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The Victoria in My Head
Victoria Cruz inhabits two worlds: In one, she is a rock star, thrashing the stage with her husky voice and purple-streaked hair. In the other, currently serving as her reality, Victoria is a shy teenager with overprotective Cuban parents, who sleepwalks through her life at the prestigious Evanston Academy. Unable to overcome the whole paralyzing-stage-fright thing, Victoria settles for living inside her fantasies, where nothing can go wrong and everything is set to her expertly crafted music playlists.
But after a chance encounter with an unattainably gorgeous boy named Strand, whose band seeks a lead singer, Victoria is tempted to turn her fevered daydreams into reality. To do that, she must confront her insecurities and break away from the treadmill that is her life. Suddenly, Victoria is faced with the choice of staying on the path she’s always known and straying off-course to find love, adventure, and danger.
From debut author Janelle Milanes comes a hilarious and heartfelt tale of the spectacular things that can happen when you go after what you really want.
But after a chance encounter with an unattainably gorgeous boy named Strand, whose band seeks a lead singer, Victoria is tempted to turn her fevered daydreams into reality. To do that, she must confront her insecurities and break away from the treadmill that is her life. Suddenly, Victoria is faced with the choice of staying on the path she’s always known and straying off-course to find love, adventure, and danger.
From debut author Janelle Milanes comes a hilarious and heartfelt tale of the spectacular things that can happen when you go after what you really want.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published September 19, 2017
About the author
Janelle Milanes
3 books71 followersJanelle Milanes is originally from Miami, FL and received her BA in English Literature from Davidson College. A lifelong YA addict, she moved to New York for her first job as a children’s literature associate at Simon & Schuster.
For the past five years, Janelle has worked as a teacher and librarian throughout the New York City area. Her first novel reflects many of her own experiences growing up as a second-generation Latina in America.
Janelle currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two cats. Her favorite Disney princess is Belle, since she was also a big book nerd.
For the past five years, Janelle has worked as a teacher and librarian throughout the New York City area. Her first novel reflects many of her own experiences growing up as a second-generation Latina in America.
Janelle currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two cats. Her favorite Disney princess is Belle, since she was also a big book nerd.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
September 18, 2018
UPDATE: because maybe I should try to give an actual review?
The first thing I want to get out of the way is that this is a completely subjective 5-star read that, if I wasn't in the right state for/if I had ever had something that represented me in this way growing up, I might not have loved as much but you can fight me if you think I'm going to change that rating.
In essence, this is a sweet, coming of age contemporary that's centered around a young Cuban-American girl who's learning to rebel a little bit so she can carve out her own space. She is a scholarship student in a Manhattan school, and so most of her peers are affluent. The pressure she gets from her parents is impacted by her culture, her parents' socio-economic status, her desire to be a "good daughter" and fulfill all their American dreams, and all of it hit home for me. She, like so many other latinx kids in the States, isn't "enough" of one or the other.
Enter: a boy. (Of course, but please don't roll your eyes just yet.) When Victoria sees said boy hanging up singer auditions for a band, she impulsively takes the flyer. She isn't sure if she's actually interested or if she just wants something to break up the monotony of her life, but she takes it regardless. Since this is a book, I'm sure we all assumed that she does end up auditioning and the band does become a central part of the book, and congratulations we're all right. But it's what happens because of this band - the forming of new friendships, exploring romantic relationships and heartbreak, and especially Victoria learning how to assert herself - that truly make this book stand out. Victoria's life becomes that of every other messy teenager and that alone makes me cry. Latinx and other POC have been told again and again that their lives should be confined to "issue books," the books that talk about race and oppression and trauma. And while those stories are all necessary and true, sometimes it's nice to just see ourselves live. So please don't tell me that this book isn't relatable because her parents don't go around talking about cigars and Castro constantly. Milanes writes wonderfully, and created the best kind of cute, tropey romance, which meant Victoria immediately became a new favorite.
I am so unbelievably ready to reread this book. Until then, I'm gonna keep this playlist on repeat.
----
So Milanes did this thing where she lured me into this story in the most unassuming way. I should've known with the first chapter being Mitski's "Your Best American Girl" that The Victoria in My Head would be more than I had in mind. A fluffy, YA, own voices, Cuban-American contemporary book is the exact thing I never had when I needed it most and I was instantly sucked in. It was cute. It was comfortable. Victoria was relatable.
Now - not even 24 hours later - I'm listening to the playlist of all the songs referenced and so very in my feelings that I'm crying over nothing and don't know how I'm going to recover.
The first thing I want to get out of the way is that this is a completely subjective 5-star read that, if I wasn't in the right state for/if I had ever had something that represented me in this way growing up, I might not have loved as much but you can fight me if you think I'm going to change that rating.
In essence, this is a sweet, coming of age contemporary that's centered around a young Cuban-American girl who's learning to rebel a little bit so she can carve out her own space. She is a scholarship student in a Manhattan school, and so most of her peers are affluent. The pressure she gets from her parents is impacted by her culture, her parents' socio-economic status, her desire to be a "good daughter" and fulfill all their American dreams, and all of it hit home for me. She, like so many other latinx kids in the States, isn't "enough" of one or the other.
Here’s the thing—I’m in between two worlds, but I can’t fit into either one perfectly. I can round my words when I speak English so that there’s no trace of my family’s accent. Pull my hair up into a bun so you can’t see how wild and unconfined it is. My skin is pale enough to make me ethnically ambiguous—I can pass for Italian or Greek or French. But when I’m around all my Cuban relatives, I don’t feel quite right either. My Spanish is clunky, and I’ve never spoken it fluently so I opt to keep my phrases short, a barely passable Spanglish. I don’t bother with quinces or feel any nostalgia for a country I’ve never visited.
Enter: a boy. (Of course, but please don't roll your eyes just yet.) When Victoria sees said boy hanging up singer auditions for a band, she impulsively takes the flyer. She isn't sure if she's actually interested or if she just wants something to break up the monotony of her life, but she takes it regardless. Since this is a book, I'm sure we all assumed that she does end up auditioning and the band does become a central part of the book, and congratulations we're all right. But it's what happens because of this band - the forming of new friendships, exploring romantic relationships and heartbreak, and especially Victoria learning how to assert herself - that truly make this book stand out. Victoria's life becomes that of every other messy teenager and that alone makes me cry. Latinx and other POC have been told again and again that their lives should be confined to "issue books," the books that talk about race and oppression and trauma. And while those stories are all necessary and true, sometimes it's nice to just see ourselves live. So please don't tell me that this book isn't relatable because her parents don't go around talking about cigars and Castro constantly. Milanes writes wonderfully, and created the best kind of cute, tropey romance, which meant Victoria immediately became a new favorite.
I am so unbelievably ready to reread this book. Until then, I'm gonna keep this playlist on repeat.
----
So Milanes did this thing where she lured me into this story in the most unassuming way. I should've known with the first chapter being Mitski's "Your Best American Girl" that The Victoria in My Head would be more than I had in mind. A fluffy, YA, own voices, Cuban-American contemporary book is the exact thing I never had when I needed it most and I was instantly sucked in. It was cute. It was comfortable. Victoria was relatable.
Now - not even 24 hours later - I'm listening to the playlist of all the songs referenced and so very in my feelings that I'm crying over nothing and don't know how I'm going to recover.
May 16, 2017
3.5 stars
I love books with music. I find that they’re
always fun and guarantee a good time. This one is no different. We follow shy girl Victoria Cruz as she combats the monotony of her daily life by joining a band. We see Victoria’s personality and get to rock out along side her.
Things I Liked :
Victoria is a really relatable character. She’s bored with the monotony of her life and starts to want more, hence the band. She feels pressured by her family to get into a great school because that’s what they want for her. She experiences many firsts - boyfriend, kiss, detention - and we’re along for the ride. She is so very human. She makes mistakes and has regrets, but she also wants more but feels stuck.
I LOVED the music in the story. The band aspect was fun and really helped Victoria come out of her shell. Even beyond that she has a love for music that was great to see. I also loved that the chapter titles were songs. It created an instant playlist for the book - something I’m sure Victoria would love!
Things I Didn’t Like :
While I did think Victoria was a relatable character, she was also a little unlikeable to me too. Basically I had mixed feelings about her. She was immature at times and a little over the top with the teen angst. She is also a little self-involved, which I guess is a pretty typical teenager response to life, but it did make me like her a little less.
I wanted more at the end of the story. I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied. I wanted to know what was going to happen with the band moving forward - now that Victoria has went after what she really wants; what is she going to do about college; and is she going to be more open with her parents? I would have liked to get a few more answers before the story closed.
This was a fun book that was a breeze to get through. I loved exploring Victoria’s firsts alongside her, even though she was frustrating at times, and the music was a highlight for sure. I’m happy that I liked the book enough to want more, and I think this is a fantastic debut from Janelle Milanes
I received a copy of the book from Simon Pulse via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I love books with music. I find that they’re
always fun and guarantee a good time. This one is no different. We follow shy girl Victoria Cruz as she combats the monotony of her daily life by joining a band. We see Victoria’s personality and get to rock out along side her.
Things I Liked :
Victoria is a really relatable character. She’s bored with the monotony of her life and starts to want more, hence the band. She feels pressured by her family to get into a great school because that’s what they want for her. She experiences many firsts - boyfriend, kiss, detention - and we’re along for the ride. She is so very human. She makes mistakes and has regrets, but she also wants more but feels stuck.
I LOVED the music in the story. The band aspect was fun and really helped Victoria come out of her shell. Even beyond that she has a love for music that was great to see. I also loved that the chapter titles were songs. It created an instant playlist for the book - something I’m sure Victoria would love!
Things I Didn’t Like :
While I did think Victoria was a relatable character, she was also a little unlikeable to me too. Basically I had mixed feelings about her. She was immature at times and a little over the top with the teen angst. She is also a little self-involved, which I guess is a pretty typical teenager response to life, but it did make me like her a little less.
I wanted more at the end of the story. I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied. I wanted to know what was going to happen with the band moving forward - now that Victoria has went after what she really wants; what is she going to do about college; and is she going to be more open with her parents? I would have liked to get a few more answers before the story closed.
This was a fun book that was a breeze to get through. I loved exploring Victoria’s firsts alongside her, even though she was frustrating at times, and the music was a highlight for sure. I’m happy that I liked the book enough to want more, and I think this is a fantastic debut from Janelle Milanes
I received a copy of the book from Simon Pulse via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2020
4 stars
This book was just?? So much fun?? I went into it not having a clue what it was about because I had enjoyed the author’s sophomore novel and I’m honestly so glad that was the case because this novel ended up defying whatever expectations I might’ve had for it. Essentially, this book follows a teen girl who becomes part of a band and all of the shenanigans that come along with that. It’s very chaotic and I loved every second of it.
I really enjoyed Victoria’s character. Not only because I was able to relate to parts of her character, but also because I loved how much growth we see her go through over the course of the book. She really realizes her self-worth throughout the story and I loved watching her slowly come into her own. Her confidence at the end?? Absolutely unmatched and we love to see it!!
I also really loved the band dynamic and how naturally it progressed!! (With the exception of one person, but,,, that’s beside the point). I thought their friendship had a really good arc and I love friendships in books in general, so having it be such a big part of this one was incredible!!
Last thing I want to talk about is the romance and no, I am still not over the fact that the love interest is named after a bookstore, thank u. I, too, want to fall in love with a boy named after a bookstore. But besides his name, I also really loved his dynamic with Victoria and her family! I also thought his character development was done really well!
Overall, this is one that I can definitely see myself recommending many times over!! I just think it’s an incredible read for whenever you need a pick-me-up.
This book was just?? So much fun?? I went into it not having a clue what it was about because I had enjoyed the author’s sophomore novel and I’m honestly so glad that was the case because this novel ended up defying whatever expectations I might’ve had for it. Essentially, this book follows a teen girl who becomes part of a band and all of the shenanigans that come along with that. It’s very chaotic and I loved every second of it.
I really enjoyed Victoria’s character. Not only because I was able to relate to parts of her character, but also because I loved how much growth we see her go through over the course of the book. She really realizes her self-worth throughout the story and I loved watching her slowly come into her own. Her confidence at the end?? Absolutely unmatched and we love to see it!!
I also really loved the band dynamic and how naturally it progressed!! (With the exception of one person, but,,, that’s beside the point). I thought their friendship had a really good arc and I love friendships in books in general, so having it be such a big part of this one was incredible!!
Last thing I want to talk about is the romance and no, I am still not over the fact that the love interest is named after a bookstore, thank u. I, too, want to fall in love with a boy named after a bookstore. But besides his name, I also really loved his dynamic with Victoria and her family! I also thought his character development was done really well!
Overall, this is one that I can definitely see myself recommending many times over!! I just think it’s an incredible read for whenever you need a pick-me-up.
September 18, 2017
3. 5 / 5 Fangs
The Victoria in My Head was a relatable, funny, and heartwarming story about discovering yourself. I liked how this book felt authentic and so incredibly real. It took me back to my high school days and how it felt to go through all the big "firsts" in my life. The teenage angst involving boys, family, and self-worth all reminded me of what it was like to be a teenager.
The main character, Victoria, was such a realistic character. She wanted more with her life and wanted to discover herself. Victoria was getting bored and knew there was more out there for her. She has was getting pressure from her parents to get into a good college, which I am sure a lot of teenagers can relate to. There were times when Victoria seemed a little immature and too dramatic, but it felt accurate for her age and what she was going through.
The music element of this book was SO MUCH FUN. I loved the scenes when the band was rocking out and having fun. Watching Victoria become more confident and sure of herself through music really warmed my heart. I also enjoyed all the scenes when Victoria interacted with all the band members. They had such great banter and chemistry that made me laugh out loud. I liked how the author made sure to include how important friendships are.
Overall, The Victoria in My Head was a charming and fun book that took me back to my teenage years. I am so excited to see what this author comes out with next!
3. 5 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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The Victoria in My Head was a relatable, funny, and heartwarming story about discovering yourself. I liked how this book felt authentic and so incredibly real. It took me back to my high school days and how it felt to go through all the big "firsts" in my life. The teenage angst involving boys, family, and self-worth all reminded me of what it was like to be a teenager.
The main character, Victoria, was such a realistic character. She wanted more with her life and wanted to discover herself. Victoria was getting bored and knew there was more out there for her. She has was getting pressure from her parents to get into a good college, which I am sure a lot of teenagers can relate to. There were times when Victoria seemed a little immature and too dramatic, but it felt accurate for her age and what she was going through.
The music element of this book was SO MUCH FUN. I loved the scenes when the band was rocking out and having fun. Watching Victoria become more confident and sure of herself through music really warmed my heart. I also enjoyed all the scenes when Victoria interacted with all the band members. They had such great banter and chemistry that made me laugh out loud. I liked how the author made sure to include how important friendships are.
Overall, The Victoria in My Head was a charming and fun book that took me back to my teenage years. I am so excited to see what this author comes out with next!
3. 5 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
March 22, 2022
I remember when I read this I was like “damn that was cute and funny and again felt like it was about growing up not about being a cute and funny”, and that’s what I love about Janelle Milanes’s writing - AND THAT’s why I’m STILL waiting with baited breath for her next book. Bro, where is it?? It’s been years! YEARS! Give me something new!
(do we think that this will help manifest an update on more work, or)
(do we think that this will help manifest an update on more work, or)
September 10, 2017
DNF pg 182 - I really tried with this book. Maybe it's my age showing, but I just found Victoria to be the most annoying character. She was whiny and immature and just not a strong character. Cuban American representation is great, but it didn't really effect her life beyond the quince. Why is her mom making spaghetti every night? And where's the Spanglish?
September 16, 2017
Janelle Milanes’s debut The Victoria in My Head is a feel-good contemporary with an easy-to-relate-to protagonist. Victoria Cruz doesn’t exactly live her life on the edge. As a scholarship student and the daughter of parents with Harvard aspirations, Victoria’s life is pretty much laid out for her. She’s good at going through the motions, of never taking a chance on anything, even if it’s something she really wants. When she gets the opportunity to audition for a rock band, Victoria isn’t sure she can overcome her stage fright in order to do so. Taking those first steps toward embracing her dreams won’t be the hardest decision she’ll have to make. Victoria will discover that finding her place in the world isn’t easy, and despite all the dissenting voices around her, only she can decide her own future.
The Victoria in My Head is an incredibly readable novel. I nearly finished it in one sitting, not because it went by particularly fast, but because I had to find out what happened next for the protagonist. Victoria is a really insecure character. She doesn’t readily share how she feels with other people and is more prone to imagining what her life could be like than actually taking steps to make these things happen. Her parents are Cuban immigrants who have sacrificed a lot in order to open doors for their daughter. They have grand ambitions that are constantly being reinforced by Victoria’s school and best friend. This added pressure is enough to get anyone to crumble, especially for someone who isn’t sure if her dreams are the same as those around her. Despite how it sometimes felt to Victoria, it’s clear that her parents only want what’s best and it’s their earnestness in wanting to be involved in her life that endeared them to me.
I loved the friendships in this novel. Victoria’s best friend Annie is incredibly driven and iat first it does feel like she isn’t quite hearing Victoria when she talks about what she wants in life, but it doesn’t take long to realize that Annie is an incredibly supportive friend. The budding friendship between Victoria and her new bandmates is also one of the highlights of this novel. They build a kind of family that looks out for one another and it was really nice to see the loyalty they show later on in the novel. I was a little iffy about the romance in this novel, but despite my first impression, I ended up really liking the person Victoria ends up with. It’s a relationship that grows overtime and felt earned because of all the hiccups along the way.
The Victoria in My Head is an important in that it’s a book written for teens still trying to find their own voice, who feel insecure in their own skin, or who grappling with the added pressure of parental expectations.
The Victoria in My Head is an incredibly readable novel. I nearly finished it in one sitting, not because it went by particularly fast, but because I had to find out what happened next for the protagonist. Victoria is a really insecure character. She doesn’t readily share how she feels with other people and is more prone to imagining what her life could be like than actually taking steps to make these things happen. Her parents are Cuban immigrants who have sacrificed a lot in order to open doors for their daughter. They have grand ambitions that are constantly being reinforced by Victoria’s school and best friend. This added pressure is enough to get anyone to crumble, especially for someone who isn’t sure if her dreams are the same as those around her. Despite how it sometimes felt to Victoria, it’s clear that her parents only want what’s best and it’s their earnestness in wanting to be involved in her life that endeared them to me.
I loved the friendships in this novel. Victoria’s best friend Annie is incredibly driven and iat first it does feel like she isn’t quite hearing Victoria when she talks about what she wants in life, but it doesn’t take long to realize that Annie is an incredibly supportive friend. The budding friendship between Victoria and her new bandmates is also one of the highlights of this novel. They build a kind of family that looks out for one another and it was really nice to see the loyalty they show later on in the novel. I was a little iffy about the romance in this novel, but despite my first impression, I ended up really liking the person Victoria ends up with. It’s a relationship that grows overtime and felt earned because of all the hiccups along the way.
The Victoria in My Head is an important in that it’s a book written for teens still trying to find their own voice, who feel insecure in their own skin, or who grappling with the added pressure of parental expectations.
September 28, 2017
I enjoyed getting to be there as Victoria tried to figure out who she wanted to be. Fun friendships and lots of family time made this more than a romance, AND I got a grand gesture.
Pro: Victoria was a great character. I feel like there was some part of her everyone could related to, whether it be having overprotective parents, being part of the race for a space in the Ivy League, feeling unattractive, thinking your sort of boring, or trying to please your everyone in your life.
Pro: I love the wonderful group of friends Milanes assembled for Victoria. The suave and charming Strand, the fierce and riot grrlish Krina, and the loyal and super focused Annie, all of them encouraged and supported Victoria throughout this story.
Pro: Their band is named for my favorite Pixies song. How cool is that?
Pro: Lots of witty and amusing banter, and I often laughed during Victoria's inner monologues.
Pro: Strand! I was so happy that Milanes made him three dimensional, because my first impression of him was not too favorable, but as more and more of his layers were revealed, I became president of his fan club.
Con: Victoria was really insecure and sometimes it got on my nerves, but not too often.
Pro: It was really nice to see Victoria's family play such a big role in this story. They were not the perfect family, but they cared for each other deeply, and we shared a lot of important moments with them in this book.
Pro: So many awesome musical references, and the playlists were awesome too.
Pro: We got a grand gesture! I love grand gestures, and this one was pretty darn sweet.
Pro: Although there is romance in this book, this is not a romance. This is a story of self discovery and figuring out how to be the person you want to be.
Check out the song that inspired the band's name
Overall: A fun and heartwarming story of Victoria trying to figure out who she is and how she can become the Victoria in her head.
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Pro: Victoria was a great character. I feel like there was some part of her everyone could related to, whether it be having overprotective parents, being part of the race for a space in the Ivy League, feeling unattractive, thinking your sort of boring, or trying to please your everyone in your life.
Pro: I love the wonderful group of friends Milanes assembled for Victoria. The suave and charming Strand, the fierce and riot grrlish Krina, and the loyal and super focused Annie, all of them encouraged and supported Victoria throughout this story.
Pro: Their band is named for my favorite Pixies song. How cool is that?
Pro: Lots of witty and amusing banter, and I often laughed during Victoria's inner monologues.
Pro: Strand! I was so happy that Milanes made him three dimensional, because my first impression of him was not too favorable, but as more and more of his layers were revealed, I became president of his fan club.
Con: Victoria was really insecure and sometimes it got on my nerves, but not too often.
Pro: It was really nice to see Victoria's family play such a big role in this story. They were not the perfect family, but they cared for each other deeply, and we shared a lot of important moments with them in this book.
Pro: So many awesome musical references, and the playlists were awesome too.
Pro: We got a grand gesture! I love grand gestures, and this one was pretty darn sweet.
Pro: Although there is romance in this book, this is not a romance. This is a story of self discovery and figuring out how to be the person you want to be.
Check out the song that inspired the band's name
Overall: A fun and heartwarming story of Victoria trying to figure out who she is and how she can become the Victoria in her head.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
September 22, 2017
4 stars
Yes, yessss Janelle Milanes yes!!
I specifically sought out a YA book that would have a latinx main character. I wasn’t expecting much, if we’re being totally honest, but I am so glad I went in with low expectations because oh my god it was amazing and it blew me out of the water.
Victoria, as a character, has flaws – I do see them but she’s so well rounded for someone her age. I know what it’s like to have latinx family like that and to live under the pressure of being a straight A student. I could relate so much and I think that while as a character she has major flaws but she also has so many good qualities that make me find her so endearing.
Her family is so traditional like most migrant families and especially her relationship with her brother – it’s cute and I love it!
The romance aspect was dealt with well enough that I was never really angry with any of the characters. I loved the ending and hope that she went off to be an amazing rocker babe.
I do have to admit – that I was a little more excited to read it because my name is Victoria and it’s self centered but I’m being honest!
Will reread, will recommend.
Yes, yessss Janelle Milanes yes!!
I specifically sought out a YA book that would have a latinx main character. I wasn’t expecting much, if we’re being totally honest, but I am so glad I went in with low expectations because oh my god it was amazing and it blew me out of the water.
Victoria, as a character, has flaws – I do see them but she’s so well rounded for someone her age. I know what it’s like to have latinx family like that and to live under the pressure of being a straight A student. I could relate so much and I think that while as a character she has major flaws but she also has so many good qualities that make me find her so endearing.
Her family is so traditional like most migrant families and especially her relationship with her brother – it’s cute and I love it!
The romance aspect was dealt with well enough that I was never really angry with any of the characters. I loved the ending and hope that she went off to be an amazing rocker babe.
I do have to admit – that I was a little more excited to read it because my name is Victoria and it’s self centered but I’m being honest!
Will reread, will recommend.
April 24, 2019
Most of my favorite reads this year have been rereads, which is always a bit disappointing. I mean, obviously I want my rereads to be amazing (ideally, the books just get better every time), but I also want the books I’m reading for the first time to be amazing. Is that really so much to ask? For all my reads to be outstanding? Logic tells me yes, but my heart says no. Finally, though, for the first time in what feels like months but is probably actually weeks (because reading so much really does turn your brain—though mostly in great ways), I loved a new-to-me title. Technically, I should have read The Victoria in My Head an age ago, but our relationship was worth waiting for. Seriously, though, this book is so fracking cute.
Contemporary romances break down into several different subcategories to me with regards to how they feel, rather than to tropes:
Sheer fluff (e.g. Royals by Rachel Hawkins)
Low drama, realistic plot with fluff (e.g. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli)
Melodramatic soap opera (e.g. Summer trilogy by Jenny Han)
Super sad balanced with totes adorbsness (Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson)
Super sad but lightening elements, aka heart-crushing but the book won’t leave you only feeling sad (The Memory Book by Lara Avery)
Unrelenting tragedy (We Are Okay by Nina LaCour)
Not sure if that will have meaning to anyone else, and I know it’s super weird that I stopped talking about the review book to discuss other books, but it’s my review and I do what I want.
Okay, all that was because I want to categorize this book and have it make sense. The Victoria in My Head falls into the realistic fluff category, despite having a plot that occasionally leans toward soap opera (love triangle drama). For me, that flavor of contemporary is decidedly my favorite. Emma Mills does those so incredibly well, as does Becky Albertalli. These books don’t have massively dramatic plots, with most of the drama being merely the day-to-day weirdness of growing up, but they’ve got a bit more edge to them than a sheer fluff story. To sum up, if you like Emma Mills or Becky Albertalli, consider checking out The Victoria in My Head.
The title truly helps the reader understand Victoria. She’s been drifting through life doing what she’s supposed to: working hard to get into Harvard to fulfill the dream of her parents who immigrated from Cuba precisely to give her this opportunity. Victoria’s a scholarship student at this super fancy prep school in NYC, and her life is flat. Meanwhile, she has this idea of who she is in her head, of this exciting Victoria who has dreams and passions, but that person has never been on the outside. That’s such a relatable feeling I think, for teens especially, as they struggle to decide between being themselves and being popular. (I know it’s not that and cut-and-dried, but omg does it feel like it when you’re in high school.)
Victoria’s character arc rocks (pun intended), and it starts as many a YA heroine character arc does, when she spots a boy so hot she cannot put words together in a reasonable order hanging up a flyer about auditions for a lead singer. Victoria, conveniently, has a great voice, and she loves to sing and to dance. Victoria, inconveniently, has massive stage fright and pretty much zero confidence in herself. With some encouragement/pushing from her bestie Annie, Victoria tries out for the band and makes it
Her journey takes a long time; it’s a slow slide towards confidence and authenticity with many a setback. Her romantic journey mirrors her emotional one too, with her pursuing someone she does not truly want merely because he seems like who she should want. I know a lot of people loathe love triangles, and I get it, but I love them when they’re well done, as this one was. Obviously it’s frustrating to watch Victoria make the wrong choice, but I wasn’t actually mad about it because I understood why she was doing what she was doing, and I could totally see my teen self doing something similar in that situation. Victoria doesn’t yet know what she wants, and she’s trying so hard to make the right choices.
Well, except with her parents to whom she lies for much of the book. But! I loved her parents. They’re sweet and loving and protective but not overprotective. I don’t see a lot of parents like that in YA. It feels like a lot of the time they’re either absent, cruel, besties, or overprotective. Though Victoria’s parents aren’t particularly like mine, I found the dynamics of their relationship pretty relatable, because her parents always tried to do their best for her even if they don’t always understand (admittedly hard to do with an uncommunicative teen like Victoria). They’re not perfect parents but they felt like realistic, good parents.
The romance, obviously, is super, super cute, with a great slow burn. And I liked that I wasn’t really on board initially either and got to be won over with Victoria. The nicknames in this book are absolutely precious (and I’m picky about that). I had such shippy feels for so much of this book, AND the way the love triangle resolves is outstanding. OH! And to make everything even better, there was an f/f ship on the side that was also absolutely shippy.
Milanes’ debut The Victoria in My Head made me smile so hard for pretty much the entirety of the time I spent reading it. The voice is excellent, the romance is shippy, the supporting cast is lovable, the plot is low drama, the character arc is dynamic and believable, and the family dynamics are fantastic. What an amazing debut!
Contemporary romances break down into several different subcategories to me with regards to how they feel, rather than to tropes:
Sheer fluff (e.g. Royals by Rachel Hawkins)
Low drama, realistic plot with fluff (e.g. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli)
Melodramatic soap opera (e.g. Summer trilogy by Jenny Han)
Super sad balanced with totes adorbsness (Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson)
Super sad but lightening elements, aka heart-crushing but the book won’t leave you only feeling sad (The Memory Book by Lara Avery)
Unrelenting tragedy (We Are Okay by Nina LaCour)
Not sure if that will have meaning to anyone else, and I know it’s super weird that I stopped talking about the review book to discuss other books, but it’s my review and I do what I want.
Okay, all that was because I want to categorize this book and have it make sense. The Victoria in My Head falls into the realistic fluff category, despite having a plot that occasionally leans toward soap opera (love triangle drama). For me, that flavor of contemporary is decidedly my favorite. Emma Mills does those so incredibly well, as does Becky Albertalli. These books don’t have massively dramatic plots, with most of the drama being merely the day-to-day weirdness of growing up, but they’ve got a bit more edge to them than a sheer fluff story. To sum up, if you like Emma Mills or Becky Albertalli, consider checking out The Victoria in My Head.
The title truly helps the reader understand Victoria. She’s been drifting through life doing what she’s supposed to: working hard to get into Harvard to fulfill the dream of her parents who immigrated from Cuba precisely to give her this opportunity. Victoria’s a scholarship student at this super fancy prep school in NYC, and her life is flat. Meanwhile, she has this idea of who she is in her head, of this exciting Victoria who has dreams and passions, but that person has never been on the outside. That’s such a relatable feeling I think, for teens especially, as they struggle to decide between being themselves and being popular. (I know it’s not that and cut-and-dried, but omg does it feel like it when you’re in high school.)
Victoria’s character arc rocks (pun intended), and it starts as many a YA heroine character arc does, when she spots a boy so hot she cannot put words together in a reasonable order hanging up a flyer about auditions for a lead singer. Victoria, conveniently, has a great voice, and she loves to sing and to dance. Victoria, inconveniently, has massive stage fright and pretty much zero confidence in herself. With some encouragement/pushing from her bestie Annie, Victoria tries out for the band and makes it
Her journey takes a long time; it’s a slow slide towards confidence and authenticity with many a setback. Her romantic journey mirrors her emotional one too, with her pursuing someone she does not truly want merely because he seems like who she should want. I know a lot of people loathe love triangles, and I get it, but I love them when they’re well done, as this one was. Obviously it’s frustrating to watch Victoria make the wrong choice, but I wasn’t actually mad about it because I understood why she was doing what she was doing, and I could totally see my teen self doing something similar in that situation. Victoria doesn’t yet know what she wants, and she’s trying so hard to make the right choices.
Well, except with her parents to whom she lies for much of the book. But! I loved her parents. They’re sweet and loving and protective but not overprotective. I don’t see a lot of parents like that in YA. It feels like a lot of the time they’re either absent, cruel, besties, or overprotective. Though Victoria’s parents aren’t particularly like mine, I found the dynamics of their relationship pretty relatable, because her parents always tried to do their best for her even if they don’t always understand (admittedly hard to do with an uncommunicative teen like Victoria). They’re not perfect parents but they felt like realistic, good parents.
The romance, obviously, is super, super cute, with a great slow burn. And I liked that I wasn’t really on board initially either and got to be won over with Victoria. The nicknames in this book are absolutely precious (and I’m picky about that). I had such shippy feels for so much of this book, AND the way the love triangle resolves is outstanding. OH! And to make everything even better, there was an f/f ship on the side that was also absolutely shippy.
Milanes’ debut The Victoria in My Head made me smile so hard for pretty much the entirety of the time I spent reading it. The voice is excellent, the romance is shippy, the supporting cast is lovable, the plot is low drama, the character arc is dynamic and believable, and the family dynamics are fantastic. What an amazing debut!
April 27, 2018
Don't forget to join us on our liveshow for this book on April 29th at 4 pm EST at https://www.youtube.com/bookstormreads!
February 16, 2022
Victoria decides to audition for a lead singer in a rock band. The only problem is the crippling stage fright and all those notes she can't hit. But one night with some liquid courage she loses her inhibitions for once and finally becomes the Victoria in her head, the one she becomes in the privacy of her own room while singing along to her favourite songs. It's basically a handbook of things not to do, but while keeping your training wheels on.
This was the best sort of teenage rebellion. Victoria isn't trying to make a statement, or lash out at her parents, or overthrow society... she's just trying to figure out who she is and what makes her happy, so she waivers a little outside her usual guidelines to figure it out. There's a lot about building self-confidence and consequences and trying to balance your life, and it was just a really enjoyable book to read.
There are stupid decisions, and pressures, and trying to fit yourself into other people's boxes, but it was also about finding ways to respectfully express yourself and kind of liberating.
This was the best sort of teenage rebellion. Victoria isn't trying to make a statement, or lash out at her parents, or overthrow society... she's just trying to figure out who she is and what makes her happy, so she waivers a little outside her usual guidelines to figure it out. There's a lot about building self-confidence and consequences and trying to balance your life, and it was just a really enjoyable book to read.
There are stupid decisions, and pressures, and trying to fit yourself into other people's boxes, but it was also about finding ways to respectfully express yourself and kind of liberating.
September 5, 2017
My Rating: 5 stars ★★★★★
The Victoria In My Head is easily one of my favorite books of the year~
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)♥♥~
This is definitely a book to check out + add to your TBR!
~Such a diverse story, fantastic writing +unique plot, everything was fantastic!! I adored everything about this book! Such a breath of fresh air in YA!
It's a YA Contemporary about Cuban-American protag Victoria and how she overcomes her anxiety and joins a band! But its so much more than that! Over the course of the story, she learns more about friendship, love, and what she wants out of life!
I did not want this book to end~ There were so many important themes about family, identity + friendship~
More to come, but overall The Victoria In My Head was PHENOMENAL! I loved it so much~ This book releases September 19, 2017!
The Victoria In My Head is easily one of my favorite books of the year~
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)♥♥~
This is definitely a book to check out + add to your TBR!
~Such a diverse story, fantastic writing +unique plot, everything was fantastic!! I adored everything about this book! Such a breath of fresh air in YA!
It's a YA Contemporary about Cuban-American protag Victoria and how she overcomes her anxiety and joins a band! But its so much more than that! Over the course of the story, she learns more about friendship, love, and what she wants out of life!
I did not want this book to end~ There were so many important themes about family, identity + friendship~
More to come, but overall The Victoria In My Head was PHENOMENAL! I loved it so much~ This book releases September 19, 2017!
January 9, 2020
I am not a huge romance fan and this book was quite predictable as far as who ended up with who, but I still loved it!! The characters were well developed and believable and I enjoyed all of the music references throughout the book - especially the main character’s obsession with making very specific playlists.
Speaking of playlists... I now have a really cool new playlist thanks to this book! Each chapter of the book is a song title and artist, so after I got done reading the book, I went back through it and made myself a playlist from all of the different songs listed for each chapter. And it is a pretty decent playlist! I love that this book has helped me discover some cool, new music!
Speaking of playlists... I now have a really cool new playlist thanks to this book! Each chapter of the book is a song title and artist, so after I got done reading the book, I went back through it and made myself a playlist from all of the different songs listed for each chapter. And it is a pretty decent playlist! I love that this book has helped me discover some cool, new music!
Read
November 20, 2017When 15-year-old Victoria, a daughter of Cuban immigrants, decides to stray from her well-behaved, straight-laced life and join a band, she keeps it a secret from her parents. But...she can't keep it a secret for too long, since the lies start adding up.
A cute, fun, lighthearted romantic read about music, love, and learning to become your own person, rather than being the person you think you're meant to be. I loved that it's a younger teen protagonist a lot. The book ran a little bit long, but I think teen readers who love Vi will find no problem taking it all in, since it's well-paced and has a touch of humor to it.
A cute, fun, lighthearted romantic read about music, love, and learning to become your own person, rather than being the person you think you're meant to be. I loved that it's a younger teen protagonist a lot. The book ran a little bit long, but I think teen readers who love Vi will find no problem taking it all in, since it's well-paced and has a touch of humor to it.
January 9, 2018
I just ADORED this book. It made me smile practically the whole way through. I always love books about music (especially rock bands!) and this was a great one. It also captured the high school experience really well, I thought. I miss these characters already, and I can't wait to read whatever Milanes writes next!
February 21, 2018
read this book for a knee shlappin good hetero time !
March 8, 2018
I loved this book. It was just a typical tale of two cities kind of book of the romance of people that are polar opposites but, it was it's own rendition of that. Besides the love story, the main character, Victoria is stuck in a boring, repetitive life until she sees a flyer for a rock band and that's when her world changed. I would totally recommend this book!
March 18, 2018
3.5 stars, rounded down because I was pretty underwhelmed and also Victoria's gaydar is so bad that it's on the line between hilarious and embarrassing.
July 25, 2018
DNF at page 64. Just not my thing very cliched and I'm bored. It's going in the giveaway bend.
Since I am on a semi blogging break for book I'm going to do a bullet point type of review to tell me what bothered me about this one:
*MC seemed ridiculously young-yeah, I know she is young but I'm talking like she was more of the age of pre-teen than early teen
*Insta Love
*Insta Good at Music because of a video she did for Youtube six years ago. No practicing at all, and she's good enough to join a band.
*Insta love
*Whiney protagonist. Again, I get she's young but her whinging ruined the book.
Since I am on a semi blogging break for book I'm going to do a bullet point type of review to tell me what bothered me about this one:
*MC seemed ridiculously young-yeah, I know she is young but I'm talking like she was more of the age of pre-teen than early teen
*Insta Love
*Insta Good at Music because of a video she did for Youtube six years ago. No practicing at all, and she's good enough to join a band.
*Insta love
*Whiney protagonist. Again, I get she's young but her whinging ruined the book.
September 16, 2018
Being latina and into old music, like Victoria, really made me connect to The Victoria in My Head. I really enjoyed how this story read like a coming of age, high school, rom-com. I loved the diversity of the main cast members, the adorable swoony moments, and the messages of being true to who you are and to love your body/yourself. Unlike other books in this genre, the dialogue wasn't cringy but relatable. Although my only problem is I how instant the first romance developed but I ended up liking the second love interest more but that just didn't sit right in my head. Other than that I really loved having a story with a hispanic lead that didn't fit in any stereotypes and whose story didn't revolve around her ethnicity. It was a story that felt like a good coming of age movie. That being said...
WHEN IS THE MOVIE ADAPTATION COMING?!
WHEN IS THE MOVIE ADAPTATION COMING?!
December 24, 2017
This book would be pretty good for someone who likes close to real-world teen stories. If you feel any connection or relatability to the main character it’s worth the read. Now this review is coming from someone who experiences maladaptive daydreaming. The back of the book frames the main character as if she has maladaptive daydreaming herself and that’s why I was drawn to reading the book. Further this book has characters that are LGBTQ+ and alternative, I myself am both these things.
Now this particular genre is one I don’t read and I wouldn’t have read the book if it hadn’t been free. I strongly stick to fantasy, horror, supernatural and sci-fi. I did enjoy this book but I wouldn’t buy it. This was me giving this genre a chance and I’m satisfied but not impressed and I’ve got little desire to read more. I’d recommend this book as a preteen/tween novel, around 11-14. I’d class it as being better suited to the children’s (9-12) section than YA section if it wasn’t for the alcohol consumption and point blank sex mentions.
A book summary is pretty straightforward as not a whole lot happens. Basically the main character (Victoria) lives a boring life where every day is the same but this makes her parents happy. She dreams of being a singer and loves to make oddly specific playlist. Eventually these dreams get a chance to be reality and on top of that she falls for the sight of two boys. She also has a best friend named Annie who is far too tight laced of a person. The book also delves into dealing with parents wants and child’s wants clashing. That’s pretty much all there is to the book. Frankly the book is at least 20 chapters too long for the material and there’s tons of filler.
World building is bare minimum which is unsurprising since the world it’s in is just the real world basically.
Characters: All the characters are simple straightforward and cookie cutter.
Victoria is your shy “please the parents” girl who learns to break the rules for her own happiness.
Annie is your school obsessed neat freak that learns to loosen up
Levi is your work before everything unattached boy who really learns nothing.
Strand is your bad boy womaniser who learns to be a little less of a creep.
Krina is your edgy alternative badass lesbian who gets some genuine love (honestly this is the highlight of the book).
A note in Annie’s character: she’s framed as this supposed happy positive good influence character. But she’s actually painfully depressing. Whenever she thinks she’s rights she just forces people into stuff, by whatever means, it’s to the point of being cruel.
A note about Victoria’s character: She is for a lack of better words (plus this suits the book which attempts to be “edgy” and “vulgar”) a whiny bitch.
Stereotypes: (yes I had to make a section just for this because the amount of stereotypes in this book is physically painful) The Book can’t even go two pages without throwing puppy dog love at you. Plus the boy is “unobtainable” and a “bad boy jackass” talk about a stereotype. On top of this there’s instalove with a totally different boy. Not even two chapters after the onset of puppy dog love for Mr.bad boy. Queue stereotypical good guy geek vs womanising bad boy love triangle. And of course, it turns into quite nervous shy sheltered girl makes a loyal decent man out of the bad boy. Plus good guy geek being Nice Guytm. Heavy emotions are mentioned to be always premenstrual which is a massive incorrect stereotype that women are bloody sick and tired of hearing. The book is wholeheartedly unable to sperate romance from sexuality. Apparently not kissing somehow equals “sexually stunted” (what? O_o). Feeding into the stereotype that relationships need the sexy stuff. The Mohawked alternative girl Krina is a walking stereotype. Fake id to get into bars, drinking pigs blood, being a “sexual deviant”, scary, rebelling against society, hates beauty standards etc if you’re going to do an alt girl do it right instead of low key insulting any alt folks that might read the book. But at least the author had the sense to make her a left-leaning feminist. As most alt folks actually are left-leaning feminists. Making the alternative feminist a lesbian was pretty stereotypical even if alt folks have higher rates of being LGBTQ+. Thankfully this stereotype is offset by the two other LGBTQ+ girls. However queue Stereotypical cute girl prep dates stereotypical edgy alt girl. (Not sure how much I can trash this stereotype tho as cutesy pretty girl is exactly my type). However Krina being a lesbian doesn’t feel like an attempt at brownie points and neither do the other LGBTQ+ character. Victoria’s father was a ladies man who “knows what boys are like”, hello stereotypical overprotective dad. Her parents overall are stereotypical “we know what’s best for you” “your friends need to be good kids” “rock music is a bad influence”. But they truly appear to care and have heart felt-ish conversations with her. As soon as the Victoria is introduced to alcohol she practically becomes a drunkard and regrets everything she does whenever drunk. Hello stereotypical demonisation of alcohol and being drunk. Lastly, There’s the “cats are cold distant pricks” stereotype thrown in for good measure.
Some stuff that’s simply wrong or ridiculous to reality or to me: Again with the Author chalking up emotional behaviour as “premenstrual”, that’s not how that works at all. Someone being emotional doesn’t equal them being on or near the period. The Book can’t wait even 4 chapters before shoving it that the main character is vegetarian. Which I just have a personal issue with as no minor should be intentionally having an unbalanced and less healthy diet. The author throws in a “veal is baby animal and makes you vomit” scene just to guilt trip the reader/meat eaters, it’s very rude and is shitty vegan/vegetarian agenda/propaganda. Thankfully Victoria drops the whole vegetarian thing and the entire book would have been far better off without the vegetarian thing thrown in. Plus removing the vegetarian thing would have removed an awful lot of the filler. Victoria is a total mess yet is also day in day out the same. It’s illogical. The character can go from freaking out to the point of near vomiting to being good to go in two sentences. Real people aren’t like this. The book summary makes it sound like the main character has maladaptive daydreaming, she very obviously doesn’t. Daydreaming is rarely mentioned and even then it’s nothing more than a mental scene to go along to music. I’ll give the author slack for this tho seeing as the author and book never directly says Victoria has maladaptive daydreaming. However when you literally describe the main character as “living inside her fantasies”, further to book title is a very unapologetic nod to living side your own head; the author might as well have said maladaptive daydreaming. As mentioned earlier the book can’t sperate sexual from romantic. In real life no ones relationship (especially a minors relationship) has romance and sexual behaviour so heavily tied. This will be extremely off-putting to any asexual readers or really anyone who understands romance without sex.
Some other things: The quotes at the beginning of chapters are unfitting and just don’t belong. Tossing cheerios into Krina spiked Mohawk was freaking adorable. “Cutlet-related violence” is actually pretty hilarious. And I like that it becomes a running joke. The book does a decent-ish job at points for making you feel bad or relate to the main character even if every attempt is covered in tons of stereotypical stuff. The 40’s chapters do a great job of making the main character totally soul crushed almost to the point of being full blown depressed. Annie and Krina are adorable together and the book sets them up for perfect chemistry. The last 10-ish chapters are actually fantastic and do a great job at surprising and satisfying the reader. The cover is somewhat creative, has an old-timey feel (which I know is popular with hipsters *sigh*) and is a nod to the book being predominately about music.
Overall the book was passable but would qualify as good if you like the specific genre. However, it is filled to the brim with stereotypes and unnecessary attempts to be “edgy”. It feels like an adult trying to pass as a hip teen. The representation of LGBTQ+ teens is nice and done decently. The representation of subcultural/alternative teen is nice to see but done quite poorly. I’d say give to book a go for cheap.
Now this particular genre is one I don’t read and I wouldn’t have read the book if it hadn’t been free. I strongly stick to fantasy, horror, supernatural and sci-fi. I did enjoy this book but I wouldn’t buy it. This was me giving this genre a chance and I’m satisfied but not impressed and I’ve got little desire to read more. I’d recommend this book as a preteen/tween novel, around 11-14. I’d class it as being better suited to the children’s (9-12) section than YA section if it wasn’t for the alcohol consumption and point blank sex mentions.
A book summary is pretty straightforward as not a whole lot happens. Basically the main character (Victoria) lives a boring life where every day is the same but this makes her parents happy. She dreams of being a singer and loves to make oddly specific playlist. Eventually these dreams get a chance to be reality and on top of that she falls for the sight of two boys. She also has a best friend named Annie who is far too tight laced of a person. The book also delves into dealing with parents wants and child’s wants clashing. That’s pretty much all there is to the book. Frankly the book is at least 20 chapters too long for the material and there’s tons of filler.
World building is bare minimum which is unsurprising since the world it’s in is just the real world basically.
Characters: All the characters are simple straightforward and cookie cutter.
Victoria is your shy “please the parents” girl who learns to break the rules for her own happiness.
Annie is your school obsessed neat freak that learns to loosen up
Levi is your work before everything unattached boy who really learns nothing.
Strand is your bad boy womaniser who learns to be a little less of a creep.
Krina is your edgy alternative badass lesbian who gets some genuine love (honestly this is the highlight of the book).
A note in Annie’s character: she’s framed as this supposed happy positive good influence character. But she’s actually painfully depressing. Whenever she thinks she’s rights she just forces people into stuff, by whatever means, it’s to the point of being cruel.
A note about Victoria’s character: She is for a lack of better words (plus this suits the book which attempts to be “edgy” and “vulgar”) a whiny bitch.
Stereotypes: (yes I had to make a section just for this because the amount of stereotypes in this book is physically painful) The Book can’t even go two pages without throwing puppy dog love at you. Plus the boy is “unobtainable” and a “bad boy jackass” talk about a stereotype. On top of this there’s instalove with a totally different boy. Not even two chapters after the onset of puppy dog love for Mr.bad boy. Queue stereotypical good guy geek vs womanising bad boy love triangle. And of course, it turns into quite nervous shy sheltered girl makes a loyal decent man out of the bad boy. Plus good guy geek being Nice Guytm. Heavy emotions are mentioned to be always premenstrual which is a massive incorrect stereotype that women are bloody sick and tired of hearing. The book is wholeheartedly unable to sperate romance from sexuality. Apparently not kissing somehow equals “sexually stunted” (what? O_o). Feeding into the stereotype that relationships need the sexy stuff. The Mohawked alternative girl Krina is a walking stereotype. Fake id to get into bars, drinking pigs blood, being a “sexual deviant”, scary, rebelling against society, hates beauty standards etc if you’re going to do an alt girl do it right instead of low key insulting any alt folks that might read the book. But at least the author had the sense to make her a left-leaning feminist. As most alt folks actually are left-leaning feminists. Making the alternative feminist a lesbian was pretty stereotypical even if alt folks have higher rates of being LGBTQ+. Thankfully this stereotype is offset by the two other LGBTQ+ girls. However queue Stereotypical cute girl prep dates stereotypical edgy alt girl. (Not sure how much I can trash this stereotype tho as cutesy pretty girl is exactly my type). However Krina being a lesbian doesn’t feel like an attempt at brownie points and neither do the other LGBTQ+ character. Victoria’s father was a ladies man who “knows what boys are like”, hello stereotypical overprotective dad. Her parents overall are stereotypical “we know what’s best for you” “your friends need to be good kids” “rock music is a bad influence”. But they truly appear to care and have heart felt-ish conversations with her. As soon as the Victoria is introduced to alcohol she practically becomes a drunkard and regrets everything she does whenever drunk. Hello stereotypical demonisation of alcohol and being drunk. Lastly, There’s the “cats are cold distant pricks” stereotype thrown in for good measure.
Some stuff that’s simply wrong or ridiculous to reality or to me: Again with the Author chalking up emotional behaviour as “premenstrual”, that’s not how that works at all. Someone being emotional doesn’t equal them being on or near the period. The Book can’t wait even 4 chapters before shoving it that the main character is vegetarian. Which I just have a personal issue with as no minor should be intentionally having an unbalanced and less healthy diet. The author throws in a “veal is baby animal and makes you vomit” scene just to guilt trip the reader/meat eaters, it’s very rude and is shitty vegan/vegetarian agenda/propaganda. Thankfully Victoria drops the whole vegetarian thing and the entire book would have been far better off without the vegetarian thing thrown in. Plus removing the vegetarian thing would have removed an awful lot of the filler. Victoria is a total mess yet is also day in day out the same. It’s illogical. The character can go from freaking out to the point of near vomiting to being good to go in two sentences. Real people aren’t like this. The book summary makes it sound like the main character has maladaptive daydreaming, she very obviously doesn’t. Daydreaming is rarely mentioned and even then it’s nothing more than a mental scene to go along to music. I’ll give the author slack for this tho seeing as the author and book never directly says Victoria has maladaptive daydreaming. However when you literally describe the main character as “living inside her fantasies”, further to book title is a very unapologetic nod to living side your own head; the author might as well have said maladaptive daydreaming. As mentioned earlier the book can’t sperate sexual from romantic. In real life no ones relationship (especially a minors relationship) has romance and sexual behaviour so heavily tied. This will be extremely off-putting to any asexual readers or really anyone who understands romance without sex.
Some other things: The quotes at the beginning of chapters are unfitting and just don’t belong. Tossing cheerios into Krina spiked Mohawk was freaking adorable. “Cutlet-related violence” is actually pretty hilarious. And I like that it becomes a running joke. The book does a decent-ish job at points for making you feel bad or relate to the main character even if every attempt is covered in tons of stereotypical stuff. The 40’s chapters do a great job of making the main character totally soul crushed almost to the point of being full blown depressed. Annie and Krina are adorable together and the book sets them up for perfect chemistry. The last 10-ish chapters are actually fantastic and do a great job at surprising and satisfying the reader. The cover is somewhat creative, has an old-timey feel (which I know is popular with hipsters *sigh*) and is a nod to the book being predominately about music.
Overall the book was passable but would qualify as good if you like the specific genre. However, it is filled to the brim with stereotypes and unnecessary attempts to be “edgy”. It feels like an adult trying to pass as a hip teen. The representation of LGBTQ+ teens is nice and done decently. The representation of subcultural/alternative teen is nice to see but done quite poorly. I’d say give to book a go for cheap.
April 29, 2025
2.75
Easy read but some characters and parts of the plot got on my nerves
Easy read but some characters and parts of the plot got on my nerves
May 20, 2017
Reasons To Read The Victoria In My Head:
Victoria is relatable, studious, rocker trapped behind anxiety and familial pressure. She's on track for Harvard. Has playlists for every event, occasion, and fantasy.
Her BFF Annie is much the same, wants a change from the same old routine but has to push Victoria to do it for herself and progresses on her own path.
You know how in Disney, there's always a shot of the guy falling for the girl? Well, here we get it from the Victoria's perspective. But she doesn't let looks overrule her common sense. I was so proud of her!!
Victoria doesn't like Strand the playboy or let him slide and calls him out on his BS. That's my girl!
Love how the romance plays out and ends in unexpected ways. Very understandable, confused with growing pains, but wonderful maturity and resolution. Perfect way to go out.
Great honest worries and concerns about body image, dating, hooking up, and keeping up with your peers. Rumors and assumptions play a big role with a side plot with another bandmate and I love how it's all dealt with.
Underage drinking and sneaking out. Okay, that sounds bad, but it happens. They do things responsibly. It's not the end of the world. And it's not preachy after school special either. Such a turnoff for kids.
FUNNY! Oh my lord. I'm the type that has to look away/turn away from second hand embarrassment, but this book just made me laugh and didn't turn my stomach with their antics. Cutlet.
Rep included: Anxiety (Victoria), Daughter of Cuban Immigrants (Victoria), Eclectic Cast: Indian, Biracial, Asian, and only 1 white dude while the rest of the white people are in the background, Lesbian Couple.
It's Latinx Heritage Month! Victoria has to be apart of her cousins Quince and gets closer with her male dance partner and they discuss the tradition. Find out more by reading it now!
The Victoria In My Head is perfect for YA contemp fans looking for an adorbs romantic-comedy especially if you'd like a coming of age story with intelligent prep school kids soon to be rocker stars.This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon
July 12, 2017
This is a solid debut about a teen girl in between worlds -- she's a middle-class scholarship kid at a posh prep school and she's got traditional Cuban parents who expect a lot from her. The only slight hiccup is that I've read several similar books (in terms of Latinx themes and even in terms of the band/music set up) this year, so I keep mixing it up with others I liked slightly less (like I Am Not Your Mexican Daughter). But this one I really enjoyed with the notable exception of the romance. I wish it hadn't been the stereotypical love triangle.
April 18, 2019
Excellent. Part hip coming of age story, part 21st Century urban comedy of manners. Loved the varied teen and adult characters and the way their different cultures were presented but not overplayed. The only flaw I felt was that the plot complication/misunderstanding that drove the last 50 pages felt overly contrived. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and was sorry when it ended.
December 8, 2017
Victoria Cruz inhabits two worlds: In one, she is a rock star, thrashing the stage with her husky voice and purple-streaked hair. In the other, currently serving as her reality, Victoria is a shy teenager with overprotective Cuban parents, who sleepwalks through her life at the prestigious Evanston Academy. Unable to overcome the whole paralyzing-stage-fright thing, Victoria settles for living inside her fantasies, where nothing can go wrong and everything is set to her expertly crafted music playlists.
But after a chance encounter with an unattainably gorgeous boy named Strand, whose band seeks a lead singer, Victoria is tempted to turn her fevered daydreams into reality. To do that, she must confront her insecurities and break away from the treadmill that is her life. Suddenly, Victoria is faced with the choice of staying on the path she’s always known and straying off-course to find love, adventure, and danger.
It wasn’t hard not to fall in love with this book. The characters, mostly Victoria made you feel attached, a feeling that you were besides them. After the first chapter, I had a good feeling about THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD , I knew that it would end up a book that I was going to love. I just didn’t realize how much I was going to love it. There was parts of me that couldn’t believe that it was her debut novel. I think that it became one of my favorite books of 2017. I am still thinking about it, even though I finished it last night. Not only was the story was beautiful, take a look at the cover, how can you not want pick up a book like this? Actually that was the first what captured my attention was the stunning cover, and of course the title. I couldn’t help but get curious about it. Once I found that it was about music, I knew that I had read it. I am happy that I did, I just wish that I read it sooner than I had.
Levi, I felt as if that was a bad choice to begin with. There was no real connection between two of them. I know that Levi liked her, at least at first but he probably sensed that she might not feel the same about him. I think that the two of them should broken up, way before they did. Of course that didn’t give him excuse to treat her way he did. Half of time he acted as if he didn’t even care. I do feel that Victoria shouldn’t agree to date to begin with, if she was not interested in him, that is why it did not work. There was no connection, no attraction between two of them. Strand on other, he was the one that she belonged right from start. I felt as there was some sort of attraction between two of them, from moment that two of them met in hallway. Plus he treated like she should have been by Levi, respected her, listened to her and top of it, her parents loved him. If your parents love a guy that is always a good sign. All through the book, I hoped she would come senses and come realized that it was Strand she wanted to be with. Even Annie realized it before her.
Besides Victoria, Annie was one of my favorite characters. I love how she was always there for Victoria. I think if it wasn’t for Annie for sending that tape, she wouldn’t end up in band, because she wouldn’t get enough courage to do it on her own. Annie gave her the push that she needed. I just wish that her parents were more understanding, at least a bit more understanding. At same time why they reacted way they had, especially when they saw the change in Victoria. Like her parents, I saw a signfigant change in Victoria but in good way. I am still curious what happened to everyone after, did their band get back together? I couldn’t help but get inside Victoria’s head as I read THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD .
An incredible journey.
But after a chance encounter with an unattainably gorgeous boy named Strand, whose band seeks a lead singer, Victoria is tempted to turn her fevered daydreams into reality. To do that, she must confront her insecurities and break away from the treadmill that is her life. Suddenly, Victoria is faced with the choice of staying on the path she’s always known and straying off-course to find love, adventure, and danger.
It wasn’t hard not to fall in love with this book. The characters, mostly Victoria made you feel attached, a feeling that you were besides them. After the first chapter, I had a good feeling about THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD , I knew that it would end up a book that I was going to love. I just didn’t realize how much I was going to love it. There was parts of me that couldn’t believe that it was her debut novel. I think that it became one of my favorite books of 2017. I am still thinking about it, even though I finished it last night. Not only was the story was beautiful, take a look at the cover, how can you not want pick up a book like this? Actually that was the first what captured my attention was the stunning cover, and of course the title. I couldn’t help but get curious about it. Once I found that it was about music, I knew that I had read it. I am happy that I did, I just wish that I read it sooner than I had.
Levi, I felt as if that was a bad choice to begin with. There was no real connection between two of them. I know that Levi liked her, at least at first but he probably sensed that she might not feel the same about him. I think that the two of them should broken up, way before they did. Of course that didn’t give him excuse to treat her way he did. Half of time he acted as if he didn’t even care. I do feel that Victoria shouldn’t agree to date to begin with, if she was not interested in him, that is why it did not work. There was no connection, no attraction between two of them. Strand on other, he was the one that she belonged right from start. I felt as there was some sort of attraction between two of them, from moment that two of them met in hallway. Plus he treated like she should have been by Levi, respected her, listened to her and top of it, her parents loved him. If your parents love a guy that is always a good sign. All through the book, I hoped she would come senses and come realized that it was Strand she wanted to be with. Even Annie realized it before her.
Besides Victoria, Annie was one of my favorite characters. I love how she was always there for Victoria. I think if it wasn’t for Annie for sending that tape, she wouldn’t end up in band, because she wouldn’t get enough courage to do it on her own. Annie gave her the push that she needed. I just wish that her parents were more understanding, at least a bit more understanding. At same time why they reacted way they had, especially when they saw the change in Victoria. Like her parents, I saw a signfigant change in Victoria but in good way. I am still curious what happened to everyone after, did their band get back together? I couldn’t help but get inside Victoria’s head as I read THE VICTORIA IN MY HEAD .
An incredible journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2017
Fifteen going on sixteen, Victoria, feels like her life is in a rut, she longs to shake things up, but her parents expectations and her own fears of putting herself out there hold her back, that is until a cute guitar player, a poster for a lead singer audition, and her best friend encourage Victoria to finally take a few leaps.
While this is in large part about Victoria finding and asserting herself, it’s also about her finding romance and she has two love interests here, both in the band, one a straight-laced perfectionist, the other has a bad boy reputation. I’m reluctant to say it’s a triangle since that turns off a lot of readers, it kind of is, but it’s obvious who she’s better suited to, it’s not really a tug-of-war for her affections, even if it takes her awhile to admit it. I liked her stories with both guys, but for very different reasons and in different ways, one of them is very skilled with the romantic gestures which was sweet to read about while the other is probably a more authentic representation of a first romance in how it consistantly fails to live up to Victoria’s expectations, I liked seeing that bit of honesty, and how they both failed that relationship.
The friendships were a bit of a weakness in this one for me, aside from Strand and Krina, and Annie always proving commendably supportive, I felt like I saw little to no evidence that Strand and Levi were friends let alone the best of friends, and Victoria, who criticizes her boyfriend for not making the effort to know things about her like that she’s a vegetarian, much of the time she seems every bit as oblivious he was when it comes to her friends and even her best friend. On the one hand I found her obliviousness realistic because everybody goes through periods where they’re self-involved to the point of not noticing others around them, but at times it frustrated me, particularly since it led to a missunderstanding that took up pages that maybe could have been better used exploring Annie’s revelation about herself or expanding on Victoria healing the relationship with her parents, instead, the missunderstanding led to actions and thoughts from Victoria that made her seem questionable from a friend perspective.
I think a big part of my issues with the friendships came from a lack of communication between people you’d think would communicate all the time, and when the characters do communicate in this book, that was when it was at it’s very best, the heart-to-heart type of scenes were so nicely done, whether it was the parents consoling Victoria over her heartache, Victoria sharing her headphones with her little brother, or the late-night talk genuinely getting to know one of her friends, those were the moments I wanted more of and where this shone brightest, where it resonated emotionally and had me thinking I’d really like to read more from this author because she’s only going to get better.
Thank you to Janelle Milanes and thatartsyreadergirl.com for the giveaway.
While this is in large part about Victoria finding and asserting herself, it’s also about her finding romance and she has two love interests here, both in the band, one a straight-laced perfectionist, the other has a bad boy reputation. I’m reluctant to say it’s a triangle since that turns off a lot of readers, it kind of is, but it’s obvious who she’s better suited to, it’s not really a tug-of-war for her affections, even if it takes her awhile to admit it. I liked her stories with both guys, but for very different reasons and in different ways, one of them is very skilled with the romantic gestures which was sweet to read about while the other is probably a more authentic representation of a first romance in how it consistantly fails to live up to Victoria’s expectations, I liked seeing that bit of honesty, and how they both failed that relationship.
The friendships were a bit of a weakness in this one for me, aside from Strand and Krina, and Annie always proving commendably supportive, I felt like I saw little to no evidence that Strand and Levi were friends let alone the best of friends, and Victoria, who criticizes her boyfriend for not making the effort to know things about her like that she’s a vegetarian, much of the time she seems every bit as oblivious he was when it comes to her friends and even her best friend. On the one hand I found her obliviousness realistic because everybody goes through periods where they’re self-involved to the point of not noticing others around them, but at times it frustrated me, particularly since it led to a missunderstanding that took up pages that maybe could have been better used exploring Annie’s revelation about herself or expanding on Victoria healing the relationship with her parents, instead, the missunderstanding led to actions and thoughts from Victoria that made her seem questionable from a friend perspective.
I think a big part of my issues with the friendships came from a lack of communication between people you’d think would communicate all the time, and when the characters do communicate in this book, that was when it was at it’s very best, the heart-to-heart type of scenes were so nicely done, whether it was the parents consoling Victoria over her heartache, Victoria sharing her headphones with her little brother, or the late-night talk genuinely getting to know one of her friends, those were the moments I wanted more of and where this shone brightest, where it resonated emotionally and had me thinking I’d really like to read more from this author because she’s only going to get better.
Thank you to Janelle Milanes and thatartsyreadergirl.com for the giveaway.
May 2, 2019
Summary: Victoria Cruz, a sophomore at a prestigious New York high school, works hard to fulfill her immigrant parents’ dream of sending their daughter to Harvard. But joining a band, falling in love, and discovering a passion for singing, open her eyes to a whole new world.
Thoughts: It was so fun to be back in high school again! I was actually jealous of Victoria and her friends/band mates because their experience at Evanston High was incredibly exciting compared to my high school days. Plus, they live right in the heart of NYC so you will experience a slice of life in the city that never sleeps. Victoria grew a lot from beginning to end, which is what makes reading a novel worthwhile. All of her friends had their own unique personalities. I was not too fond of Victoria’s love interests because minimal background information was provided, but it was a first-person narrative after all!
Content Advisory: Teens being teens. The content written about here is mild compared to what teen readers experience firsthand. For instance, none of the main characters do drugs (yay!). There is talk of sex, but nothing explicit occurs. A few curse words here and there, but overall suitable for middle school and above. Since Victoria is so naïve in the more edgy aspects of high school, she discusses sex, drugs, and rock & roll in the most innocent of terms.
Spiritual/Moral Lessons: Victoria learns to do what makes her happy and stop pressuring herself to be perfect. She also realizes her family’s immense love for her behind their overprotective nature. She learns not to settle for anything less than the world has to offer. Religion is not really mentioned, but Victoria does shoot up a few prayers on occasion.
Impressions: If you love rock (classic, alternative, modern) music, you will appreciate this book for that factor alone. Each chapter is named after a song, so readers can listen along and make a playlist of the story. This is a fast-paced, touching tale of growing up, nostalgia, and branching out. Adults may pine for their own high school days and teens will see their own lives reflected on the page. It was nice to see a Cuban-American protagonist and get to learn more about her culture, but the effort to include diverse characters does not overpower the engaging story of a musical journey.
Rating – 4.5/5 stars
Thoughts: It was so fun to be back in high school again! I was actually jealous of Victoria and her friends/band mates because their experience at Evanston High was incredibly exciting compared to my high school days. Plus, they live right in the heart of NYC so you will experience a slice of life in the city that never sleeps. Victoria grew a lot from beginning to end, which is what makes reading a novel worthwhile. All of her friends had their own unique personalities. I was not too fond of Victoria’s love interests because minimal background information was provided, but it was a first-person narrative after all!
Content Advisory: Teens being teens. The content written about here is mild compared to what teen readers experience firsthand. For instance, none of the main characters do drugs (yay!). There is talk of sex, but nothing explicit occurs. A few curse words here and there, but overall suitable for middle school and above. Since Victoria is so naïve in the more edgy aspects of high school, she discusses sex, drugs, and rock & roll in the most innocent of terms.
Spiritual/Moral Lessons: Victoria learns to do what makes her happy and stop pressuring herself to be perfect. She also realizes her family’s immense love for her behind their overprotective nature. She learns not to settle for anything less than the world has to offer. Religion is not really mentioned, but Victoria does shoot up a few prayers on occasion.
Impressions: If you love rock (classic, alternative, modern) music, you will appreciate this book for that factor alone. Each chapter is named after a song, so readers can listen along and make a playlist of the story. This is a fast-paced, touching tale of growing up, nostalgia, and branching out. Adults may pine for their own high school days and teens will see their own lives reflected on the page. It was nice to see a Cuban-American protagonist and get to learn more about her culture, but the effort to include diverse characters does not overpower the engaging story of a musical journey.
Rating – 4.5/5 stars
October 9, 2017
It has been a long time since I last read a book, and I'm glad I picked this up because I really enjoyed it! The concept of the book is fairly familiar to me, since I love reading stories with characters in journey towards finding themselves and doing what they love. Despite the familiarity, the book managed to stand out in terms of the writing, and character dynamics.
I can definitely relate to Victoria in many aspects, and it was nice be able to identify myself with another character. Victoria's friendship with Annie felt really genuine, same goes with Krina and Strand. I love their banter and the whole dynamics of their friendship. I also love the family relationships present in the book. Victoria's parents may be overbearing but they mean well and most of the time they're pretty cool.
It’s worth noting that this book has Latinx representation and an #ownvoices for that matter. Bisexual rep was also present in the book, which was truly lovely for me because YES GIMME ALL THE BI CHARACTERS AND I’LL LOVE THEM FOREVER.
Another thing that I really loved about the book was the music aspect. Every chapter has a song dedicated to it and I love that most of the songs were familiar to me (Hello Hozier, The Wombats, The Black Keys, Sonic Youth, and Arctic Monkeys). It added an extra kick, as if I didn't have enough feelings for it. It was both exciting and scary for me to tackle the chapters with my favorite songs as the chapter header but the anticipation was worth it.
I had minor issues with the book, such as the pacing, but Janelle Milanes' writing style was superb that I was able to overlook them. I just wished there was more to the ending, especially to the band. Overall, this book was such a great read. I'm so glad I picked this book up and it totally helped with my reading slump. I totally recommend it to YA readers who are music fans as well!
I can definitely relate to Victoria in many aspects, and it was nice be able to identify myself with another character. Victoria's friendship with Annie felt really genuine, same goes with Krina and Strand. I love their banter and the whole dynamics of their friendship. I also love the family relationships present in the book. Victoria's parents may be overbearing but they mean well and most of the time they're pretty cool.
It’s worth noting that this book has Latinx representation and an #ownvoices for that matter. Bisexual rep was also present in the book, which was truly lovely for me because YES GIMME ALL THE BI CHARACTERS AND I’LL LOVE THEM FOREVER.
Another thing that I really loved about the book was the music aspect. Every chapter has a song dedicated to it and I love that most of the songs were familiar to me (Hello Hozier, The Wombats, The Black Keys, Sonic Youth, and Arctic Monkeys). It added an extra kick, as if I didn't have enough feelings for it. It was both exciting and scary for me to tackle the chapters with my favorite songs as the chapter header but the anticipation was worth it.
I had minor issues with the book, such as the pacing, but Janelle Milanes' writing style was superb that I was able to overlook them. I just wished there was more to the ending, especially to the band. Overall, this book was such a great read. I'm so glad I picked this book up and it totally helped with my reading slump. I totally recommend it to YA readers who are music fans as well!
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