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Kissing Ezra Holtz
A fun, witty, light-hearted romantic comedy—The Rosie Project, for teens Seventeen-year-old Amalia Yaabez and Ezra Holtz couldn’t be more different. They’ve known (and avoided) each other their whole lives; she unable to stand his buttoned-up, arrogant, perfect disposition, and he unwilling to deal with her slacker, rule-breaking way of moving through the world. When they are unhappily paired on an AP Psychology project, they come across an old psychological study that posits that anyone can fall in love with anyone, if you put them through the right scientific, psychological steps. They decide to put that theory to the test for their project, matching couples from different walks of high school life to see if science really can create love. As they go through the whirlwind of the experiment, Ezra and Amalia realize that maybe it’s not just the couples they matched who are falling for each other . . .
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2019
28 people are currently reading
656 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
June 7, 2019
"That’s when he kisses me.📖 BUY THIS BOOK: Amazon 🌼 Kobo 🌼 Barnes and Noble 📖
It’s not tentative, it’s not a question mark, but of course it isn’t; Ezra hates question marks."
Much thanks to Edelweiss, Sky Pony and Simon & Schuster for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own.
📚 Series: No
📚 Genre: Mature Young Adult Romance
📚 POV: First Person. (h)
📚 Cliffhanger: No.
⚠ Content Warnings: Slutshaming. Misconceptions of Bisexuality and the LGBTQ+ Community. Masturbation. Description of Sexual Content. Recreational Drug Use. Religious rituals and traditions.
⚠ Read if: you are a bit of a science geek, loves romance and/or if you are looking for Jewish YA fiction.
This book is a breeze through read. It was not what I was expecting and it was a struggle to connect until about the 20% mark and then loved the rest.
Kissing Ezra Holtz is a great coming of age novel on dealing with failure and change, growing up and its struggles, finding your indentity, loving yourself and others. It was also enlightening to me as I was introduced to some facets of Jewish culture, traditions and beliefs. The concept of using scientific principles is such a fun experience, especially giving a glimpse on the experiment subjects.
This is an informative yet sweet read. I recommend.
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌻 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Hero:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Heroine:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Romance:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Pacing:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Ending:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Page Turner:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐
☁FINAL VERDICT: 4/5 ☁
Review also appears on my blog.
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March 7, 2019
ARC received in exchange for an honest review - thank you!
I downloaded this book on a complete whim. The cover is shite but the blurb featured enemies-to-lovers, which I love, so I figured it would be an easy way to pass a couple of hours.
It was so much more than that. I cannot remember the last time I read a book which had such an emotional impact on me.
No, it wasn't perfect: Amalia is a bitch, and she annoyed me on so many levels. She characterises herself as the 'manic pixie dream girl', which is true but not a trope I have much patience for; she drinks heavily, does weed, parties, etc, but still has amazing grades. I won't lie, I hated people like that in secondary school, because I was that kid who had no social life just so I could scrape out average grades. I.e. the kid Amalia laughs at.
Building on that, it felt like a lot of Amalia's problems were self-induced. She doesn't understand that you can't have it both ways - she never does any work, but doesn't want to be called lazy. She did cheat on a boyfriend (she justifies it with 'we weren't married) but doesn't want to be called a slut. I mean yeah, I agree 100% that she shouldn't be slut-shamed just for being bisexual or having a healthy sex life, but the cheating thing irked me. She also has EVERY SINGLE ADVANTAGE IN LIFE - her family adores and accepts her, a hot guy is in love with her, she's super-clever without trying. She felt like a Mary Sue sometimes, she really did.
Also, there was one message I found pretty bad. Amalia is heartbroken because she's been rejected from art school, her passion. There's a whole little discussion with Ezra (who got into engineering school) about the value of studying the arts vs sciences, a discussion I feel keenly because I study English. My dad desperately wanted me to study medicine, and my home life was pretty exhausting for a while because my dad was deeply disappointed. But anyway, guess what happens to Amalia?
That's right: she discovers an abiding passion for chemistry, and decides to become an artist on the side. I won't lie, I felt let down. It seemed to me like yet another affirmation in a long line of affirmations that the sciences are so much more worthy and superior. Me being overly sensitive, I know, but I didn't really appreciate the implication.
Ezra Holtz though is absolutely wonderful. He's that buttoned-up, strait-laced kind of guy, and the banter between him and Amalia is stellar. I loved him so much. There was also a ton of racial and sexual diversity, and a great background of Jewish culture.
There's one more thing the book addressed which I appreciated a lot. All I ever see in YA books seems to be the formation of lifelong friendships. Like, kids meet each other and become ready to die for each other within two months. This book shows the opposite: the slow disintegration of a friendship, not for any dramatic reason but just because the best friends involved aren't really the kind of friends to last after high school. I recently discovered that my own best friend and I seem to be that type too. I thought we were going to be lifelong, and I made the appropriate efforts, but I guess she didn't feel the same way. I was hurt at first. But that's okay. And I liked that this book showed that.
Wow, this is the most personal review I've ever written...
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
I downloaded this book on a complete whim. The cover is shite but the blurb featured enemies-to-lovers, which I love, so I figured it would be an easy way to pass a couple of hours.
It was so much more than that. I cannot remember the last time I read a book which had such an emotional impact on me.
No, it wasn't perfect: Amalia is a bitch, and she annoyed me on so many levels. She characterises herself as the 'manic pixie dream girl', which is true but not a trope I have much patience for; she drinks heavily, does weed, parties, etc, but still has amazing grades. I won't lie, I hated people like that in secondary school, because I was that kid who had no social life just so I could scrape out average grades. I.e. the kid Amalia laughs at.
Building on that, it felt like a lot of Amalia's problems were self-induced. She doesn't understand that you can't have it both ways - she never does any work, but doesn't want to be called lazy. She did cheat on a boyfriend (she justifies it with 'we weren't married) but doesn't want to be called a slut. I mean yeah, I agree 100% that she shouldn't be slut-shamed just for being bisexual or having a healthy sex life, but the cheating thing irked me. She also has EVERY SINGLE ADVANTAGE IN LIFE - her family adores and accepts her, a hot guy is in love with her, she's super-clever without trying. She felt like a Mary Sue sometimes, she really did.
Also, there was one message I found pretty bad. Amalia is heartbroken because she's been rejected from art school, her passion. There's a whole little discussion with Ezra (who got into engineering school) about the value of studying the arts vs sciences, a discussion I feel keenly because I study English. My dad desperately wanted me to study medicine, and my home life was pretty exhausting for a while because my dad was deeply disappointed. But anyway, guess what happens to Amalia?
That's right: she discovers an abiding passion for chemistry, and decides to become an artist on the side. I won't lie, I felt let down. It seemed to me like yet another affirmation in a long line of affirmations that the sciences are so much more worthy and superior. Me being overly sensitive, I know, but I didn't really appreciate the implication.
Ezra Holtz though is absolutely wonderful. He's that buttoned-up, strait-laced kind of guy, and the banter between him and Amalia is stellar. I loved him so much. There was also a ton of racial and sexual diversity, and a great background of Jewish culture.
There's one more thing the book addressed which I appreciated a lot. All I ever see in YA books seems to be the formation of lifelong friendships. Like, kids meet each other and become ready to die for each other within two months. This book shows the opposite: the slow disintegration of a friendship, not for any dramatic reason but just because the best friends involved aren't really the kind of friends to last after high school. I recently discovered that my own best friend and I seem to be that type too. I thought we were going to be lifelong, and I made the appropriate efforts, but I guess she didn't feel the same way. I was hurt at first. But that's okay. And I liked that this book showed that.
Wow, this is the most personal review I've ever written...
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
May 28, 2019
I really loved the premise of this one and its promise of a quick and fluffy read...I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it.
I liked Amalia and Ezra well enough. She’s struggling with some things in her life and trying to find where her place is now. She might be a bit prickly and quite standoff-ish, but for the most part, I was settled into her inner monologue. Ezra was interesting, but I really wish we could have gotten even one chapter in his POV. And both of their family members are fantastic and supportive.
Plot wise, I don’t know. Even though time did pass, it felt like nothing really happened. It seemed disjointed and messy and if that was a way to reflect how Amalia was feeling, it was quite effective. There were a lot of scenes with jewish holidays and I did feel a bit lost as I’m not familiar with the practice, although I was happy to see the representation. Same with the lesbian, bi, and trans rep on the page.
Overall, it was a quick read with characters I was rooting for, but unfortunately I don’t think it’ll be a story that sticks in my head.
FYI: slut shaming, underage drinking and drug use, and many scenes with religious rituals
**Huge thanks to Sky Pony Press for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Amalia and Ezra well enough. She’s struggling with some things in her life and trying to find where her place is now. She might be a bit prickly and quite standoff-ish, but for the most part, I was settled into her inner monologue. Ezra was interesting, but I really wish we could have gotten even one chapter in his POV. And both of their family members are fantastic and supportive.
Plot wise, I don’t know. Even though time did pass, it felt like nothing really happened. It seemed disjointed and messy and if that was a way to reflect how Amalia was feeling, it was quite effective. There were a lot of scenes with jewish holidays and I did feel a bit lost as I’m not familiar with the practice, although I was happy to see the representation. Same with the lesbian, bi, and trans rep on the page.
Overall, it was a quick read with characters I was rooting for, but unfortunately I don’t think it’ll be a story that sticks in my head.
FYI: slut shaming, underage drinking and drug use, and many scenes with religious rituals
**Huge thanks to Sky Pony Press for providing the arc free of charge**
February 9, 2021
It’s hard for me to say whether I loved Shrum’s latest novel or hated it. Maybe it’s a little of both.
I struggled through Kissing Ezra Holtz for a good portion of the book and wanted to call it quits numerous times. Amalia irritated me to no end with the internal dialogue, being constantly contradictory and judging/putting others down while doing it to herself. Honestly, the moment Amalia started slut-shaming was the moment I wanted to walk up to the nearest shelf and toss the book to the very bottom; it was painful to go through.
But Amalia is also undergoing a huge identity crisis throughout the book as she is paired with Ezra Holtz, someone she’s known and avoided for years, and conducts experiments about the basis of love. She thinks she has everything all figured out, but deep down inside, she’s not too sure where she wants to go or what she wants to do. That’s something I relate to a lot and deep down I sympathized with Amalia enough that it’s my only answer as to why I never marked the book as Did Not Finish.
Kissing Ezra Holtz really felt like it was missing something to the story; I wanted more, at least from Ezra. While the book had a few scenes that ranged from cute to funny to witty, I personally wouldn’t have called it a light-hearted romantic comedy. It’s definitely not a perfect beach read.
This review was originally posted on The Arts STL.
I struggled through Kissing Ezra Holtz for a good portion of the book and wanted to call it quits numerous times. Amalia irritated me to no end with the internal dialogue, being constantly contradictory and judging/putting others down while doing it to herself. Honestly, the moment Amalia started slut-shaming was the moment I wanted to walk up to the nearest shelf and toss the book to the very bottom; it was painful to go through.
But Amalia is also undergoing a huge identity crisis throughout the book as she is paired with Ezra Holtz, someone she’s known and avoided for years, and conducts experiments about the basis of love. She thinks she has everything all figured out, but deep down inside, she’s not too sure where she wants to go or what she wants to do. That’s something I relate to a lot and deep down I sympathized with Amalia enough that it’s my only answer as to why I never marked the book as Did Not Finish.
Kissing Ezra Holtz really felt like it was missing something to the story; I wanted more, at least from Ezra. While the book had a few scenes that ranged from cute to funny to witty, I personally wouldn’t have called it a light-hearted romantic comedy. It’s definitely not a perfect beach read.
This review was originally posted on The Arts STL.
September 1, 2024
Rep: Jewish bi mc, Jewish li, bi, lesbian, gay, trans & nonbinary side characters, Jewish side characters
September 10, 2019
The title was intriguing enough to pick up.
Amalia and Ezra , the two protagonists are both jewish and they're family friends. Amalia is an unconventional jew who has a lot of fun while Ezra is a typical god fearing nerd. When Amalia's life faces some major changes , she got paired up with Ezra for an assignment. When they decide to work on a project to match up a few people to see if they fall in love for a psychology assignment , things get JUICY.
The MC's character arcs couldn't be more different.
The representations were marvelous. Jewish , lesbian , pan , transgender and bi.
The plot line was so predictable and the twists didn't really get me to the edge.
If there was an Ezra pov , it might've been better.
A simple cliché filled story with lots of representation. That's it.
Amalia and Ezra , the two protagonists are both jewish and they're family friends. Amalia is an unconventional jew who has a lot of fun while Ezra is a typical god fearing nerd. When Amalia's life faces some major changes , she got paired up with Ezra for an assignment. When they decide to work on a project to match up a few people to see if they fall in love for a psychology assignment , things get JUICY.
The MC's character arcs couldn't be more different.
The representations were marvelous. Jewish , lesbian , pan , transgender and bi.
The plot line was so predictable and the twists didn't really get me to the edge.
If there was an Ezra pov , it might've been better.
A simple cliché filled story with lots of representation. That's it.
April 12, 2019
I wanted this to be a quick and easy read to prevent me from going into a reading slump - and it did thank, but I didn’t really enjoy the story a whole lot. The story was so quick and easy to read, and that was great, but I didn’t really like Amalia. I just couldn’t connect with her and thought she was a bit hypocritical. Thought I did enjoy the story format, with the case study observations in the beginning of the chapters! The story just wasn’t fleshed out enough - a POV from Ezra would have been fantastic, the ending was a little abrupt, and we have a few plot mentions that were never explained. So the story was okay - by no means bad enough to stop and it did what I wanted it too, which was put me back into a reading mood. But I think this is going to be a pretty forgettable read, unfortunately.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
April 14, 2021
Loved Ezra. Hated the main character. She was so rude all the time. I didn't understand her! Love the sex rep. Hated the writing. The writing was not politically right a lot of the times.
April 23, 2020
I love this book so much! Amalia certainly has her issues, but that's what makes her so interesting. Her flaws, while frustrating at times, are what make her real, and her struggle to accept all of herself—even the parts she doesn't like—felt important.
And then Ezra. My goodness. *waves self* I love the geeky guys who turn out to have more of an edge than you expect. The chemistry and banter between them is fantastic, and I love that their Jewish faith is the foundation for their years-long acquaintance.
I also appreciate that Amalia learns to take herself more seriously and find another focus for college. Life doesn't always hand us our dreams and having other interests help us get through the days.
Highly recommend!
And then Ezra. My goodness. *waves self* I love the geeky guys who turn out to have more of an edge than you expect. The chemistry and banter between them is fantastic, and I love that their Jewish faith is the foundation for their years-long acquaintance.
I also appreciate that Amalia learns to take herself more seriously and find another focus for college. Life doesn't always hand us our dreams and having other interests help us get through the days.
Highly recommend!
August 26, 2020
Extra delightful. Amalia and Ezra are a pair to remember. Also loved the rep of the two being Jewish and having that be a large part of their lives. I weirdly really liked that Amalia was kind of a stoner--you don't see that a lot in mainstream YA and it was interesting to read about. (Keep in mind, I say that as a a straight-laced 33-year-old woman who was literally offered drugs for the first time in my life earlier this year. I said, "No thanks, I'm good!" and nobody tried to peer pressure me into it. Take that, DARE.)
This review has gone off the rails. Read this book! It's super cute!
This review has gone off the rails. Read this book! It's super cute!
June 18, 2019
Pretty good fluff. Mostly exciting to have practicing Jewish characters in a book that isn't about the Holocaust!
July 28, 2019
Full review to come but I have one thing to say.
"God, what the shit. I love you, too." is the most ON BRAND statement for Shrum.
"God, what the shit. I love you, too." is the most ON BRAND statement for Shrum.
August 30, 2019
This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.This review might be a little incoherent because I don't know how to articulate my love for this book. I read The Art of French Kissing by Brianna Shrum last summer and loved it so much, so when I saw the opportunity to read her most recent release early, I jumped on it. This book came out in June, and I don't know why it took me so long to pick it up but I'm so glad I finally did.
This YA novel follows Ezra and Amalia, two high school seniors who've known each other since they were kids, and don't really like each other. Amalia is an artist and has a more-go-with-the-flow attitude and loves to party and be social, Ezra is her opposite and is kind of a nerd and loves to follow rules. The two are paired together for an AP Psych project, and are not looking forward to working together the whole semester. Hate to love is one of my favorite tropes, and I enjoyed reading about both characters begrudgingly start to like each other.
This is one of my favorite books of 2019 and I loved everything about this book, except that I was (irrationally) angry when Amalia and Ezra were talking about the study their research project was based on. I know I'm going off on a tangent here, but Arthur Aron's research is not a list of questions that'll make you fall in love. This is such a small thing, but every time I see it brought up in books and articles I get irrationally angry. I also cringed every time the two characters talked about what Aron's research or their research "proved" because scientists don't use the word "prove" at all. This is such a small part of the book that I was able to glaze over it and focus on the rest of the story, but I definitely felt like I needed someone to hear me complain lol.
Kissing Ezra Holtz is a hate to love coming of age contemporary, and I loved seeing both characters interact. The whole book is Amalia's perspective, and I loved how she kept telling herself that she hates Ezra, but keeps thinking about how attractive he is and doesn't know what to do about it. I literally squealed out loud every time this happened.
I loved how diverse the story was, but not in an "oh look at all this diversity" way, it all felt so natural (which it totally is). Amalia identifies as bisexual, and her sexuality isn't a big deal, it's just part of her. There is some discussion on how others see her as a slut because she has fooled around with multiple people, and because of her sexual orientation. The conversation around this was amazing, and I think it's really important for readers to experience how others may feel based on the stereotypes we assign them.
Not only was this a love story between Ezra and Amalia, but it was a coming of age story as well. Amalia is in her senior year of high school, and is trying to figure out who she is and who she's supposed to be once her main identifier doesn't feel right/enough for her. Amalia considers herself an artist, and her goal in life was to be an artist. At the beginning of the story we learn that Amalia didn't get into any of the art schools she applied to, and that makes her question herself and if she's "good enough" to be an artist and what she's supposed to do now that her plans changed. Throughout the book we see Amalia learn new things about herself, and I really loved reading this. I love that things didn't go the way she planned, and we had to see her figure out what to do instead.
I think Brianna Shrum's books are underrated, and more people need to read them, because they are so, so good! I was feeling so many emotions while reading, and even kept setting aside the book every few minutes because I did not want it to end. If you haven't read any of Shrum's books I highly recommend you check them out!
March 21, 2020
Thank you Edelweiss for the review copy of Kissing Ezra Holtz by Brianna R Shrum.
I honestly loved this book and I think if it had a better cover it could get the attention that a lot of other YA romance books get that aren’t nearly as good.
Amalia is this self described “manic pixie girl” that fools around with boys and girls, smokes pot and gets the party going. Ezra is her future valedictorian acquaintance from church. What if they had to do a AP Psych project together? What if it was about intimacy and attraction and ultimately love?
I really liked where the story went. The self-reflection that Amalia did. Her disappointment over her failures and questioning if people really liked her.
If I had one criticism it was how forced it felt to make the story and characters as representative and “woke” as possible. It felt a little disingenuous me personally.
I loved learning about the Jewish culture and traditions.
I highly recommend this one! Oh, and it’s super sexy too 🔥.
I honestly loved this book and I think if it had a better cover it could get the attention that a lot of other YA romance books get that aren’t nearly as good.
Amalia is this self described “manic pixie girl” that fools around with boys and girls, smokes pot and gets the party going. Ezra is her future valedictorian acquaintance from church. What if they had to do a AP Psych project together? What if it was about intimacy and attraction and ultimately love?
I really liked where the story went. The self-reflection that Amalia did. Her disappointment over her failures and questioning if people really liked her.
If I had one criticism it was how forced it felt to make the story and characters as representative and “woke” as possible. It felt a little disingenuous me personally.
I loved learning about the Jewish culture and traditions.
I highly recommend this one! Oh, and it’s super sexy too 🔥.
September 18, 2023
I enjoyed this one! I first started it and couldn’t get into it, but when I went back and restarted it I liked it a lot. The writing style was really good, the characters were funny and realistic, and I loved the development of Amalia and Ezra’s relationship.
Amalia was a great character. She was relatable, realistic, and flawed. I liked her character growth.
I liked the inclusion of Jewish holidays as both Amalia and Ezra are Jewish, and I also liked how the author included their normal weekly activities like Shabbat and temple. As someone who isn’t very familiar with Judaism, I liked reading about the characters and their families and how it was just part of their lives. It was also a connection between Amalia and Ezra outside of school.
Overall this was a really fun, sweet, and quick read.
Amalia was a great character. She was relatable, realistic, and flawed. I liked her character growth.
I liked the inclusion of Jewish holidays as both Amalia and Ezra are Jewish, and I also liked how the author included their normal weekly activities like Shabbat and temple. As someone who isn’t very familiar with Judaism, I liked reading about the characters and their families and how it was just part of their lives. It was also a connection between Amalia and Ezra outside of school.
Overall this was a really fun, sweet, and quick read.
July 20, 2019
3.5
I like how the main characters are Jewish and how it is not just a side thing or that it makes up the character as a whole. It offered many educational nuggets about the faith but did not just rehash facts.
This was a very light and fun read. It was kind of slow going but 1/3 into the plot started to speed up.
Good read for anyone who likes Realistic YA Romance with a twist of science.
I like how the main characters are Jewish and how it is not just a side thing or that it makes up the character as a whole. It offered many educational nuggets about the faith but did not just rehash facts.
This was a very light and fun read. It was kind of slow going but 1/3 into the plot started to speed up.
Good read for anyone who likes Realistic YA Romance with a twist of science.
December 6, 2019
So much fun and also SO MANY FEELINGS. Very queer and sex-positive, and I really liked the "what do you do when your whole plan falls through" aspect.
March 29, 2019
*Spoiler free*
I adored The Art Of French Kissing, which I talk about all the time haha. I was so happy when the author announced she had another book coming out that was going to have the enemies-to-lovers trope and deal with figuring out what you want to do in life. It sounded so cute and really, really good.
Brianna R. Shrum seems to write about a little piece of my soul in each book. I saw myself so well with the anxiety rep in The Art Of French Kissing, and while this book deals with a different aspect of mental health, it was something I truly related to. Amalia deals with the fear of failure. She puts on a front to hide her feelings, because she doesn't quite know what her feelings are. She avoids what she's scared of and she's terrified that she doesn't know what she wants to do. It's so real and I thought it was really, really well done.
Amalia is an extrovert. She loves being around people, going to parties, and going out to live her life. I, however, am an intense introvert. It was weird to read about someone who thinks so differently than me and likes things that are so different than I what like, and relate to them so fully. I understood her on a deep level, even though we are two completely different people. It's cool too because this book is about two different people coming together even though they couldn't be less alike. The parallel is amazing haha.
This book is messy. Amalia is messy. Ezra is messy. Conversations are messy. And it's so true to real life. Situations are awkward and things have to be said over and over again, just in different ways. That's just how life is. It's not perfect and it's frustrating and sometimes you don't know what to say. It was so realistic and I appreciated it so much. Not everything needed to be figured out right away. Amalia thoughts flow so true to real life.
There are also so many amazing characters. There's POC, a disabled character who uses a wheelchair and a cane, a non-binary character, Jewish characters, bi characters, gay characters, and a trans character. Some of them are very small side characters, but I really loved how casual it was. They just exist and I thought it was awesome. While the main romance is f/m, there are a lot of queer romances and Amaila is bi. She kisses another girl on page and it's said she has had lots of relationships with people of different genders.
On top of everything else, the story is really amazing. I loved watching the two main characters come together and figure out where they stand. The enemies-to-lovers was done really well. It's so cute and I loved how their relationship grew. I loved watching them work together. Their experiment was super cool and it was interesting to watch how they executed it and how it played into their lives.
The ending did seem kind of abrupt to me. I would have liked a little more wrap up, but what did happen was really cute and really sweet. It definitely reflects what the story was going for. I think the emotional plotline could have had another chapter to thoroughly flesh everything out.
I just really loved this book. It's about letting go and self-doubt and love and science. It's messy and it's real. I really, really loved it.
I adored The Art Of French Kissing, which I talk about all the time haha. I was so happy when the author announced she had another book coming out that was going to have the enemies-to-lovers trope and deal with figuring out what you want to do in life. It sounded so cute and really, really good.
Brianna R. Shrum seems to write about a little piece of my soul in each book. I saw myself so well with the anxiety rep in The Art Of French Kissing, and while this book deals with a different aspect of mental health, it was something I truly related to. Amalia deals with the fear of failure. She puts on a front to hide her feelings, because she doesn't quite know what her feelings are. She avoids what she's scared of and she's terrified that she doesn't know what she wants to do. It's so real and I thought it was really, really well done.
Amalia is an extrovert. She loves being around people, going to parties, and going out to live her life. I, however, am an intense introvert. It was weird to read about someone who thinks so differently than me and likes things that are so different than I what like, and relate to them so fully. I understood her on a deep level, even though we are two completely different people. It's cool too because this book is about two different people coming together even though they couldn't be less alike. The parallel is amazing haha.
This book is messy. Amalia is messy. Ezra is messy. Conversations are messy. And it's so true to real life. Situations are awkward and things have to be said over and over again, just in different ways. That's just how life is. It's not perfect and it's frustrating and sometimes you don't know what to say. It was so realistic and I appreciated it so much. Not everything needed to be figured out right away. Amalia thoughts flow so true to real life.
There are also so many amazing characters. There's POC, a disabled character who uses a wheelchair and a cane, a non-binary character, Jewish characters, bi characters, gay characters, and a trans character. Some of them are very small side characters, but I really loved how casual it was. They just exist and I thought it was awesome. While the main romance is f/m, there are a lot of queer romances and Amaila is bi. She kisses another girl on page and it's said she has had lots of relationships with people of different genders.
On top of everything else, the story is really amazing. I loved watching the two main characters come together and figure out where they stand. The enemies-to-lovers was done really well. It's so cute and I loved how their relationship grew. I loved watching them work together. Their experiment was super cool and it was interesting to watch how they executed it and how it played into their lives.
The ending did seem kind of abrupt to me. I would have liked a little more wrap up, but what did happen was really cute and really sweet. It definitely reflects what the story was going for. I think the emotional plotline could have had another chapter to thoroughly flesh everything out.
I just really loved this book. It's about letting go and self-doubt and love and science. It's messy and it's real. I really, really loved it.
August 21, 2020
no (or very few) spoilers. i'm going to simply note the things that stood out to me in this quirky, funny, SMART book. the main character, Amalia Yaabez, feels incredibly well-realized. when you read her, she doesn't feel like a fictionalized character -- she feels real in a way that only the best fictional characters do.
i want to again say: this is smart, smart writing. YA isn't really my genre, but i'm here for smart writing, regardless of the genre.
there's a ton of queer rep in this book, and IMO, it's handled really well. my experience is that today's youth don't seem to be as pressured to conform to straightness or to a gay/straight binary. there are bi, gay, non-binary, lesbian, and straight characters. the author writes sexual diversity in a way that seems effortless to the reader, so it was probably hard as hell for the writer.
i think one of the reasons it speaks to me, a middle-aged cishet honky dudebro, is how Amalia is told she can't do/be what she most wants to be in life, that what her dream looked like entering her senior year is not what her life is going to look like. if she had a clique in school, it'd be the artists, but her world is turned upside down when she doesn't get into art school -- any art school. it's devastating for her. her dream of becoming a professional artist is over (at least as she imagined it), and she's still in high school. OOF
i feel that so much on a personal level.
i'm ... a pretty good writer. what i have wanted, from the time i was a kid, was to write novels for a living. to steal an old baseball term: my desire is Cooperstown. my ability is Pawtucket.
i've faced blank pages much as Amalia faces a blank canvas for much of the book. it is hard to do something you love when you know that what you love--what you want most in the world--is something that won't happen for you. or won't look like you thought it would, even if it does end up happening at some point.
(like right now, i'm FINALLY starting to break in with some small magazine sales for short crime fiction stories ... it's definitely not the BIG SIX deal i thought i was supposed to get.)
so i think that "my life is not going to be what i thought it was" is a pretty universal theme, and my goodness it hit me unexpectedly. this book is sweet and funny and cute, and a lot deeper than i'd expected.
there is, as one might expect, a lot of kissing/making out in the book. a lot of dry, sarcastic humor, which is right up my alley. you'll end up liking Amalia and Ezra ... and a few other characters in the book as well.
small nitpicks: i think this was a pretty meticulously written book. however, i can't say that it was particularly well-edited from a line-by-line point of view. multiple errors in words, like "imaging" when the word the author meant was "imagining," ... that sort of thing. it's never enough to fully take me out of the story, but i noted that it happened several times. still, it's a rec at five stars to me because of its themes of love, loss, and (however cliche' it may be to say about a YA book), "coming of age."
i want to again say: this is smart, smart writing. YA isn't really my genre, but i'm here for smart writing, regardless of the genre.
there's a ton of queer rep in this book, and IMO, it's handled really well. my experience is that today's youth don't seem to be as pressured to conform to straightness or to a gay/straight binary. there are bi, gay, non-binary, lesbian, and straight characters. the author writes sexual diversity in a way that seems effortless to the reader, so it was probably hard as hell for the writer.
i think one of the reasons it speaks to me, a middle-aged cishet honky dudebro, is how Amalia is told she can't do/be what she most wants to be in life, that what her dream looked like entering her senior year is not what her life is going to look like. if she had a clique in school, it'd be the artists, but her world is turned upside down when she doesn't get into art school -- any art school. it's devastating for her. her dream of becoming a professional artist is over (at least as she imagined it), and she's still in high school. OOF
i feel that so much on a personal level.
i'm ... a pretty good writer. what i have wanted, from the time i was a kid, was to write novels for a living. to steal an old baseball term: my desire is Cooperstown. my ability is Pawtucket.
i've faced blank pages much as Amalia faces a blank canvas for much of the book. it is hard to do something you love when you know that what you love--what you want most in the world--is something that won't happen for you. or won't look like you thought it would, even if it does end up happening at some point.
(like right now, i'm FINALLY starting to break in with some small magazine sales for short crime fiction stories ... it's definitely not the BIG SIX deal i thought i was supposed to get.)
so i think that "my life is not going to be what i thought it was" is a pretty universal theme, and my goodness it hit me unexpectedly. this book is sweet and funny and cute, and a lot deeper than i'd expected.
there is, as one might expect, a lot of kissing/making out in the book. a lot of dry, sarcastic humor, which is right up my alley. you'll end up liking Amalia and Ezra ... and a few other characters in the book as well.
small nitpicks: i think this was a pretty meticulously written book. however, i can't say that it was particularly well-edited from a line-by-line point of view. multiple errors in words, like "imaging" when the word the author meant was "imagining," ... that sort of thing. it's never enough to fully take me out of the story, but i noted that it happened several times. still, it's a rec at five stars to me because of its themes of love, loss, and (however cliche' it may be to say about a YA book), "coming of age."
June 25, 2019
Find the whole review here: https://tohscontent.wordpress.com/201...
Received a complimentary copy from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
There was this one stand-up comedy audition I once watched and the judges (stand-up comedians themselves) rated one of their applicants the highest not just because of how well he executed his jokes, the timing, tone, connection-with-audience etc; but mainly because of the diversity of his content. Each and every topic that he addressed was done with the same amount of importance and the whole of it was weaved together perfectly, nothing seeming overdone or out of place.
I’d like to really say the same about Brianna R. Shrum. She has addressed sexual orientation and its perceptions in society, sexual behaviour and how society perceives it in a man versus a woman, educational struggles, interpersonal relationships and the struggles in teens during them, the effect of social perception on one’s behaviour, the confusion of finding/choosing a major when you don’t get into what you want to get into…
Honestly, I can keep going. But that’s the thing though! It sounds like so much, but when it’s written as a book with a character experiencing it while she’s in high school, it’s just normal. We’ve experienced it, or someone we know has. It was interesting and wonderful watching the beautiful picture that BRS drew in this book.
Amalia's confusions and thoughts are aligned to her situation and her genius-self. The book is heavy on heart, sarcasm, love, doubt and little beakers that act as content breakers within chapters. That little aesthetic was so utterly endearing to me, added to the progress that the readers are kept updated on in terms of Ezra and Amalia’s project.
Some of the loveliest things a parent can tell their children or a sibling can tell one another is there in this book. It’ll melt your heart and warm the tips of your fingers and crease your cheeks with a smile.
I highly recommend this book. It was fun, emotional, laugh-inducing, so relatable and a wonderful reminder of why I fell in love with the written word. Brianna!! *holds up index and thumb in the shape of a heart*
Received a complimentary copy from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
There was this one stand-up comedy audition I once watched and the judges (stand-up comedians themselves) rated one of their applicants the highest not just because of how well he executed his jokes, the timing, tone, connection-with-audience etc; but mainly because of the diversity of his content. Each and every topic that he addressed was done with the same amount of importance and the whole of it was weaved together perfectly, nothing seeming overdone or out of place.
I’d like to really say the same about Brianna R. Shrum. She has addressed sexual orientation and its perceptions in society, sexual behaviour and how society perceives it in a man versus a woman, educational struggles, interpersonal relationships and the struggles in teens during them, the effect of social perception on one’s behaviour, the confusion of finding/choosing a major when you don’t get into what you want to get into…
Honestly, I can keep going. But that’s the thing though! It sounds like so much, but when it’s written as a book with a character experiencing it while she’s in high school, it’s just normal. We’ve experienced it, or someone we know has. It was interesting and wonderful watching the beautiful picture that BRS drew in this book.
Amalia's confusions and thoughts are aligned to her situation and her genius-self. The book is heavy on heart, sarcasm, love, doubt and little beakers that act as content breakers within chapters. That little aesthetic was so utterly endearing to me, added to the progress that the readers are kept updated on in terms of Ezra and Amalia’s project.
Some of the loveliest things a parent can tell their children or a sibling can tell one another is there in this book. It’ll melt your heart and warm the tips of your fingers and crease your cheeks with a smile.
I highly recommend this book. It was fun, emotional, laugh-inducing, so relatable and a wonderful reminder of why I fell in love with the written word. Brianna!! *holds up index and thumb in the shape of a heart*
June 11, 2019
I really wanted this to be a great book but I struggled. Amalia was really hard for me to tolerate. And call me old-fashioned but I don’t think it’s smart to send the message to teens that as long as they want something they should feel entitled to it, no matter the consequences. I don’t think I’d want my daughter to read this book.
December 22, 2020
Cute banter and so so Jewish. Enemies to lovers isn’t my favorite trope (sorry?) but I loved how these two characters took pride in who they were, even their flaws. I just freaking loved how Jewish this was - it takes place during the new year Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur and even Sukkot! Yay rep!
Read
January 13, 2022This review originally appeared on my blog
If you meet me in my home, my long sleeves and Yiddish accent will cause you to make certain assumptions about me. If you stumble upon me at work, the string of letters after my name will lead you to an entirely different set of assumptions. However, many of you are here because you've met me online, through social media, where the emoji's in my profile and the snippets I post, have given rise to yet a third set of assumptions.
Which one is true? All of them. Or none of them. Depending on the day. Because defining myself and reconciling that image with the stereotypes the world thrusts upon me is complicated. It is a predicament I share with high school senior and resident slacker, Amalia Yaabez, the protagonist of Brianna Shrum's delightfully quirky novel, "Kissing Ezra Holtz (and Other Things I Did for Science).
Amalia has always thought of herself as an artist, so when her applications to art school are denied, she must redefine herself. In the process, she joins a bunch of AP classes and has the misfortune of being paired with her long time nemesis, Ezra Holtz, on a sociology project. Although Amalia- the proverbial wild child- has been bickering with straight-laced, Valedictorian-candidate, Ezra since their B'nei Mitvzah, observing him in his natural milieu of academia has Amalia viewing him in a new light. A sexy light. A light that makes her entirely uncomfortable.
As the book progresses, Amalia and Ezra confront many of their previous assumptions about each other. The manner in which they do so alternates between hilarious and hot, concluding with the most creative use of the word "levitically" you're likely to find this side of the Talmud.
In the efforts of full disclosure, I am more of an Ezra than an Amalia. I'm not usually invited to parties, yet alone greeted as the savior of them. My idea of living dangerously is leaving less than ten minutes early for an appointment. And the science project that Ezra and Amalia performed had me seriously itching to teach the class about the ethics of human experimentation. Yet somehow, I still fell in love with Amalia as a person. Because I know what it's like to have people think they know me based on a few limited interactions and labels. I know what's it like to have everything I've ever wanted taken away by some arbitrary committee. Most of all, I appreciated watching Amalia internalize the fact that wanting something different than everybody else doesn't make her less deserving of love. It makes her truthful to herself, which is a conclusion Ezra helps her reach.
I had a mini melt down over the sociology experiment. They don't have an IRB. Students are experimenting on their peers after a quick nod of approval from a teacher who doesn't even seem to have reviewed all of the materials. That dude should be fired, yesterday. I didn't even spot informed consent. Yet, when my blood pressure cooled down, (admittedly still a work in progress), I was able to suspend my disbelief, stop railing about the inadequacies of the American educational system, and enjoy how unexpected and different this book was.
The queerness in these pages was not limited to Amalia's bisexuality. There are many side characters that span a range of sexualities and genders, each with their own distinct voice. They were not plot devices or forced inclusion for diversity points. They were simply queer people going about their every day lives. Including Amalia, who fights the age old battle of convincing the world that bisexuals are not greedy and girls that like sex are not sluts. It's a message that is underrepresented in literature.
Ezra also helps dispel certain stereotypes with his observance of Judasim. There's a mistaken and harmful notion out there that reform Jews are somehow less strict, that being reform allows them to break whatever rules they want. Ezra Holtz, who is so much more of a stickler than many Jews I know, proves that all wrong. It is a joy to see him represent reform Judaism on the page through both Shabbat and the high holidays.
This book is full os small surprises like that. Representation that is baked into the characters and plot rather than inserted as an afterthought. I promise, if you read it, you will find your horizons broader for having done so. And you will have a Damn Good Time. I did.
If you meet me in my home, my long sleeves and Yiddish accent will cause you to make certain assumptions about me. If you stumble upon me at work, the string of letters after my name will lead you to an entirely different set of assumptions. However, many of you are here because you've met me online, through social media, where the emoji's in my profile and the snippets I post, have given rise to yet a third set of assumptions.
Which one is true? All of them. Or none of them. Depending on the day. Because defining myself and reconciling that image with the stereotypes the world thrusts upon me is complicated. It is a predicament I share with high school senior and resident slacker, Amalia Yaabez, the protagonist of Brianna Shrum's delightfully quirky novel, "Kissing Ezra Holtz (and Other Things I Did for Science).
Amalia has always thought of herself as an artist, so when her applications to art school are denied, she must redefine herself. In the process, she joins a bunch of AP classes and has the misfortune of being paired with her long time nemesis, Ezra Holtz, on a sociology project. Although Amalia- the proverbial wild child- has been bickering with straight-laced, Valedictorian-candidate, Ezra since their B'nei Mitvzah, observing him in his natural milieu of academia has Amalia viewing him in a new light. A sexy light. A light that makes her entirely uncomfortable.
As the book progresses, Amalia and Ezra confront many of their previous assumptions about each other. The manner in which they do so alternates between hilarious and hot, concluding with the most creative use of the word "levitically" you're likely to find this side of the Talmud.
In the efforts of full disclosure, I am more of an Ezra than an Amalia. I'm not usually invited to parties, yet alone greeted as the savior of them. My idea of living dangerously is leaving less than ten minutes early for an appointment. And the science project that Ezra and Amalia performed had me seriously itching to teach the class about the ethics of human experimentation. Yet somehow, I still fell in love with Amalia as a person. Because I know what it's like to have people think they know me based on a few limited interactions and labels. I know what's it like to have everything I've ever wanted taken away by some arbitrary committee. Most of all, I appreciated watching Amalia internalize the fact that wanting something different than everybody else doesn't make her less deserving of love. It makes her truthful to herself, which is a conclusion Ezra helps her reach.
I had a mini melt down over the sociology experiment. They don't have an IRB. Students are experimenting on their peers after a quick nod of approval from a teacher who doesn't even seem to have reviewed all of the materials. That dude should be fired, yesterday. I didn't even spot informed consent. Yet, when my blood pressure cooled down, (admittedly still a work in progress), I was able to suspend my disbelief, stop railing about the inadequacies of the American educational system, and enjoy how unexpected and different this book was.
The queerness in these pages was not limited to Amalia's bisexuality. There are many side characters that span a range of sexualities and genders, each with their own distinct voice. They were not plot devices or forced inclusion for diversity points. They were simply queer people going about their every day lives. Including Amalia, who fights the age old battle of convincing the world that bisexuals are not greedy and girls that like sex are not sluts. It's a message that is underrepresented in literature.
Ezra also helps dispel certain stereotypes with his observance of Judasim. There's a mistaken and harmful notion out there that reform Jews are somehow less strict, that being reform allows them to break whatever rules they want. Ezra Holtz, who is so much more of a stickler than many Jews I know, proves that all wrong. It is a joy to see him represent reform Judaism on the page through both Shabbat and the high holidays.
This book is full os small surprises like that. Representation that is baked into the characters and plot rather than inserted as an afterthought. I promise, if you read it, you will find your horizons broader for having done so. And you will have a Damn Good Time. I did.
March 3, 2024
3.5 stars. A great YA novel for people who love unlikable FMCs. Amalia is a slacker and stoner, an entitled gifted kid who just got her ass handed to her when she’s rejected by every art school she applied to. (Why didn't anyone tell her art schools would pay attention to her grades?!) She decides to actually apply herself at school for once, which leads to an identity shift and a change in her social circles. When she’s paired with her nemesis Ezra for a psychology project, they both grit their teeth as they try to work together but along the way, Amalia starts to see there’s more to Ezra than she thought. But first, she’s going to remain completely awful to him, no matter what feelings emerge or whether they hook up.
In addition to Amalia being bi, there are some great queer secondary characters, including Ezra having two dads. The story expands the typical heterosexual notion of what qualifies as sex (yay!) and also pushes back on slut-shaming. Ezra and Amalia are both Jewish with different levels of observation, which was a nice touch.
Amalia is very much a teen girl but also some of her reactions didn’t seem in keeping with her character. I admired her ability to be her bitchy self but she could be so mean to Ezra when he didn’t deserve it. Part of this is because she’s afraid of risking vulnerability but the pacing of their relationship in relation to her degree of meanness got wonky at times. While I ultimately liked them together, I don’t see this a relationship that will last beyond their senior year. Still, Shrum is a snappy writer and this was quite fun to read.
Note: I am very far removed from college application days but I was surprised to learn everyone had gotten their acceptance letters before the school year began. I initially thought this book started in the middle of the semester before it became clear that Amalia’s fresh start coincided with the beginning of the semester. I’m not sure how her taking AP classes during her senior year will help her with getting in somewhere this late. This could all be accurate! It’s just very different from how things were “back in my day.”
Characters: Amalia is a 17 year old bisexual white Sephardic Jewish high school senior and aspiring artist. Ezra is a 17 year old white Sephardic Jewish high school senior who wears glasses.
Content notes: slut-shaming (countered), biphobia (countered), bully was homophobic and transphobic about MMC’s parents (past), past death of MMC’s friend, spider, religious fasting, menstruation, on page sex (not super explicit), Strip Spoons, masturbation, alcohol, underage drinking, past marijuana, inebriation (secondary character), gendered pejoratives, ableist language, hyperbolic language around suicide, Harry Potter references
*Love it or Leighve it* (aka cleaning out my Kindle)
Purchased: 2020
Why did I buy it? Sara Taylor Wood recommended the author.
In addition to Amalia being bi, there are some great queer secondary characters, including Ezra having two dads. The story expands the typical heterosexual notion of what qualifies as sex (yay!) and also pushes back on slut-shaming. Ezra and Amalia are both Jewish with different levels of observation, which was a nice touch.
Amalia is very much a teen girl but also some of her reactions didn’t seem in keeping with her character. I admired her ability to be her bitchy self but she could be so mean to Ezra when he didn’t deserve it. Part of this is because she’s afraid of risking vulnerability but the pacing of their relationship in relation to her degree of meanness got wonky at times. While I ultimately liked them together, I don’t see this a relationship that will last beyond their senior year. Still, Shrum is a snappy writer and this was quite fun to read.
Note: I am very far removed from college application days but I was surprised to learn everyone had gotten their acceptance letters before the school year began. I initially thought this book started in the middle of the semester before it became clear that Amalia’s fresh start coincided with the beginning of the semester. I’m not sure how her taking AP classes during her senior year will help her with getting in somewhere this late. This could all be accurate! It’s just very different from how things were “back in my day.”
Characters: Amalia is a 17 year old bisexual white Sephardic Jewish high school senior and aspiring artist. Ezra is a 17 year old white Sephardic Jewish high school senior who wears glasses.
Content notes: slut-shaming (countered), biphobia (countered), bully was homophobic and transphobic about MMC’s parents (past), past death of MMC’s friend, spider, religious fasting, menstruation, on page sex (not super explicit), Strip Spoons, masturbation, alcohol, underage drinking, past marijuana, inebriation (secondary character), gendered pejoratives, ableist language, hyperbolic language around suicide, Harry Potter references
*Love it or Leighve it* (aka cleaning out my Kindle)
Purchased: 2020
Why did I buy it? Sara Taylor Wood recommended the author.
September 22, 2019
2.5 Stars rounded down
I wanted to really like this but Amalia needed a smack over the head. She talked about being judged for her choices and for her interests and then turned around and did the same thing to Ezra over and over again. She sometimes mentioned how she knew what she said was unfair, that she was being a jerk, but in the end, for me, she didn't show enough growth.
Also, I was not a big fan of her attitude towards school. She had her big art school dream and didn't have a single back-up plan in place? Seriously? And she honestly thought coasting through her classes doing the bare minimum was okay because she was going to be an artist, what did she need school for, and just no, she must have had her head in the sand to believe her grades didn't matter. I think she was too selfish and I am honestly glad she had her dreams shattered. I just wish readers had been shown that she really understood why her plan to get into art school didn't work out like she envisioned and why she really needed to make changes for her future.
There were a lot of cute moments. The representation in this book was awesome. In the end though, I wanted this girl to understand that caring for people does not make you weak, working hard does not make you lame, and you don't always get exactly what you thought you wanted would make you happy. But guess what? You can be insanely happy with completely different choices and be eternally grateful that you did not go that different route.
After a whole book of this personal crisis of if Amalia is not an artist, then who is she, the conclusion of maybe 20 pages having her realize she loves Ezra and might be able to make chemistry into a career was not enough of a payoff. It almost feels unfinished because the book just ends and maybe she makes something out of her relationship with Ezra, maybe she keeps up with her AP classes and proves she can handle the workload, maybe she makes it into a good school and is happy on her new path but readers will never know that for certain. Because the book had not yet reached Thanksgiving in their timeline and Amalia had not truly accepted the need to work harder to get what she wants, it might be that she just gives up and goes back to blowing everything off again. I just wanted something a little more concrete out of this character at the end, since I spent the whole of the book waiting for something more than just a couple maybe getting together.
I wanted to really like this but Amalia needed a smack over the head. She talked about being judged for her choices and for her interests and then turned around and did the same thing to Ezra over and over again. She sometimes mentioned how she knew what she said was unfair, that she was being a jerk, but in the end, for me, she didn't show enough growth.
Also, I was not a big fan of her attitude towards school. She had her big art school dream and didn't have a single back-up plan in place? Seriously? And she honestly thought coasting through her classes doing the bare minimum was okay because she was going to be an artist, what did she need school for, and just no, she must have had her head in the sand to believe her grades didn't matter. I think she was too selfish and I am honestly glad she had her dreams shattered. I just wish readers had been shown that she really understood why her plan to get into art school didn't work out like she envisioned and why she really needed to make changes for her future.
There were a lot of cute moments. The representation in this book was awesome. In the end though, I wanted this girl to understand that caring for people does not make you weak, working hard does not make you lame, and you don't always get exactly what you thought you wanted would make you happy. But guess what? You can be insanely happy with completely different choices and be eternally grateful that you did not go that different route.
After a whole book of this personal crisis of if Amalia is not an artist, then who is she, the conclusion of maybe 20 pages having her realize she loves Ezra and might be able to make chemistry into a career was not enough of a payoff. It almost feels unfinished because the book just ends and maybe she makes something out of her relationship with Ezra, maybe she keeps up with her AP classes and proves she can handle the workload, maybe she makes it into a good school and is happy on her new path but readers will never know that for certain. Because the book had not yet reached Thanksgiving in their timeline and Amalia had not truly accepted the need to work harder to get what she wants, it might be that she just gives up and goes back to blowing everything off again. I just wanted something a little more concrete out of this character at the end, since I spent the whole of the book waiting for something more than just a couple maybe getting together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2019
First off, thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher, Sky Pony Press, for providing me with a free e-ARC to read and review.
The first few things that drew me to this book were the fact that it's an #ownvoices novel, and the involvement of science! Something that didn't really feel right to me was the way the novel started- it felt a little rushed to me as we don't get any buildup, the novel just starts with Amalia and Ezra already having been paired up. I also wish we saw more of Amalia doing chemistry as that's what she grows to love.
Apart from all that, I actually really enjoyed this book! As I mentioned before, this novel is #ownvoices, with both the author and Amalia, the main character, being Jewish and bisexual/LGBT+. I really enjoyed the characterization of Amalia. Amalia is smart, as smart as the stereotypical 'geek' characters in teen novels. Yet, she isn't written like a typical 'nerd.' In fact, Amalia would most closely fit the 'bad girl' stereotype. Amalia doesn't focus in school, she goes to parties, smokes, and hooks up, which are all common attributes of popular 'bad boy' characters. For these reasons, I have seen other reviewers state that they do not like her, or that she's a highly 'unlikable' character. This links back to my post on misogyny in YA literature, which I have linked here. The thing is, people absolutely adore 'bad boys,' but when it's a 'bad girl.' she's suddenly intolerable. If I'm being honest, the only 'unlikable' thing about her is that she can be very self-centered at times, and is not very motivated, but in a way this improves her characterization, as these are real life flaws which makes her all the more relatable. She never means to be self-centered and unmotivated, but they're flaws that she possesses. Throughout the novel she starts to slowly try and overcome these flaws, with her reaching out to her teacher for help in her schoolwork. She may have some unappealing qualities, but she does redeem herself, which I think people are overlooking.
Amalia was really interesting to read about, it was really intriguing to read the story through her perspective, and see what her struggles and thoughts were. Amalia is an art student who has been rejected from all the art schools she applied to. This really hits her hard, and she struggles to find her way from the rejections, unsure about what she can do with her life now that art has been taken from her. She also has very relatable and realistic insecurities as a result of this rejection. Used to getting the best grades with minimal effort, her rejection from art school was a serious blow to her ego. She's left with this feeling of not being good enough. Throughout the novel she really comes into her own, as she realises that she doesn't have to be restricted to one thing, and that she is good enough. She realises she doesn't have to choose one thing or the other, she doesn't have to be defined by one love. She can love two things and enjoy both of them. Amalia doesn't develop significantly- but that's what I love about her. One of the most important things when writing a novel is knowing your characters. Brianna R. Shrum does this brilliantly. I say this because Amalia is not a girl who can change rapidly- she slowly adapts to the new obstacles in her life. It would be unrealistic for Amalia to be a total goody-two-shoes or totally confident in herself by the end of the novel, so I really loved how she was still in the process of developing and adjusting as a person.
The romance in this novel was enjoyable enough, but not as lovey-dovey or cute as what I'm used to. This is to be expected, I guess, as the two of them start out as not-enemies-but-I-dislike-you-a-bit (I really still label this as an enemies to lovers book but Amalia states that she doesn't hate him per se, just finds him irritating). However, Ezra and Amalia do still provide a few cute moments, such as 'When Ezra catches up to me, his mouth isn't smiling. But his eyes are.' Enemies to lovers is my favourite trope, simply because they have the best banter and it's really amazing to see the relationships morph from one of hatred and disgust, to one of trust and respect. Brianna R. Shrum did this really well, as Ezra and Amalia learn to trust each other and enjoy each other's company.
Ezra himself captured my heart the minute I read about him wanting to punch white supremacists. This scene props up when Amalia and Ezra are talking:
'"So you gave a speech about punching white supremacists."
"I did."
My eyebrows fly up. Ezra dies not exactly seem like the punching type so I have some idea where he falls on this-
"I obviously spoke in favor."'
Cue me swooning. The fastest way to win my heart is to express your desire to punch white supremacists, who knew?
My other favourite thing about this book is how it tackles bisexual stereotypes and the issues with slut shaming. Amalia, as I said before, is a 'bad girl.' She's also bisexual. These two factors results in her being branded as a slut, something she struggles with in the novel. This book tries to tackle these issues, fighting the narrow-minded, ignorant view that bisexual people are sluts. One of my favourite quotes in the book is actually Amalia realising she can be what she wants to be, not necessarily what people label her as, 'I can do this. For the next forty-nine, I am not Amalia The Slut. I am Amalia The Scientist.'
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it! Once again, a huge thank you to the publishers and Edelweiss for the free e-ARC in exchange of an honest review.
The first few things that drew me to this book were the fact that it's an #ownvoices novel, and the involvement of science! Something that didn't really feel right to me was the way the novel started- it felt a little rushed to me as we don't get any buildup, the novel just starts with Amalia and Ezra already having been paired up. I also wish we saw more of Amalia doing chemistry as that's what she grows to love.
Apart from all that, I actually really enjoyed this book! As I mentioned before, this novel is #ownvoices, with both the author and Amalia, the main character, being Jewish and bisexual/LGBT+. I really enjoyed the characterization of Amalia. Amalia is smart, as smart as the stereotypical 'geek' characters in teen novels. Yet, she isn't written like a typical 'nerd.' In fact, Amalia would most closely fit the 'bad girl' stereotype. Amalia doesn't focus in school, she goes to parties, smokes, and hooks up, which are all common attributes of popular 'bad boy' characters. For these reasons, I have seen other reviewers state that they do not like her, or that she's a highly 'unlikable' character. This links back to my post on misogyny in YA literature, which I have linked here. The thing is, people absolutely adore 'bad boys,' but when it's a 'bad girl.' she's suddenly intolerable. If I'm being honest, the only 'unlikable' thing about her is that she can be very self-centered at times, and is not very motivated, but in a way this improves her characterization, as these are real life flaws which makes her all the more relatable. She never means to be self-centered and unmotivated, but they're flaws that she possesses. Throughout the novel she starts to slowly try and overcome these flaws, with her reaching out to her teacher for help in her schoolwork. She may have some unappealing qualities, but she does redeem herself, which I think people are overlooking.
Amalia was really interesting to read about, it was really intriguing to read the story through her perspective, and see what her struggles and thoughts were. Amalia is an art student who has been rejected from all the art schools she applied to. This really hits her hard, and she struggles to find her way from the rejections, unsure about what she can do with her life now that art has been taken from her. She also has very relatable and realistic insecurities as a result of this rejection. Used to getting the best grades with minimal effort, her rejection from art school was a serious blow to her ego. She's left with this feeling of not being good enough. Throughout the novel she really comes into her own, as she realises that she doesn't have to be restricted to one thing, and that she is good enough. She realises she doesn't have to choose one thing or the other, she doesn't have to be defined by one love. She can love two things and enjoy both of them. Amalia doesn't develop significantly- but that's what I love about her. One of the most important things when writing a novel is knowing your characters. Brianna R. Shrum does this brilliantly. I say this because Amalia is not a girl who can change rapidly- she slowly adapts to the new obstacles in her life. It would be unrealistic for Amalia to be a total goody-two-shoes or totally confident in herself by the end of the novel, so I really loved how she was still in the process of developing and adjusting as a person.
The romance in this novel was enjoyable enough, but not as lovey-dovey or cute as what I'm used to. This is to be expected, I guess, as the two of them start out as not-enemies-but-I-dislike-you-a-bit (I really still label this as an enemies to lovers book but Amalia states that she doesn't hate him per se, just finds him irritating). However, Ezra and Amalia do still provide a few cute moments, such as 'When Ezra catches up to me, his mouth isn't smiling. But his eyes are.' Enemies to lovers is my favourite trope, simply because they have the best banter and it's really amazing to see the relationships morph from one of hatred and disgust, to one of trust and respect. Brianna R. Shrum did this really well, as Ezra and Amalia learn to trust each other and enjoy each other's company.
Ezra himself captured my heart the minute I read about him wanting to punch white supremacists. This scene props up when Amalia and Ezra are talking:
'"So you gave a speech about punching white supremacists."
"I did."
My eyebrows fly up. Ezra dies not exactly seem like the punching type so I have some idea where he falls on this-
"I obviously spoke in favor."'
Cue me swooning. The fastest way to win my heart is to express your desire to punch white supremacists, who knew?
My other favourite thing about this book is how it tackles bisexual stereotypes and the issues with slut shaming. Amalia, as I said before, is a 'bad girl.' She's also bisexual. These two factors results in her being branded as a slut, something she struggles with in the novel. This book tries to tackle these issues, fighting the narrow-minded, ignorant view that bisexual people are sluts. One of my favourite quotes in the book is actually Amalia realising she can be what she wants to be, not necessarily what people label her as, 'I can do this. For the next forty-nine, I am not Amalia The Slut. I am Amalia The Scientist.'
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it! Once again, a huge thank you to the publishers and Edelweiss for the free e-ARC in exchange of an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2019
I adored this book. Amalia Yaabez is a bisexual artist, Sephardic Jew and general badass. She starts out finding out she didn't get into any of the 9 art schools she applied to, but she's just started her senior year and decides she has to fix her GPA to get into a state school for Plan B. Amalia has to work on a psychology project with Ezra Holtz who she knows from Hebrew school... someone she finds *annoying* at the beginning. Ezra is a good student unlike her, although she IS quite smart but feels she has to work harder for it in high school than she ever had to before, which is how she got her party girl rep.
What this book has going for it is Jewish representation, LGBTQ representation.... pretty much across the spectrum. Also I learned things about Sephardic culture I did not know as an Ashkenazi Jew. Amalia is a tough nut to crack, so to speak. She has a good sense of self for a 17 year old, yet has to redefine what her life is going to look like, what her goals will be. She struggles to reconcile her sense of self with her internalized labeling by her classsmates who consider her promiscuous, slutty, party girl, stoner. It is ok to own that without taking in the negative connotations. Which is absolutely much harder to do as a girl. Also it kind of blew my mind a public school would give a Jewish student a hard time about taking off for the High holidays.
What this book has going for it is Jewish representation, LGBTQ representation.... pretty much across the spectrum. Also I learned things about Sephardic culture I did not know as an Ashkenazi Jew. Amalia is a tough nut to crack, so to speak. She has a good sense of self for a 17 year old, yet has to redefine what her life is going to look like, what her goals will be. She struggles to reconcile her sense of self with her internalized labeling by her classsmates who consider her promiscuous, slutty, party girl, stoner. It is ok to own that without taking in the negative connotations. Which is absolutely much harder to do as a girl. Also it kind of blew my mind a public school would give a Jewish student a hard time about taking off for the High holidays.
August 18, 2019
I admire the novel because it has a Jewish queer teenage girl as the main character. Describing queer relationships that Amelia has had took great steps in representation and directly addressed misconceptions about being bisexual. The novel was short and pretty sweet. Kissing Ezra Holtz was steamier than I imagined.
I love Amelia's character development as she reflects on her public image, but she was a bit stand-offish at times. Ezra wasn't nearly as fascinating as I hoped he would be. Amelia and Ezra balance each other well, but the relationship seemed quite rushed to me. The novel wasn't particularly memorable, but I enjoyed it. Amelia called out slut-shaming and how she deals with her self identity, which was empowering, just like her openness about her body.
There were things about Amelia's character that were unrealistic, and her image about "manic pixie dream girl" didn't quite translate on the page. The whole plot felt very abrupt.
Happy Saturday! Hope your day is going well. And if it isn't, I hope that tomorrow or sometime in the near future, it gets better. Because I promise that it will. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but soon.
Do things that make you happy, and above else, amor omnia vincent.
with love forever,
Reenie
💋
I love Amelia's character development as she reflects on her public image, but she was a bit stand-offish at times. Ezra wasn't nearly as fascinating as I hoped he would be. Amelia and Ezra balance each other well, but the relationship seemed quite rushed to me. The novel wasn't particularly memorable, but I enjoyed it. Amelia called out slut-shaming and how she deals with her self identity, which was empowering, just like her openness about her body.
There were things about Amelia's character that were unrealistic, and her image about "manic pixie dream girl" didn't quite translate on the page. The whole plot felt very abrupt.
Happy Saturday! Hope your day is going well. And if it isn't, I hope that tomorrow or sometime in the near future, it gets better. Because I promise that it will. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but soon.
Do things that make you happy, and above else, amor omnia vincent.
with love forever,
Reenie
💋
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf
April 23, 2020DNF page 114.
I think this DNF had more to do with me than the actual book. I wanted something light and fluffy and I admit the title of the book is pretty much all I knew about it. However this book is really not light and fluffy and is full of angst. Lots of angst. More angst than I was ready to handle during pandemic.
Our protagonist Amalia is a high school senior who's first future plan of art school fails. She's super smart but her grades suck because she didn't figure that she needed a back up plan. She was going to art school full stop. And suddenly she's not going to art school and she feels adrift and she doesn't know what else to do. Enter her scheme of signing up for all the AP classes that she didn't want before because she needs to up her GPA.
This book also had the most LGBTQA+ rep that I've seen in a YA novel in a loooong time. I can't speak to if the author portrayed the characters sensitively. It looked good to me as it was just part of the storytelling, not hitting the reader over the head. However I do not identify as LGBTQA+ so I cannot speak for those communities.
I might come back to this book when the world isn't quite as much of a mess, but for right now I'm logging it as a DNF 2020.
I think this DNF had more to do with me than the actual book. I wanted something light and fluffy and I admit the title of the book is pretty much all I knew about it. However this book is really not light and fluffy and is full of angst. Lots of angst. More angst than I was ready to handle during pandemic.
Our protagonist Amalia is a high school senior who's first future plan of art school fails. She's super smart but her grades suck because she didn't figure that she needed a back up plan. She was going to art school full stop. And suddenly she's not going to art school and she feels adrift and she doesn't know what else to do. Enter her scheme of signing up for all the AP classes that she didn't want before because she needs to up her GPA.
This book also had the most LGBTQA+ rep that I've seen in a YA novel in a loooong time. I can't speak to if the author portrayed the characters sensitively. It looked good to me as it was just part of the storytelling, not hitting the reader over the head. However I do not identify as LGBTQA+ so I cannot speak for those communities.
I might come back to this book when the world isn't quite as much of a mess, but for right now I'm logging it as a DNF 2020.
January 19, 2021
Sometimes I just really need a silly sappy contemporary romance to get me out of a mini slump from a book I was not enjoying at all.
I enjoyed our characters obviously the main ones the most but all the side characters were enjoyable as well. I liked that all the diversity was sewn in so naturally that I didn’t question it and it wasn’t just thrusted in your face as a plot point or something that was like a huge plot twist. Everything was known and just lightly brought up and normalized which I loved. I do not know if the different diverse characters were represented appropriately or well as I am not someone from any of these diverse groups. I will say I feel like they handled the different cases respectfully at least.
Honestly I just couldn’t put this book down and even though I guess by the end you learn they aren’t truly enemies to lovers but they gave off that vibe and it was really nice. Their back and forth teasing banter was great and I honestly loved it. It’s something I always enjoy in a relationship and I feel like people look at it as like being mean sometimes so they don’t write conversations like that.
Definitely would be interested in picking up another book by this author.
I enjoyed our characters obviously the main ones the most but all the side characters were enjoyable as well. I liked that all the diversity was sewn in so naturally that I didn’t question it and it wasn’t just thrusted in your face as a plot point or something that was like a huge plot twist. Everything was known and just lightly brought up and normalized which I loved. I do not know if the different diverse characters were represented appropriately or well as I am not someone from any of these diverse groups. I will say I feel like they handled the different cases respectfully at least.
Honestly I just couldn’t put this book down and even though I guess by the end you learn they aren’t truly enemies to lovers but they gave off that vibe and it was really nice. Their back and forth teasing banter was great and I honestly loved it. It’s something I always enjoy in a relationship and I feel like people look at it as like being mean sometimes so they don’t write conversations like that.
Definitely would be interested in picking up another book by this author.
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