be all those things, I couldn't help but side with ridiculous Em and her accusations, thinking, NO ONE IS THAT ANGELIC! I was happy to see that he did actually have faults and his own learning curve when it came to his own actions.
I loved how Isabel Bandeira worked in phrases/terms that incorporate the dramatic aspect.
"I needed Wil's perfect leading man sotic support, the big silent shadow behind me always willing to hold me up."
"We were both actors in this high school drama and our roles were already scripted for us."
"Despite my natural cynicism, hope crept into me and I felt like breaking int a musical number like something out of thirties film."
If you want a cute YA romance with just a dash of heartbreak and a spoonful of gushiness, then this is the book for you.
May 23, 2017
Dramatically Ever After was a very cute book! There were plenty of swoons and adorable banter to keep my romantic heart interested in this story. Parts of this book dragged, but it was pretty entertaining as a whole.
One thing that I didn't like as much as I was hoping I would, was the main character. The main character, Em, was just a little too dramatic for my tastes. I know that she was into theater and the title literally has the word "dramatic" in it, but her dramatic antics were a little much to handle at times. Em also tended to exaggerate everything and judge people a lot, which both bothered me. However, all that being said, I did admire a lot of things about Em. I liked how determined she was and how she would do whatever it took to achieve her dreams. It was really inspiring to see her go after her goals.
The romance in the book was a bit cliche, but it was still very adorable. The banter between Em and Kris made my heart flutter and put a smile on my face! The romantic moments were extremely cute, but I do wish there would have been even more romantic scenes in this book. I WANT MORE CUTE SCENES BETWEEN EM AND KRIS, PLEASE.
Also, Kris was an adorable cinnamon roll that I just want to hug all the time.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book! I would have liked a little more excitement in the plot development, but as a whole, this was a quick and endearing read!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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One thing that I didn't like as much as I was hoping I would, was the main character. The main character, Em, was just a little too dramatic for my tastes. I know that she was into theater and the title literally has the word "dramatic" in it, but her dramatic antics were a little much to handle at times. Em also tended to exaggerate everything and judge people a lot, which both bothered me. However, all that being said, I did admire a lot of things about Em. I liked how determined she was and how she would do whatever it took to achieve her dreams. It was really inspiring to see her go after her goals.
The romance in the book was a bit cliche, but it was still very adorable. The banter between Em and Kris made my heart flutter and put a smile on my face! The romantic moments were extremely cute, but I do wish there would have been even more romantic scenes in this book. I WANT MORE CUTE SCENES BETWEEN EM AND KRIS, PLEASE.
Also, Kris was an adorable cinnamon roll that I just want to hug all the time.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book! I would have liked a little more excitement in the plot development, but as a whole, this was a quick and endearing read!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
July 5, 2016
THIS. BOOK. SOUNDS. AMAZZZIINNNGG. Can't wait to get me hand on it!
August 17, 2019
Hm. I liked this more than Bookishly Ever After, mainly because the enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my favorites...and as it turns out, I did enjoy the little arguments between the two main characters. BUT there were some parts of Em's personality that pissed me off to no end.
First of all: her clinginess to Wil and inability to realize that she'd been broken up with. It took her 75% of the book to realize that the break-up was for real, and before that, every time she sent him an email updating him about her life, I died a little inside.
Second of all: The entire scheme to treat Kris nicely to throw him off his game / emotional manipulation thing...it felt haphazardly thrown in there to force the characters to be nice to each other, when I would've much preferred a natural progression as they each realized that the other wasn't all that bad.
First of all: her clinginess to Wil and inability to realize that she'd been broken up with. It took her 75% of the book to realize that the break-up was for real, and before that, every time she sent him an email updating him about her life, I died a little inside.
Second of all: The entire scheme to treat Kris nicely to throw him off his game / emotional manipulation thing...it felt haphazardly thrown in there to force the characters to be nice to each other, when I would've much preferred a natural progression as they each realized that the other wasn't all that bad.
June 28, 2017
I absolutely loved this! Actually more than Bookishly to be honest :) I loved Em so much more than I did Phoebe and found her to be a way more interesting main character.
Although I admit it took me a couple of pages before I realised we'd switched narrators from book one... it's been a while in between, okay?!
I loved the narrator-switch, it makes the story feel fresher as now it's not just a sequel, it's a completely different story and it wouldn't matter if you hadn't read the first book.
I loved the setting too, the speech convention, and all the kids from all the states. (Even if Ann spells her name without the 'e', argh it looks so wrong!!!) Especially loved Kris, he and Em were totes my OTP <3 (and that's a phrase I haven't said in like ten years, haha)
Although I admit it took me a couple of pages before I realised we'd switched narrators from book one... it's been a while in between, okay?!
I loved the narrator-switch, it makes the story feel fresher as now it's not just a sequel, it's a completely different story and it wouldn't matter if you hadn't read the first book.
I loved the setting too, the speech convention, and all the kids from all the states. (Even if Ann spells her name without the 'e', argh it looks so wrong!!!) Especially loved Kris, he and Em were totes my OTP <3 (and that's a phrase I haven't said in like ten years, haha)
August 1, 2017
Book one? I adored it. So, going in I knew I'd probably have a delightful time. Besides, two people who hate each other and end up falling in love just happens to be my favorite trope. I can't say no. With some of the best top-notch banter I've ever read, this book blew me away. These two characters experiencing each other outside of their normal social circles was hilarious, while realizing they knew more about one another than they could have ever dreamed.
My delightful rambling could probably go on for awhile yet, so I'll leave a portion of my favorite scene that had me knowing that I would hands down absolutely adore this book.
Followed by...
That sort of banter just has me raising my hand going YES. PLEASE. And this book is filled with so much more. The two characters might have been yanking each other's chains on purpose at first but it was entertaining to watch it grow towards something real.
Bonus adoration for Kris acknowledging that Em had been a sort of terrible best friend in book one due to her "matchmaking." - which she only continued to do here. Which is why he made the comment in the first place. Good man.
This might be a companion novel but I highly suggest reading the first one well... first. Specific incidents are mentioned throughout the book and it might make more sense. It also adds an element to Em's control freak tendencies that show up here.
I'm glad I remembered that I wanted to read this and that it was coming out. Go ahead, pick it up if only for the non-stop laughter that these two characters bring to the page. Bonus interesting for each chapter to end in e-mails or text like posts to one another.
My delightful rambling could probably go on for awhile yet, so I'll leave a portion of my favorite scene that had me knowing that I would hands down absolutely adore this book.
"Whatever. Try it. Say 'tis."
"'Tis a stupid idea."
I straightened up again into my colonial lady persona and tilted my chin so I could look up at him through my lashes. "My heart 'tis aflutter with the dulcet tones of your voice." It was hard to keep a straight face, so I hammed it up instead, exaggeratedly batting my eyelashes and putting a hand over my heart. "Pray, speak again, dear sir so I may bask in your words."
He narrowed his eyes at me, but his serious expression was starting to crack. "M'lady, you are insane."
Followed by...
Kris cleared his throat, turned toward me, and tugged one of my curls "Ahem, excuse me miss. I like your hair. It's so twisty it's like playing with a spring."
... I pulled up as much colonial language as I could remember, then innocently twisted that same curl around my finger and leaned in close to him. "Sir, I'm afraid I'm a bit of a loose woman at the moment. Pray, will you help tighten my stays?" I was rewarded when his ears turned bright red and he nearly choked on his water. I sat back, satisfaction buzzing through my body as his reaction. "Eighteenth century wins again."
Kris finally stopped coughing and shook his head at me. "I thought this was between a modern, normal human being and colonial pants. Not a game of 'let's see what totally inappropriate thing Em can say next.'" His voice still sounded rough from all the coughing.
That sort of banter just has me raising my hand going YES. PLEASE. And this book is filled with so much more. The two characters might have been yanking each other's chains on purpose at first but it was entertaining to watch it grow towards something real.
Bonus adoration for Kris acknowledging that Em had been a sort of terrible best friend in book one due to her "matchmaking." - which she only continued to do here. Which is why he made the comment in the first place. Good man.
This might be a companion novel but I highly suggest reading the first one well... first. Specific incidents are mentioned throughout the book and it might make more sense. It also adds an element to Em's control freak tendencies that show up here.
I'm glad I remembered that I wanted to read this and that it was coming out. Go ahead, pick it up if only for the non-stop laughter that these two characters bring to the page. Bonus interesting for each chapter to end in e-mails or text like posts to one another.
June 20, 2017
"Everything we do is an act - a part of this carefully constructed story we have about who we are and what we want the world to see about us."
I loved the first book in this series, Bookishly Ever After, and I was super excited to receive a copy of Dramatically Ever After that follows Em's story this time! Unfortunately, I didn't fall in love with this book like I did the last and it had a lot to do with the fact that I just didn't connect with Em. She's the definition of dramatic (it is in the title after all) and right off the bat she would exaggerate/complain about everything in her life, from her long distance relationship to her family. It was a lot to handle when it came to reading from her POV for me.
Once the story begins to pick up by Em and Kris (you might remember him from the last book, he's also Em's school rival in this book) both advancing in a scholarship competition, I started to appreciate Em more. Reading about the competition, how hard she was fighting to make her dreams come true, I began to love her determination and bravery to stand up for the things she wants to accomplish in her life. Yes, she was still dramatic up until the very last page and I didn't fully connect with her character, but I appreciated her in the end.
The competition takes up most of the story, which was fun at times but there were moments when it dragged a little. I enjoyed a few of the friendships that were woven into the story and all of the side characters. I even liked Kris for the most part. The romance wasn't as swoony as the previous book but I didn't hate it. And honestly I can't believe I didn't swoon because I LOVE hate-love romances, but sadly, there were few butterflies for me when Em and Kris were together.
Isabel Bandeira is a fantastic writer and I always enjoy how diverse her books are! I think I would've enjoyed this book a little more if we saw Em more with all of her best friends instead of being away at the competition for the majority of the story.. But it all wrapped up in a sweet way! Em discovered more about herself and walked away a better person.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I wish I was able to fall completely in love with Em and Kris but their story wasn't fully for me. I'm still looking forward to the next book, though! If you're in the mood for a light contemporary or you're a theater fan then I definitely recommend checking this book out!
I loved the first book in this series, Bookishly Ever After, and I was super excited to receive a copy of Dramatically Ever After that follows Em's story this time! Unfortunately, I didn't fall in love with this book like I did the last and it had a lot to do with the fact that I just didn't connect with Em. She's the definition of dramatic (it is in the title after all) and right off the bat she would exaggerate/complain about everything in her life, from her long distance relationship to her family. It was a lot to handle when it came to reading from her POV for me.
Once the story begins to pick up by Em and Kris (you might remember him from the last book, he's also Em's school rival in this book) both advancing in a scholarship competition, I started to appreciate Em more. Reading about the competition, how hard she was fighting to make her dreams come true, I began to love her determination and bravery to stand up for the things she wants to accomplish in her life. Yes, she was still dramatic up until the very last page and I didn't fully connect with her character, but I appreciated her in the end.
The competition takes up most of the story, which was fun at times but there were moments when it dragged a little. I enjoyed a few of the friendships that were woven into the story and all of the side characters. I even liked Kris for the most part. The romance wasn't as swoony as the previous book but I didn't hate it. And honestly I can't believe I didn't swoon because I LOVE hate-love romances, but sadly, there were few butterflies for me when Em and Kris were together.
Isabel Bandeira is a fantastic writer and I always enjoy how diverse her books are! I think I would've enjoyed this book a little more if we saw Em more with all of her best friends instead of being away at the competition for the majority of the story.. But it all wrapped up in a sweet way! Em discovered more about herself and walked away a better person.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I wish I was able to fall completely in love with Em and Kris but their story wasn't fully for me. I'm still looking forward to the next book, though! If you're in the mood for a light contemporary or you're a theater fan then I definitely recommend checking this book out!
December 20, 2017
Book kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
This series is just the cutest! I admit that Em annoyed the hell out of me with her pushiness in Bookishly Ever After, but after reading her story I like her as much as I liked Phoebe :) We don't exactly see character growth, because by the end of the book Em is basically the same crazy Em everyone loves, but we get to know why she acts the way she acts and who she is. I loved to see how her insecurities and nerves played her during the competition but more than anything I loved to see all the support and encouragement from her family and friends and how that helped Em to accept that she's more than a pretty wannabe actress.
Just as In Bookishly, the friendships and family relationships are my favourite part of the book. Em's parents are not happy about her wanting to get a theatre degree, but they support her decision, and her friends call her on her BS when need be, but they still love her and are there for her when everything inevitably explodes. Talking about that, I'm glad that the conflict was solved with a minimum of drama :)
I guess my main issue is that Kris doesn't make a lot of sense as the romantic interest. I generally love the enemies-turned-lovers premise, but they basically hated each other for ten years, and not in the 'I just want to get your attention' way, and suddenly in a week they fall in love? Plus we don't really learn anything new about Kris. Basically he's not the asshole Em thought he was, which to me was a given since he's the romantic interest, but other than that there's ZERO information about him. And I'm sorry, but he's not half swoon-worthy as Dev was :P
So all in all a good follow-up to Bookishly, highly recommended if you enjoyed the first book!
I'm guessing Practically Ever After will be Alec's book? I'm looking forward to read his story :)
This series is just the cutest! I admit that Em annoyed the hell out of me with her pushiness in Bookishly Ever After, but after reading her story I like her as much as I liked Phoebe :) We don't exactly see character growth, because by the end of the book Em is basically the same crazy Em everyone loves, but we get to know why she acts the way she acts and who she is. I loved to see how her insecurities and nerves played her during the competition but more than anything I loved to see all the support and encouragement from her family and friends and how that helped Em to accept that she's more than a pretty wannabe actress.
Just as In Bookishly, the friendships and family relationships are my favourite part of the book. Em's parents are not happy about her wanting to get a theatre degree, but they support her decision, and her friends call her on her BS when need be, but they still love her and are there for her when everything inevitably explodes. Talking about that, I'm glad that the conflict was solved with a minimum of drama :)
I guess my main issue is that Kris doesn't make a lot of sense as the romantic interest. I generally love the enemies-turned-lovers premise, but they basically hated each other for ten years, and not in the 'I just want to get your attention' way, and suddenly in a week they fall in love? Plus we don't really learn anything new about Kris. Basically he's not the asshole Em thought he was, which to me was a given since he's the romantic interest, but other than that there's ZERO information about him. And I'm sorry, but he's not half swoon-worthy as Dev was :P
So all in all a good follow-up to Bookishly, highly recommended if you enjoyed the first book!
I'm guessing Practically Ever After will be Alec's book? I'm looking forward to read his story :)
December 16, 2017
4,5
Damn this book is so cute!!! I was a bit worried because it didn't sound as much like my thing as the first book. But. This has hate to love done in the best way? I couldn't put it down.
Em is amazing. She is so smart and confident. I loved seeing her with her family but also interacting with her friends. She is also a history buff which was delightful to see. I learn a lot of history trivia in this book. I wasn't expecting it but I didn't mind. It made some of the flirting excellent to be honest.
Kris was also pretty swoony to be honest. He is just so charming. And Seeing the both of them interact is the best.
I love hate-to-love and it's done so well here! I love how the speech competition forces them to interact. But they are still competitors so it create this nice balance where they are still arguing but also support each other sometimes. I explain it baddly but it was great to read.
I also enjoyed seeing the group of friends from the first book in this one. I'm hoping the third book is centered around Alec so we'd get to see them again.
My only 'meh' thing was the part with Will. I wish she hadn't stayed in denial so long. It got a bit annoying.
I appreciate that the main character is a poc.
I love how those books manage to work big issues into conversation. The book isn't about those issues but I love how they appear naturally.
I also like the fluff! A lot! And the banter in those book is amazing! AND THE KISSES!!!!! Great kisses!
In short : I love this serie and I can't wait to read the next book!
Damn this book is so cute!!! I was a bit worried because it didn't sound as much like my thing as the first book. But. This has hate to love done in the best way? I couldn't put it down.
Em is amazing. She is so smart and confident. I loved seeing her with her family but also interacting with her friends. She is also a history buff which was delightful to see. I learn a lot of history trivia in this book. I wasn't expecting it but I didn't mind. It made some of the flirting excellent to be honest.
Kris was also pretty swoony to be honest. He is just so charming. And Seeing the both of them interact is the best.
I love hate-to-love and it's done so well here! I love how the speech competition forces them to interact. But they are still competitors so it create this nice balance where they are still arguing but also support each other sometimes. I explain it baddly but it was great to read.
I also enjoyed seeing the group of friends from the first book in this one. I'm hoping the third book is centered around Alec so we'd get to see them again.
My only 'meh' thing was the part with Will. I wish she hadn't stayed in denial so long. It got a bit annoying.
I appreciate that the main character is a poc.
I love how those books manage to work big issues into conversation. The book isn't about those issues but I love how they appear naturally.
I also like the fluff! A lot! And the banter in those book is amazing! AND THE KISSES!!!!! Great kisses!
In short : I love this serie and I can't wait to read the next book!
September 2, 2017
I received this book in a goodreads give away in exchange for an honest review.
I am the kind of reader who prefers to start a series at the beginning so I read the first in the series before starting this one. I thought it would give me a better understanding of the author's writing style and give me a better feel for the series.
In the past I have enjoyed romance series books that started in highschool and progressed and matured with the characters, however this series started out feeling like middle school and doesn't show any signs of growing or evolving. The characters treat each other poorly, make immature assumptions and decisions while behaving in completely self serving ways then disparage other characters for acting in ways that they view as selfish. Not to mention the main character in this book is manipulative on an obscene level. As a result none of the characters are likable and you end up rooting for the foreign exchange student that is blowing off the main character in this book. He made a lucky escape.
The author did make an admirable attempt at creating a diverse and inclusive cast of characters but with the abysmal character development the tertiary characters are the only ones that didn't fall completely flat.
I forced myself to finish the first in the series (a knitting bookworm story which should have been right up my alley) so that I could review this one. However, I am now half way through this one and I just can't make myself read any more.
DNF @ 50%
I am the kind of reader who prefers to start a series at the beginning so I read the first in the series before starting this one. I thought it would give me a better understanding of the author's writing style and give me a better feel for the series.
In the past I have enjoyed romance series books that started in highschool and progressed and matured with the characters, however this series started out feeling like middle school and doesn't show any signs of growing or evolving. The characters treat each other poorly, make immature assumptions and decisions while behaving in completely self serving ways then disparage other characters for acting in ways that they view as selfish. Not to mention the main character in this book is manipulative on an obscene level. As a result none of the characters are likable and you end up rooting for the foreign exchange student that is blowing off the main character in this book. He made a lucky escape.
The author did make an admirable attempt at creating a diverse and inclusive cast of characters but with the abysmal character development the tertiary characters are the only ones that didn't fall completely flat.
I forced myself to finish the first in the series (a knitting bookworm story which should have been right up my alley) so that I could review this one. However, I am now half way through this one and I just can't make myself read any more.
DNF @ 50%
September 18, 2017
Normally contemporary novels are not my thing. I don't like reading about characters spending time in a realistic world dealing with realistic problems. I prefer my books in either the terrible sci-fi genre or the homicidal maniac killing spree genre. That being said I genuinely did like this book. Not so much for the characters since none of them really left an impression but more for the fact that it made me realize that everyone has a separate persona for people they may not be completely comfortable in front of. For example Em was flirty and fun to everyone she came across that didn't necessarily know her well enough to realize she was a fine arts lover and a little bit selfish and someone that would do anything she could for her best friends. Kris comes across as pretentious. Constantly trying to befriend everyone so he can elevate himself in the eyes of all of his classmates in order to continue to win class president. In truth he just truly loves politics, he loves finding out what makes all of his fellow classmates happy or sad and trying to figure out a way to fix things for the better.
The story itself was well written and I found myself not being able to put it down even though I really didn't care for either main character. I did however enjoy the two of them in scenes together. I loved how angry and feisty both of them were with each other. Constantly pushing the other over the edge just to go and do it all over again twenty minutes later. What I was really there for was the sexual tension however. I love a well written story where you can see each of the characters falling in love with each other over the whole story. Not that insta-love crud but actual feelings being developed from mutual dislike to genuine love, attraction, and admiration.
I did receive this book originally as an Advanced Readers Copy through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review but unfortunately wasn't able to read it until just now because of some technical issues regarding my Kindle tablet. I would like to send out a huge thank you to NetGalley for providing this digital copy of the book as I really appreciated the opportunity to pre-read it! Check out more of my reviews on brutalbookworm.blogspot.com
The story itself was well written and I found myself not being able to put it down even though I really didn't care for either main character. I did however enjoy the two of them in scenes together. I loved how angry and feisty both of them were with each other. Constantly pushing the other over the edge just to go and do it all over again twenty minutes later. What I was really there for was the sexual tension however. I love a well written story where you can see each of the characters falling in love with each other over the whole story. Not that insta-love crud but actual feelings being developed from mutual dislike to genuine love, attraction, and admiration.
I did receive this book originally as an Advanced Readers Copy through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review but unfortunately wasn't able to read it until just now because of some technical issues regarding my Kindle tablet. I would like to send out a huge thank you to NetGalley for providing this digital copy of the book as I really appreciated the opportunity to pre-read it! Check out more of my reviews on brutalbookworm.blogspot.com
June 10, 2017
Grade: B-
An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: As much as you might think I'd relate to Isabel Bandeira's prior heroine, Phoebe Martins, I actually liked Em Katsaros more.
The synopsis for Dramatically Ever After actually had me expecting money and poverty to play a bigger role in the story, and I was kind of disappointed they didn't. I did like how Em had a plan and a goal that drove this book; it isn't just a romance, y'all. Her family felt a little two-dimensional, so more development for them would've been nice. I did like that Grace and Alec got a slightly bigger role in this book than they did in Bookishly Ever After, even though Phoebe is still definitely Em's BFF. (Also I loved the little moments we got with Phoebe and her boyfriend.) I also liked that we got new characters, like Ann and Geoff and the other competitors in the speech contest.
The romance is very much hate-to-love, and even before Em realizes it (because she's still stuck on her sort-of ex, Wil), she and Kris have intense chemistry. Hate-to-love stories can be very enjoyable, and I liked that Em and Kris debated and disagreed but still found ways to be nice to each other.
Language was relatively mild. Romance had a few almost PG-13 moments.
The Verdict: A bit of a slow read but still enjoyable.
An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: As much as you might think I'd relate to Isabel Bandeira's prior heroine, Phoebe Martins, I actually liked Em Katsaros more.
The synopsis for Dramatically Ever After actually had me expecting money and poverty to play a bigger role in the story, and I was kind of disappointed they didn't. I did like how Em had a plan and a goal that drove this book; it isn't just a romance, y'all. Her family felt a little two-dimensional, so more development for them would've been nice. I did like that Grace and Alec got a slightly bigger role in this book than they did in Bookishly Ever After, even though Phoebe is still definitely Em's BFF. (Also I loved the little moments we got with Phoebe and her boyfriend.) I also liked that we got new characters, like Ann and Geoff and the other competitors in the speech contest.
The romance is very much hate-to-love, and even before Em realizes it (because she's still stuck on her sort-of ex, Wil), she and Kris have intense chemistry. Hate-to-love stories can be very enjoyable, and I liked that Em and Kris debated and disagreed but still found ways to be nice to each other.
Language was relatively mild. Romance had a few almost PG-13 moments.
The Verdict: A bit of a slow read but still enjoyable.
December 25, 2018
Another winner from Isabel Bandeira. I really enjoyed Bookishly Ever aAfter, which focused on the dreamy and bookish Phoebe, and now, the opportunity to read a story from the point of view of her theatrical friend Em was a treat. Readers won't doubt for a second that the sparks flying between Em and her speech competition rival Kris are going to result in romance, even if Em is absolutely certain that's impossible throughout most of the book. But that's beside the point. Watching the two of them circle one another, doubt themselves, and find new strength in each other's confidence is a pure delight. Bandeira's books are populated by a cast of well-drawn and likeable supporting characters, and this book is no exception. From the friends who appeared in the first book, like Phoebe, Alec, and the ever practical Grace, to the new friends Em makes at the speech writing competition, most notably driven and hippie-esque Ann, the characters are multi-dimensional and realistic and simply make you want to keep reading to get to know them better. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series, Practically Ever After, which will be from Grace's point of view.
October 23, 2022
Ahh loved it
May 28, 2017
I...
No.
I was super excited to read this, because I loved book one! Bookishly Ever After was one of my favorite contemporary romances that I received through Netgalley, but book two completely ruined everything for me. I could not get over how self-centered and pompous and... annoying the main character was.
I'm still very upset about this, please pray for me.
No.
I was super excited to read this, because I loved book one! Bookishly Ever After was one of my favorite contemporary romances that I received through Netgalley, but book two completely ruined everything for me. I could not get over how self-centered and pompous and... annoying the main character was.
I'm still very upset about this, please pray for me.
August 10, 2020
I had so much fun reading Bookishly Ever After and it was the same with Dramatically. And even though he was barely in this book, I still LOVED the scenes with Dev in them. I’m glad he and Phoebe are together and still happy.
But back to this book: Even before Em’s plan, I was loving how she and Kris acted around each other. They were so funny! I have to say though, Em was a little annoying when it came to Wil. She was such a clinger!(A clinger is a person who must spend every minute of every day with or talking to the person they’re dating.)
I have to say, I had a lot of fun with this book and I cannot wait for the next book. I wonder who Practically Ever After will be about...
————Second Reading—————
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I had the first time. I think I was just looking for romance after reading a school-assigned book and I put too many expectations on this book. It just wasn’t a fun read like the first time. There was barely any real romance until the end.
I will say this - there were a loooooot of parts I didn’t remember at all. This book was practically new to me. I didn’t even remember how the competition ended! It was almost like reading the book for the first time.
I prefer the first book, since both times I read it were super fun. Plus, Phoebe’s so much more relatable. That said, Isabel Bandeira does a good job of giving the characters their own personalities instead of making them the same. Each of her main characters have different passions and something unique that makes them tick. For Em, that was drama.
I hope my two reviews were helpful!
But back to this book: Even before Em’s plan, I was loving how she and Kris acted around each other. They were so funny! I have to say though, Em was a little annoying when it came to Wil. She was such a clinger!(A clinger is a person who must spend every minute of every day with or talking to the person they’re dating.)
I have to say, I had a lot of fun with this book and I cannot wait for the next book. I wonder who Practically Ever After will be about...
————Second Reading—————
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I had the first time. I think I was just looking for romance after reading a school-assigned book and I put too many expectations on this book. It just wasn’t a fun read like the first time. There was barely any real romance until the end.
I will say this - there were a loooooot of parts I didn’t remember at all. This book was practically new to me. I didn’t even remember how the competition ended! It was almost like reading the book for the first time.
I prefer the first book, since both times I read it were super fun. Plus, Phoebe’s so much more relatable. That said, Isabel Bandeira does a good job of giving the characters their own personalities instead of making them the same. Each of her main characters have different passions and something unique that makes them tick. For Em, that was drama.
I hope my two reviews were helpful!
April 4, 2017
*PLEASE NOTE* I received a review copy of this book from the publisher. This in no way affects my thoughts and feelings about the book.
*3 STARS*
Dramatically Ever After was one of my most anticipated reads of 2017. To be honest, I was slightly disappointed with this book. It dragged on, and I found the main character, Em, quite annoying. Sure, there were a few cute scenes, but not enough to satisfy me. Em is excessively dramatic, and is not very logical. It was very cliche and lacked the cute, smooth perfectness of Bandeira's debut. Overall, this book was just okay. I'll stick with the first one.
*3 STARS*
Dramatically Ever After was one of my most anticipated reads of 2017. To be honest, I was slightly disappointed with this book. It dragged on, and I found the main character, Em, quite annoying. Sure, there were a few cute scenes, but not enough to satisfy me. Em is excessively dramatic, and is not very logical. It was very cliche and lacked the cute, smooth perfectness of Bandeira's debut. Overall, this book was just okay. I'll stick with the first one.
dnf
October 26, 2017DNF @ 37%
I think it's high time I give up on this one because I am just done. I've been reading this on and off for over two months now (getting scarily close to three), and no matter how hard I try, I just struggle to want to keep reading every time I pick it up.
I loved Bookishly Ever After, and I really wanted to love this one too, but I'm just not feeling it. I mean, it is only a companion sequel and doesn't even follow the same main character, so that could be part of the reason why. But it's also godawful slow, so there's that too. So yeah, I'm gonna give this one a miss.
I think it's high time I give up on this one because I am just done. I've been reading this on and off for over two months now (getting scarily close to three), and no matter how hard I try, I just struggle to want to keep reading every time I pick it up.
I loved Bookishly Ever After, and I really wanted to love this one too, but I'm just not feeling it. I mean, it is only a companion sequel and doesn't even follow the same main character, so that could be part of the reason why. But it's also godawful slow, so there's that too. So yeah, I'm gonna give this one a miss.
February 16, 2019
4.5 stars
July 12, 2020
If you could ask me to pinpoint precisely why I enjoy this series so much, I wouldn't be able to tell you. The first book is cute, but it has a lot of tropes and some fetishizing.
In this book, we follow Em Katsaros, the drama queen from the first book. Honestly I couldn't remember much about her from the first book, but in this book I wanted to slap her for about 70%?
She and Kris (I don't remember him from the first book either) are the state wide winners of an essay contest about changing the world. Don't expect too much from that plotline.
She's broken up with early and she tells herself and her friends that she will be getting back together with Wil soon enough.
Aside from that, her behavior was something else. She's convinced for about 65% that Kris is messing with her head by being nice all the time instead of considering that maybe she's just been wrong, so she vows to mess with him back by flirting. This is a weird tactic, but I understand exactly what I'm reading, so okay.
And then she begins actually developing feelings for him.
Again, I know what I'm reading, but the book started off with a thing about Em and Kris being the statewide winners of a political essay contest, and we rarely saw this, so it was frustrating hearing Em's "my mentor said my speech sucked and then we had to revise it. But she said she picked me because of how awesome my speech was." And that's what it was like. Em's mentor specifically requested her even though so many of her competitors have read her speech and think it's just some cheerleading BS. In fact a few actually audibly make fun of her for it.
It's spliced with scenes of Em flirting with Kris, writing missives to Wil begging him to call or text her back, declaring herself the greatest matchmaker (calm down, Emma), and last and least, talking about her speech.
I wish the ending had been... more. Kris's speech, which Em admits she's blown away by, comes in ninth nationally, so Em assumes she has placed very low. Except, somehow, she wins third, and then there's a bunch of congratulating and telling her they cannot wait until she applies for the colleges they're on the board of.
And can we talk about how Em's idea is that grassroots and keyboard activism is better than enacting laws? It comes up a few times, but once is when Em has volunteered (and the behest of her roommate in the comp) at a soup kitchen. Kris shows up to help ladle out coffee and then spots a man in a suit in line. And Em EXPLODES at him for assuming things about him, tries to tear his head off and then their ideas come to heads.
But Kris, making the point that laws need to change so people can have the tools they need to live better lives, is treated as the bad guy. I agree that you should do what you can in your circumstances, but saying that literally nothing ever changes in politics is ridiculous. You've gotta MAKE them change.
I know I'm gonna read the third one, YOU know I'm gonna read the third one. I just hope I can stomach it a little better than this one.
In this book, we follow Em Katsaros, the drama queen from the first book. Honestly I couldn't remember much about her from the first book, but in this book I wanted to slap her for about 70%?
She and Kris (I don't remember him from the first book either) are the state wide winners of an essay contest about changing the world. Don't expect too much from that plotline.
She's broken up with early and she tells herself and her friends that she will be getting back together with Wil soon enough.
Aside from that, her behavior was something else. She's convinced for about 65% that Kris is messing with her head by being nice all the time instead of considering that maybe she's just been wrong, so she vows to mess with him back by flirting. This is a weird tactic, but I understand exactly what I'm reading, so okay.
And then she begins actually developing feelings for him.
Again, I know what I'm reading, but the book started off with a thing about Em and Kris being the statewide winners of a political essay contest, and we rarely saw this, so it was frustrating hearing Em's "my mentor said my speech sucked and then we had to revise it. But she said she picked me because of how awesome my speech was." And that's what it was like. Em's mentor specifically requested her even though so many of her competitors have read her speech and think it's just some cheerleading BS. In fact a few actually audibly make fun of her for it.
It's spliced with scenes of Em flirting with Kris, writing missives to Wil begging him to call or text her back, declaring herself the greatest matchmaker (calm down, Emma), and last and least, talking about her speech.
I wish the ending had been... more. Kris's speech, which Em admits she's blown away by, comes in ninth nationally, so Em assumes she has placed very low. Except, somehow, she wins third, and then there's a bunch of congratulating and telling her they cannot wait until she applies for the colleges they're on the board of.
And can we talk about how Em's idea is that grassroots and keyboard activism is better than enacting laws? It comes up a few times, but once is when Em has volunteered (and the behest of her roommate in the comp) at a soup kitchen. Kris shows up to help ladle out coffee and then spots a man in a suit in line. And Em EXPLODES at him for assuming things about him, tries to tear his head off and then their ideas come to heads.
But Kris, making the point that laws need to change so people can have the tools they need to live better lives, is treated as the bad guy. I agree that you should do what you can in your circumstances, but saying that literally nothing ever changes in politics is ridiculous. You've gotta MAKE them change.
I know I'm gonna read the third one, YOU know I'm gonna read the third one. I just hope I can stomach it a little better than this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2020
This is the second book in the Ever After series but since I got approved on NetGalley for this one last, I actually read this series out of order. However, all these books are pretty good at standing alone and I didn’t feel like I had to reread them in order to get the enjoyment out of them.
Em is the flirty, dramatic woman in the trio. She loves acting more than anything, she is a chatty extrovert and she doesn’t like Kris Lambert. Unfortunately, both of them were finalists in a speech competition and are the only two people from their school who are going on a trip to Boston. Em decides to take the chance to flirt with Kris and get him off his game for the competition and unsurprisingly, this does not go well for her.
I did enjoy this book. I love Isabel Bandeira’s writing style. The details of the characters and the surroundings just make her writing delightful for me, especially for contemporaries.
Em was a fun character and I love seeing how she dealt with making new friends, dealing with Kris behaving differently to what she had expected and stepping out of her comfort zone. I have previously really liked Em in the other two books so I was delighted to get a glimpse into her head. It was really interesting to see her being really confident in some things, like interacting with new people and acting, but also suffering a crisis of confidence when there is something she isn’t as good at, or doesn’t have as much experience being good at. When her mentor tore her speech apart, I was very sympathetic with her and I’m glad her friends were very much ‘stop being dramatic and actually listen to what is being said’. I do wish she had more of a character arc or more focus on the arc she had. Either reflecting on stepping out of her comfort zone, or her realising that maybe she didn’t need to make things ten times more dramatic than they had to be.
Kris came across as very sweet, though you could see how Em got the wrong end of the stick with him. I liked seeing their gradually building romance as they explored Boston (and I really liked seeing their interests being discussed, as well as their own relationship and how they approach disagreements). The resolution of the conflict (Em fake flirting with Kris to keep him off his competition) was resolved in an unexpected way and I liked seeing how they ended up together. I also enjoyed how Wil and Em were resolved, though I think it was a bit of a cop-out at times.
However, I did not like this book as much as the third in the series. It was a few minor reasons which added up in the end; I found Em was very similar at the end of the book that she was at the start of the book, I found the subplot with her parents was resolved at the end of the book without any attention paid to it, it felt like it was being resolved because they couldn’t leave it hanging, and I wish Em had learned more about listening to other people, rather than assuming the worst.
I enjoyed this but I definitely didn’t fly through it like I did the third book.
4 stars!
Em is the flirty, dramatic woman in the trio. She loves acting more than anything, she is a chatty extrovert and she doesn’t like Kris Lambert. Unfortunately, both of them were finalists in a speech competition and are the only two people from their school who are going on a trip to Boston. Em decides to take the chance to flirt with Kris and get him off his game for the competition and unsurprisingly, this does not go well for her.
I did enjoy this book. I love Isabel Bandeira’s writing style. The details of the characters and the surroundings just make her writing delightful for me, especially for contemporaries.
Em was a fun character and I love seeing how she dealt with making new friends, dealing with Kris behaving differently to what she had expected and stepping out of her comfort zone. I have previously really liked Em in the other two books so I was delighted to get a glimpse into her head. It was really interesting to see her being really confident in some things, like interacting with new people and acting, but also suffering a crisis of confidence when there is something she isn’t as good at, or doesn’t have as much experience being good at. When her mentor tore her speech apart, I was very sympathetic with her and I’m glad her friends were very much ‘stop being dramatic and actually listen to what is being said’. I do wish she had more of a character arc or more focus on the arc she had. Either reflecting on stepping out of her comfort zone, or her realising that maybe she didn’t need to make things ten times more dramatic than they had to be.
Kris came across as very sweet, though you could see how Em got the wrong end of the stick with him. I liked seeing their gradually building romance as they explored Boston (and I really liked seeing their interests being discussed, as well as their own relationship and how they approach disagreements). The resolution of the conflict (Em fake flirting with Kris to keep him off his competition) was resolved in an unexpected way and I liked seeing how they ended up together. I also enjoyed how Wil and Em were resolved, though I think it was a bit of a cop-out at times.
However, I did not like this book as much as the third in the series. It was a few minor reasons which added up in the end; I found Em was very similar at the end of the book that she was at the start of the book, I found the subplot with her parents was resolved at the end of the book without any attention paid to it, it felt like it was being resolved because they couldn’t leave it hanging, and I wish Em had learned more about listening to other people, rather than assuming the worst.
I enjoyed this but I definitely didn’t fly through it like I did the third book.
4 stars!
July 10, 2017
I barely remember Bookishly Ever After (though I know I liked it!), but I loved loved loved this one. There were a lot of reasons for this, and I'm feeling lazy, so I'm just going to list them like a loser.
1. Em is a lot like me. I'm pretty competitive. I really like performing/public speaking (though I don't really do drama but whatever). It's hard for me to accept constructive criticism. I'm smart and ambitious. I'm biracial. She is also all of those things, and trying to figure out what that means for her as a person. I really liked her character development, how she realises that she's been defining herself with a lot of false dichotomies, and that despising someone else shouldn't be part of your identity.
2.The dialogue was excellent. I mean, the flirty dialogue was excellent at building up romantic tension, and the conversations between friends were great, and I really liked the style of the instant messages and emails--but what was even better was the debates. There's lots of talk about volunteering and fundraising, and what it really means to make a difference. I really appreciated that because both of my parents work in NGO's and it felt so relevant to my life. There were also conversations about the etical responsibility of politicians and the appeal of politics, as well as faith and belief in God. There are so few YA books with dialogue that is about issues beyond the characters lives/plot (at least in contemporaries) so this felt very special. Like in Bookishly there are 'media' sections, but instead of being from YA books, it's mostly emails and instant messaging, which was a fun little extra. ALSO there was a reference to Into the Woods and I shrieked like a teenage girl (because I am a teenage girl)
3.The background of Boston and college. I think it's really hard for books to find a balance between characters being OBSESSED with college or not brining it up at all, but Dramatically gets it just right, and I really liked how that part of the story worked. The setting of Boston--museums, coffee shops, and so on, also added a richness to the story.
4. It earned it's title. Em is very dramatic. She's always flouncing off, or yelling, or getting worked up, or missing very obvious hints, and DEA was so unapologetic about this. It didn't feel overwrought or anything, it was just part of the story.
5. It's the perfect companion novel. In a companion novel, the story and format should have a different focus but a similar feel. Bandeira still gets teenagers so right, and I loved how realistic it was, but at the same time, the 'week' and 'conference' elements, as well as how different Em is from Phoebe, made the story different and it was just so perfect.
This book is utterly enjoyable, and realistic, and I loved the hate to love romance, and it's just an excellent novel.
1. Em is a lot like me. I'm pretty competitive. I really like performing/public speaking (though I don't really do drama but whatever). It's hard for me to accept constructive criticism. I'm smart and ambitious. I'm biracial. She is also all of those things, and trying to figure out what that means for her as a person. I really liked her character development, how she realises that she's been defining herself with a lot of false dichotomies, and that despising someone else shouldn't be part of your identity.
2.The dialogue was excellent. I mean, the flirty dialogue was excellent at building up romantic tension, and the conversations between friends were great, and I really liked the style of the instant messages and emails--but what was even better was the debates. There's lots of talk about volunteering and fundraising, and what it really means to make a difference. I really appreciated that because both of my parents work in NGO's and it felt so relevant to my life. There were also conversations about the etical responsibility of politicians and the appeal of politics, as well as faith and belief in God. There are so few YA books with dialogue that is about issues beyond the characters lives/plot (at least in contemporaries) so this felt very special. Like in Bookishly there are 'media' sections, but instead of being from YA books, it's mostly emails and instant messaging, which was a fun little extra. ALSO there was a reference to Into the Woods and I shrieked like a teenage girl (because I am a teenage girl)
3.The background of Boston and college. I think it's really hard for books to find a balance between characters being OBSESSED with college or not brining it up at all, but Dramatically gets it just right, and I really liked how that part of the story worked. The setting of Boston--museums, coffee shops, and so on, also added a richness to the story.
4. It earned it's title. Em is very dramatic. She's always flouncing off, or yelling, or getting worked up, or missing very obvious hints, and DEA was so unapologetic about this. It didn't feel overwrought or anything, it was just part of the story.
5. It's the perfect companion novel. In a companion novel, the story and format should have a different focus but a similar feel. Bandeira still gets teenagers so right, and I loved how realistic it was, but at the same time, the 'week' and 'conference' elements, as well as how different Em is from Phoebe, made the story different and it was just so perfect.
This book is utterly enjoyable, and realistic, and I loved the hate to love romance, and it's just an excellent novel.
May 24, 2020
I'm very surprised by how high of a ranking I'm giving this, but I surprisingly liked it better than the first and ended up thoroughly entertained.
In the first book, I thought Em was a really crappy friend and was way too melodramatic, and I actually never grew to really like her so much in this book. She's self-centered, a freakish catastrophizer, and absolutely delusional (all those messages to her ex-boyfriend, thinking they were getting back together. *shudder*) Her weirdly disproportionate hatred of Kris and paranoia surrounding him was frustrating. Also, the friend group at the center of these books is so cringe. Alec, Grace, Phoebe, and Em are a group you just wouldn't want to touch with a ten-foot pole. They're all VERY not funny over-steppers, and their moments of support and such felt contrived and fell flat.
Also, the writing wasn't anything so great, and in fact, like the first one, there were sentences that genuinely made no sense to me. All of this is to say that for a while, I was not into this book.
But Bandeira has some things going for her. Where the first book picked up was when Phoebe and Dev became counselors at a summer camp. In this one, the story immediately gained momentum when Kris and Em headed to Boston for a speech competition/summit. I think Bandeira isn't the queen of writing in the actual high school setting, but once she puts her characters somewhere more interesting (and separates that boring af friend group), things really start to shine.
Back in high school, I went on a few day conference in Washington, DC. The excitement of suddenly meeting a TON of new kids your age, exploring a city, attending sessions while dressed all fancily--it's such a ripe setting for romance and antics, and I've never seen a YA book head into that territory! Thank gosh Isabel did. It was so fun to read, Em meeting new people (and referring to them by their state name), romances blossoming, the gang competing but also bonding while exploring Boston.
That was another great thing, Boston. I love Boston and the clear appreciation Em and the author had for history was wonderful. Sometimes cliche, but I also love history, so I felt it.
And what really made the whole thing 4 stars for me was, of course, the romance. I didn't expect this to be a book that made my heart thump at romantic interactions, but it DID. Em's plan was beyond dumb, but her moments with Kris were actually very swoon, I must admit. Kris was fantastic, and the slow burn and progression of their relationship from "hate" to love was delicious.
While I don't think I'll read the final book in the trilogy because I do feel sick of these characters a bit, I'm absolutely calling this one a win.
In the first book, I thought Em was a really crappy friend and was way too melodramatic, and I actually never grew to really like her so much in this book. She's self-centered, a freakish catastrophizer, and absolutely delusional (all those messages to her ex-boyfriend, thinking they were getting back together. *shudder*) Her weirdly disproportionate hatred of Kris and paranoia surrounding him was frustrating. Also, the friend group at the center of these books is so cringe. Alec, Grace, Phoebe, and Em are a group you just wouldn't want to touch with a ten-foot pole. They're all VERY not funny over-steppers, and their moments of support and such felt contrived and fell flat.
Also, the writing wasn't anything so great, and in fact, like the first one, there were sentences that genuinely made no sense to me. All of this is to say that for a while, I was not into this book.
But Bandeira has some things going for her. Where the first book picked up was when Phoebe and Dev became counselors at a summer camp. In this one, the story immediately gained momentum when Kris and Em headed to Boston for a speech competition/summit. I think Bandeira isn't the queen of writing in the actual high school setting, but once she puts her characters somewhere more interesting (and separates that boring af friend group), things really start to shine.
Back in high school, I went on a few day conference in Washington, DC. The excitement of suddenly meeting a TON of new kids your age, exploring a city, attending sessions while dressed all fancily--it's such a ripe setting for romance and antics, and I've never seen a YA book head into that territory! Thank gosh Isabel did. It was so fun to read, Em meeting new people (and referring to them by their state name), romances blossoming, the gang competing but also bonding while exploring Boston.
That was another great thing, Boston. I love Boston and the clear appreciation Em and the author had for history was wonderful. Sometimes cliche, but I also love history, so I felt it.
And what really made the whole thing 4 stars for me was, of course, the romance. I didn't expect this to be a book that made my heart thump at romantic interactions, but it DID. Em's plan was beyond dumb, but her moments with Kris were actually very swoon, I must admit. Kris was fantastic, and the slow burn and progression of their relationship from "hate" to love was delicious.
While I don't think I'll read the final book in the trilogy because I do feel sick of these characters a bit, I'm absolutely calling this one a win.
April 8, 2021
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
For Em Katsaros, she wants to go to college and study drama, but following her father losing his job, and the fact her mam has tenure at a local university, she's struggling to convince them to let her go to the college of her dreams. However, when she wins State for a speech writing competition, and is sent to the US Youth Change Council national round, she just might be in with a chance of gaining a scholarship, and proving she can get what she wants. But, the other candidate for New Jersey just happens to be her nemesis, Kris Lambert, and her week in Boston soon turns into a battle. But, for all the arrogance and annoyance Kris has at home, he's different in Boston - he's kind, and caring, and just might be flirting? Can Em get over the breakup from her long distance boyfriend, and focus on the competition, or will her warring feelings over Kris ruin it all?
When I read the first book in the series, Bookishly Ever After, way back in 2016, I absolutely loved it! I was approved for both the sequels, but because of events in real life, I never got around to reading them - until Covid hit, and I had a lot more free time on my hands. Book 2 follows Em and Kris, secondary characters in BEA, as they spend most of the book in Boston, at the competition. They were characters who you immediately liked, though there's only one pov (Em's). I will admit, I have next to no interest in speech writing, or competitions like this, but being a history graduate, I loved all the inclusion of historical aspects to the story. Both of the main characters had a really good chemistry with each other, and I enjoyed reading their story. They also had a lot of good friends, both at home and those they made in Boston, which helped to create the story as more than just two people getting over their differences and falling in love. One thing that really annoyed me, though, was Em's obsession or reaction over her 'relationship' with Wil. I can't really remember much about them from book 1, but when you're in New Jersey, and he's in Germany, and doesn't speak very good English, you're relationship's not going to go far. Especially as a teenager. I completely understood why he wasn't as into the relationship as she was, and even though she's the one who said that after the fight they were done for good, she still bombarded him with emails, messages, liking his photos, etc. Just accept it's over, and move on! However, once I got over that, I did enjoy the book, and will be starting Practically Ever After very soon.
For Em Katsaros, she wants to go to college and study drama, but following her father losing his job, and the fact her mam has tenure at a local university, she's struggling to convince them to let her go to the college of her dreams. However, when she wins State for a speech writing competition, and is sent to the US Youth Change Council national round, she just might be in with a chance of gaining a scholarship, and proving she can get what she wants. But, the other candidate for New Jersey just happens to be her nemesis, Kris Lambert, and her week in Boston soon turns into a battle. But, for all the arrogance and annoyance Kris has at home, he's different in Boston - he's kind, and caring, and just might be flirting? Can Em get over the breakup from her long distance boyfriend, and focus on the competition, or will her warring feelings over Kris ruin it all?
When I read the first book in the series, Bookishly Ever After, way back in 2016, I absolutely loved it! I was approved for both the sequels, but because of events in real life, I never got around to reading them - until Covid hit, and I had a lot more free time on my hands. Book 2 follows Em and Kris, secondary characters in BEA, as they spend most of the book in Boston, at the competition. They were characters who you immediately liked, though there's only one pov (Em's). I will admit, I have next to no interest in speech writing, or competitions like this, but being a history graduate, I loved all the inclusion of historical aspects to the story. Both of the main characters had a really good chemistry with each other, and I enjoyed reading their story. They also had a lot of good friends, both at home and those they made in Boston, which helped to create the story as more than just two people getting over their differences and falling in love. One thing that really annoyed me, though, was Em's obsession or reaction over her 'relationship' with Wil. I can't really remember much about them from book 1, but when you're in New Jersey, and he's in Germany, and doesn't speak very good English, you're relationship's not going to go far. Especially as a teenager. I completely understood why he wasn't as into the relationship as she was, and even though she's the one who said that after the fight they were done for good, she still bombarded him with emails, messages, liking his photos, etc. Just accept it's over, and move on! However, once I got over that, I did enjoy the book, and will be starting Practically Ever After very soon.
June 4, 2018
I read the first book in 2016 and the gap between the two is quite large that I wasn't sure I still remembered enough. Luckily, though it is a series with some of the same characters present, it can be read very well as a standalone.
If you have read Bookishly Ever After (sorry, but Phoebe was too weird for me) it's fun to meet the other characters again, though since the book is set in a different city entirely, they don't play a big role in this book.
Em is an actress and has dreams of not just going to the local college her mother works at, but of attending theatre school. Her friends consider her a drama queen, and she seems aware of the fact that too often, she puts up a front - to amuse others, to keep reality at bay and also, because it's expected.
When her school allows to participate in a speech competition, she manages to write a strong speech that also depends largely on her orating abilities. She doesn't expect to make it to the finals of the competition, but her speech is chosen to represent the female population of her state.
Big surprise is that for the first time in history, another student from the same school is selected as the male representation of the state. Namely, Kris Lambert (the boy Phoebe from Bookishly Ever After had a crush on and a short fling with).
Em has never liked Kris; the son of a politician, he's already just as slick as class president, a suck-up and stuck-up jerk. To be trapped with him for an entire week in a city away from her friends - with her long-distance relationship with German former exchange student Wil on the fritz - is not exactly a dream come true.
And with all the boys and girls surrounding them immediate fans of Kris, she can't help but wonder if she's the only one who can see he's only playing at being nice and is simply waiting for the right moment to stab them in the back. As he's done before with her.
But forced into close proximity proves to both Em and Kris the other is maybe not who they think they are, and that perhaps they like each other after all.
Does coming back home and being thrown back into real life change anything though?
This was a very enjoyable read, something I didn't expect after the first book though I was willing to give the author a second chance that having been her debut and all. What did strike me as odd were the little mistakes throughout the whole book - for a print book, I've never come across so many before.
I like that this book had a better romance than the previous one; it's a true romance where the other was mostly just weird. Can't wait for book #3!
If you have read Bookishly Ever After (sorry, but Phoebe was too weird for me) it's fun to meet the other characters again, though since the book is set in a different city entirely, they don't play a big role in this book.
Em is an actress and has dreams of not just going to the local college her mother works at, but of attending theatre school. Her friends consider her a drama queen, and she seems aware of the fact that too often, she puts up a front - to amuse others, to keep reality at bay and also, because it's expected.
When her school allows to participate in a speech competition, she manages to write a strong speech that also depends largely on her orating abilities. She doesn't expect to make it to the finals of the competition, but her speech is chosen to represent the female population of her state.
Big surprise is that for the first time in history, another student from the same school is selected as the male representation of the state. Namely, Kris Lambert (the boy Phoebe from Bookishly Ever After had a crush on and a short fling with).
Em has never liked Kris; the son of a politician, he's already just as slick as class president, a suck-up and stuck-up jerk. To be trapped with him for an entire week in a city away from her friends - with her long-distance relationship with German former exchange student Wil on the fritz - is not exactly a dream come true.
And with all the boys and girls surrounding them immediate fans of Kris, she can't help but wonder if she's the only one who can see he's only playing at being nice and is simply waiting for the right moment to stab them in the back. As he's done before with her.
But forced into close proximity proves to both Em and Kris the other is maybe not who they think they are, and that perhaps they like each other after all.
Does coming back home and being thrown back into real life change anything though?
This was a very enjoyable read, something I didn't expect after the first book though I was willing to give the author a second chance that having been her debut and all. What did strike me as odd were the little mistakes throughout the whole book - for a print book, I've never come across so many before.
I like that this book had a better romance than the previous one; it's a true romance where the other was mostly just weird. Can't wait for book #3!
May 21, 2017
First expressions don’t always last long but Memories do
Em has loved acting ever since she was young. Now that she’s a senior, she would like to continue her dreams but her father seems to have other plans.
The only way for her to be able to continue her dreams is for her to find a scholarship. Lucky for her, she got accepted into the national round of the US Youth Change council competition. Everything was great until she learned that Kris, a boy she seems to hate, would be joining to.
With Kris acting kindly to her, she began to question his ulterior motives. She decided to play his game until she gets more and more confused as he turns out not to be the boy she thinks he is.
With problems and odds stacked against her and the week is nearly finished, the line between Reality and acting start to blend together. She would have to accept the truth that has always been there.
The story was sweet and cute though there wasn’t any really interesting thing that happened that gripped me. The setting was fascinating to use since not a lot of writers use it and the writing was normal and didn’t really stand out for me. The banter between the two was funny and at times amusing.
Em is someone who knew what she want and did everything she could to get it. She had determination and often times dreamed big. She still had flaw and that was her exaggerating most of the time and judging people by the way they act rather than getting to know them. If she thought you were bad then it would take a lot to change her mind about you.
Kris is someone who knew how to analyse people. His kindness and politeness was often times mistaken for flirting. He had a big ego and a different mindset with Em that leads them to argue with each other.
I received an ARC from the publisher from Net galley. I thank them and the publisher for sending this wonderful book to me.
July 24, 2017
This companion novel to Bookishly Ever After brought me back to a cast of characters I fell in love with and, this time, put the spotlight on theatre and the world of competitive speeches. There were so many movie and theatre references, along with some of Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon(those were definitely my favourite). This book was really cute, had great character growth, and I had a lot of fun going back into the Ever After universe. I can't wait to see who will be staring in the third book.
Em, the main character in this sequel, loved the theatre, loved performing, and often made references toward movies and actresses she loved. Her ability to act and harness her emotions into her scenes really helped when she delivered speeches. I really loved seeing her grow into herself as the story went on, becoming more confident in her own abilities instead of hiding behind a character. The dynamic she had with Kris was a lot of fun to read and reminded me a bit of the Anne/Gilbert dynamic from Anne of Green Gables. They drove each other crazy and argued all the time but there were definitely always underlying feelings.
This group of friends was so much fun to read. They were all so close, the chemistry in that group of friends that was a huge draw in the first book was back in this one. Even with Em in Boston for a lot of the book, we still got to see the group of friends interacting, either before, after, or by phone and text throughout her speech competition. The romance was also a lot of fun. I loved seeing Em and Kris debate over everything.
I really liked the speech writing aspect of the story as well. Em was vying for a scholarship so she could attend the college she wanted instead of her parents' choice but she was insecure about her actual talent for writing since she thought performing was where she excelled. It was interesting to see her work with her mentor to improve her speech and see her perform the final result.
This book was a very cute read, one perfect for sitting outside in the Summer or curling up in a chair by a fire. This is a universe I really have come to love and I can't wait to visit it again.
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Em, the main character in this sequel, loved the theatre, loved performing, and often made references toward movies and actresses she loved. Her ability to act and harness her emotions into her scenes really helped when she delivered speeches. I really loved seeing her grow into herself as the story went on, becoming more confident in her own abilities instead of hiding behind a character. The dynamic she had with Kris was a lot of fun to read and reminded me a bit of the Anne/Gilbert dynamic from Anne of Green Gables. They drove each other crazy and argued all the time but there were definitely always underlying feelings.
This group of friends was so much fun to read. They were all so close, the chemistry in that group of friends that was a huge draw in the first book was back in this one. Even with Em in Boston for a lot of the book, we still got to see the group of friends interacting, either before, after, or by phone and text throughout her speech competition. The romance was also a lot of fun. I loved seeing Em and Kris debate over everything.
I really liked the speech writing aspect of the story as well. Em was vying for a scholarship so she could attend the college she wanted instead of her parents' choice but she was insecure about her actual talent for writing since she thought performing was where she excelled. It was interesting to see her work with her mentor to improve her speech and see her perform the final result.
This book was a very cute read, one perfect for sitting outside in the Summer or curling up in a chair by a fire. This is a universe I really have come to love and I can't wait to visit it again.
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2020
Just plowing on through this series because to get to the gay one :D.
This was a cute little love-to-hate romcom that took place at a speech competition. The characters overlap from Bookishly Ever After, with a focus on a different pair.
This book is framed in a much tighter timeline, almost entirely on an academic trip. This meant that the queer characters from the first book were less present here, which is disappointing for readers who want to see more queer rep.
Although the leading lady is described as black, it didn't feel very racially diverse either; I had the impression that she was the only black character on the page, and her identity felt a little surface (I say this as a white person, so grain of salt.)
I also felt like some of Em's characterization from the first book didn't carry forward here. In part the book is about performative selves, and the perceptions of others, so I can understand a little shift. But it felt like Em the band geek was lost entirely in this story, when it was a pretty core element in how she related to friends in the first book.
This book was a slow starter for me, but got cute by the end. One thing I do love about the whole series so far is how much of nerd everyone is. They're all a bunch of hott, popular, passionate geeks. Which is the best.
This was a cute little love-to-hate romcom that took place at a speech competition. The characters overlap from Bookishly Ever After, with a focus on a different pair.
This book is framed in a much tighter timeline, almost entirely on an academic trip. This meant that the queer characters from the first book were less present here, which is disappointing for readers who want to see more queer rep.
Although the leading lady is described as black, it didn't feel very racially diverse either; I had the impression that she was the only black character on the page, and her identity felt a little surface (I say this as a white person, so grain of salt.)
I also felt like some of Em's characterization from the first book didn't carry forward here. In part the book is about performative selves, and the perceptions of others, so I can understand a little shift. But it felt like Em the band geek was lost entirely in this story, when it was a pretty core element in how she related to friends in the first book.
This book was a slow starter for me, but got cute by the end. One thing I do love about the whole series so far is how much of nerd everyone is. They're all a bunch of hott, popular, passionate geeks. Which is the best.
July 20, 2018
So far, I'm finding this series rather adorable.
While it's solidly YA contemporary romance and packed full of fun cliches, there's something about each of these books that has felt new, in its own way.
In this book, Em is entering into a speech competition for a scholarship she desperately needs to prove to her parents that the arts are what she wants to study--not getting a safety job in accounting or business or whatever other idea they come up with. She's dramatic and confident on stage. But off stage, she's self-conscious and afraid. She's something of a perfectionist, and when she gets stressed, she micromanages the lives of those around her to feel in control.
In other words, Em is very flawed. But I did like seeing some of her better qualities. Her passion for history, her desire to help others in small scale ways, her ability to fight for what she believes in. She was kind of awesome, and not in small part because she is so flawed.
The story itself sometimes gets a little slow, simply because most of it is focused on Em's fears about the competition, college, Kris, etc. But it was still a cute story.
I just found this book to be adorable and I can't stop saying that over and over.
While it's solidly YA contemporary romance and packed full of fun cliches, there's something about each of these books that has felt new, in its own way.
In this book, Em is entering into a speech competition for a scholarship she desperately needs to prove to her parents that the arts are what she wants to study--not getting a safety job in accounting or business or whatever other idea they come up with. She's dramatic and confident on stage. But off stage, she's self-conscious and afraid. She's something of a perfectionist, and when she gets stressed, she micromanages the lives of those around her to feel in control.
In other words, Em is very flawed. But I did like seeing some of her better qualities. Her passion for history, her desire to help others in small scale ways, her ability to fight for what she believes in. She was kind of awesome, and not in small part because she is so flawed.
The story itself sometimes gets a little slow, simply because most of it is focused on Em's fears about the competition, college, Kris, etc. But it was still a cute story.
I just found this book to be adorable and I can't stop saying that over and over.
August 20, 2017
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Actual rating: 3.5/5
I read the first book in the series, Bookishly Ever After , when it first came out, and fell completely in love with the characters. I was really happy to get a chance to get to know Em's character a little better and I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one.
Dramatically Ever After delivers exactly what it promises: a fluffy contemporary to keep you company on long rainy afternoons and warm your heart. I really enjoyed the interaction between characters: Em and Kris' conversations were full of witty remarks and enjoyable banter, with plenty of sarcasm going round. As that is one of my favourite modes of communication, I was obviously very pleased with this.
I really enjoyed delving deep into another character's passion: after Phoebe's love of books, we now get to explore Em's devotion for the theatre and the performing arts. It's refreshing to read about teenage female characters who have a passion and vision in life beyond boys and actually work hard to achieve their goals. Em really takes it a step further, acting definitely over dramatically at times and trying to put on a show 24/7 to avoid sharing her fears and appearing vulnerable, but I appreciated the fact that her friends always called her out on it.
Kris was definitely a keeper. We get to see him through Em's eyes first as an annoying wannabe politician, trying to please everybody while working his personal angle. But as they are forced to spend more time together, it was really fun to see Em discover layer after layer of Kris' personality and falling slowly. There were plenty of swoon-worthy moments between these two, and the romance never felt forced.
Overall, this book was a really enjoyable light read, with a good storyline and memorable characters. I shall definitely look out for the next one in the series!
For this and more reviews, visit Book for Thought.
Actual rating: 3.5/5
I read the first book in the series, Bookishly Ever After , when it first came out, and fell completely in love with the characters. I was really happy to get a chance to get to know Em's character a little better and I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one.
Dramatically Ever After delivers exactly what it promises: a fluffy contemporary to keep you company on long rainy afternoons and warm your heart. I really enjoyed the interaction between characters: Em and Kris' conversations were full of witty remarks and enjoyable banter, with plenty of sarcasm going round. As that is one of my favourite modes of communication, I was obviously very pleased with this.
I really enjoyed delving deep into another character's passion: after Phoebe's love of books, we now get to explore Em's devotion for the theatre and the performing arts. It's refreshing to read about teenage female characters who have a passion and vision in life beyond boys and actually work hard to achieve their goals. Em really takes it a step further, acting definitely over dramatically at times and trying to put on a show 24/7 to avoid sharing her fears and appearing vulnerable, but I appreciated the fact that her friends always called her out on it.
Kris was definitely a keeper. We get to see him through Em's eyes first as an annoying wannabe politician, trying to please everybody while working his personal angle. But as they are forced to spend more time together, it was really fun to see Em discover layer after layer of Kris' personality and falling slowly. There were plenty of swoon-worthy moments between these two, and the romance never felt forced.
Overall, this book was a really enjoyable light read, with a good storyline and memorable characters. I shall definitely look out for the next one in the series!
For this and more reviews, visit Book for Thought.
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