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Cherrington #1
Cherrington Academy
Logan’s the new boy at Cherrington Academy, a boarding school that’s promised to provide him with a safe haven away from homophobic bullies and neglectful parents. He’s left all that 2000 miles away.
What he doesn’t expect Cherrington to provide is; a bunch of friends who want to adopt him, a mysterious roommate who’s never home and a gorgeous guy with a secret crush on him.
His perfect new life begins to unravel when he discovers a web of secrets amongst his friends. Plus his roommate? Partial to blackmail. That gorgeous guy? Well, he’s taken by one of Logan’s now closest friends.
Can Logan shut off his feelings to protect his new friendships and the happiness he’s found at Cherrington Academy? Or is love really just all-consuming?
What he doesn’t expect Cherrington to provide is; a bunch of friends who want to adopt him, a mysterious roommate who’s never home and a gorgeous guy with a secret crush on him.
His perfect new life begins to unravel when he discovers a web of secrets amongst his friends. Plus his roommate? Partial to blackmail. That gorgeous guy? Well, he’s taken by one of Logan’s now closest friends.
Can Logan shut off his feelings to protect his new friendships and the happiness he’s found at Cherrington Academy? Or is love really just all-consuming?
272 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2020
8 people are currently reading
743 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca J. Caffery
6 books229 followersRebecca J. Caffery is a queer romance author from Birmingham, UK, whose stories celebrate love, electric chemistry, fierce
emotion, and found families. She rediscovered her passion for writing in 2017
during a study abroad year in Canada, and she’s been writing one too many
enemies to lovers tropes since.
Rebecca is best known for her high-octane F1 romances, Pole
Position (2024) and First to Finish (2026), where fast cars meet
even faster hearts. With plans to expand into small-town romance, she continues
to craft stories that celebrate queer love in all its intensity and joy.
When she’s not writing, Rebecca can be found devouring queer
romance novels, binge-watching romantic dramas and romcoms, or passionately (read
screaming at her TV) supporting Arsenal Women’s football team and McLaren Formula
One Team.
Where else to find her?
Instagram - @RJCafferyAuthor
TikTok - BeckaWrites
emotion, and found families. She rediscovered her passion for writing in 2017
during a study abroad year in Canada, and she’s been writing one too many
enemies to lovers tropes since.
Rebecca is best known for her high-octane F1 romances, Pole
Position (2024) and First to Finish (2026), where fast cars meet
even faster hearts. With plans to expand into small-town romance, she continues
to craft stories that celebrate queer love in all its intensity and joy.
When she’s not writing, Rebecca can be found devouring queer
romance novels, binge-watching romantic dramas and romcoms, or passionately (read
screaming at her TV) supporting Arsenal Women’s football team and McLaren Formula
One Team.
Where else to find her?
Instagram - @RJCafferyAuthor
TikTok - BeckaWrites
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 14, 2025
The ending was really odd and abrupt??
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September 17, 2021
Sometimes, editing is fun. I’d recommend it for this book.
April 12, 2024
This book gave me a hard time to follow the story. Not because it’s so complex – it is not, it is quite simple just “boy meets boy”. No it’s because the story is so erratic. And the reason for this is that a lot of the story is just missing. It feels like the author only wrote half of the story down. Whole sentences seem to be missing and the story just doesn’t make any sense without them.
But that’s only part of the problem, because additional to the unintentionally missing parts of the story there’s a lot that’s purposefully missing. A lot of the story is just skipped and then roughly summarized in flashbacks, if ever. It’s perfectly okay to skip Logan’s past at the old school and his neglecting parents, because the story begins with him coming to the new school. But then suddenly the first few days at the new school and with his new friends are also skipped. You might think those would be important. Obviously not. Even the first night at school unpacking together with his new crush is just skipped. What the heck? Then a whole weekend spent with one of his new friends. Just skimmed over. You barely learn anything about the characters at all. They are so poorly developed, their behavior remains absolutely random and incomprehensible.
Although the romance parts of the story are quite cute, reading the books was no fun. The irrational behavior, the contrived plot and constantly skipping parts of the story had me screaming in frustration most of the time.
TL;DR Reading this book is frustrating and anger inducing.
DNF @ 55% – Should have stopped at 16%, because it didn't get any better, just worse and worse.
EDIT 02.09.2021 – Removed the last paragraph because reviews should not be on a personal level. I am sorry for that.
But that’s only part of the problem, because additional to the unintentionally missing parts of the story there’s a lot that’s purposefully missing. A lot of the story is just skipped and then roughly summarized in flashbacks, if ever. It’s perfectly okay to skip Logan’s past at the old school and his neglecting parents, because the story begins with him coming to the new school. But then suddenly the first few days at the new school and with his new friends are also skipped. You might think those would be important. Obviously not. Even the first night at school unpacking together with his new crush is just skipped. What the heck? Then a whole weekend spent with one of his new friends. Just skimmed over. You barely learn anything about the characters at all. They are so poorly developed, their behavior remains absolutely random and incomprehensible.
Although the romance parts of the story are quite cute, reading the books was no fun. The irrational behavior, the contrived plot and constantly skipping parts of the story had me screaming in frustration most of the time.
TL;DR Reading this book is frustrating and anger inducing.
DNF @ 55% – Should have stopped at 16%, because it didn't get any better, just worse and worse.
EDIT 02.09.2021 – Removed the last paragraph because reviews should not be on a personal level. I am sorry for that.
August 17, 2020
This is a beautiful, fun, and emotional boarding school drama that I could not put down. It's so lovely to get lost in the large cast of characters and their intricate relationships with each other. I live for these friendships (and frenemy relationships)! The emotional core of this book is so strong. For anyone who loves high school romances, this is the book for you! Do not miss out.
December 9, 2020
Thank you to the author, Rebecca J. Caffery, and SRL Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I've been in a reading slump this month, but this was such a quick and easy read and getting lost in the world of these characters definitely helped to pull me out. It's a great YA LGBT+ contemporary romance, that also has a very distinctive vibe and style that I think fans of books like Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Noah Can't Even by Simon James Green will really enjoy.
One of the best aspects of this book is the characters. They all felt very well developed and distinctive, each with their own dreams, hopes, fears, problems, likes, dislikes, and so much more. I think sometimes it can be really easy for books with fairly big casts to neglect characters and have them appear very flat, but this was not the case for Cherrington Academy. I wish we had more time with the girls as they were often more on the periphery, but I still feel like we learn a lot about them.
I also liked that the characters felt like very realistic teenagers. I often got annoyed with their actions as they constantly made situations worse for themselves (especially Logan and Isaac), but adult hindsight is 20/20 and these characters really felt like they were still learning about their themselves and the world. They made mistakes, they said things they shouldn't have said, they were dramatic, and much more. I think the young audience this is aimed at will really be able to relate to the characters and the sticky situations that they get themselves tangled in. Things constantly were falling apart then being pulled back together before falling apart again because of their actions which I think people will really enjoy if they like fast-paced contemporaries with a lot of action.
As always, diversity and representation are really important to me and I loved how there were several LGBT+ characters in this book and that they were friends. However, I do think there were some aspects of the LGBT+ representation that could have been improved, for example, there was a lot of homophobia or biphobia from other characters that is never fully addressed.
It also touched on the topic of mental health a few times which I wish had been explored a bit more. It shows the importance of seeking help and taking care of your mental health which is a really important message for a young adult audience. However, there were a few moments that I feel needed further developing otherwise they have the opposite effect, for example, Logan makes a throwaway remark about OCD that didn't hit right to me and I think would have worked better if his mental health had been framed more and he had been portrayed with OCD.
Overall, this was a great fast-paced and easy to read contemporary with some fantastic characters. I know there's a sequel already in the works for next year so I really hope some of the things that were only beginning to be touched on in this book will be touched on more in this sequel, such as the topic of mental health. It will be great to see how the characters navigate the fall out of the events in this first book and to see where they will go next as they mature and grow.
TWs: Homophobia, Terminal Illness
I've been in a reading slump this month, but this was such a quick and easy read and getting lost in the world of these characters definitely helped to pull me out. It's a great YA LGBT+ contemporary romance, that also has a very distinctive vibe and style that I think fans of books like Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Noah Can't Even by Simon James Green will really enjoy.
One of the best aspects of this book is the characters. They all felt very well developed and distinctive, each with their own dreams, hopes, fears, problems, likes, dislikes, and so much more. I think sometimes it can be really easy for books with fairly big casts to neglect characters and have them appear very flat, but this was not the case for Cherrington Academy. I wish we had more time with the girls as they were often more on the periphery, but I still feel like we learn a lot about them.
I also liked that the characters felt like very realistic teenagers. I often got annoyed with their actions as they constantly made situations worse for themselves (especially Logan and Isaac), but adult hindsight is 20/20 and these characters really felt like they were still learning about their themselves and the world. They made mistakes, they said things they shouldn't have said, they were dramatic, and much more. I think the young audience this is aimed at will really be able to relate to the characters and the sticky situations that they get themselves tangled in. Things constantly were falling apart then being pulled back together before falling apart again because of their actions which I think people will really enjoy if they like fast-paced contemporaries with a lot of action.
As always, diversity and representation are really important to me and I loved how there were several LGBT+ characters in this book and that they were friends. However, I do think there were some aspects of the LGBT+ representation that could have been improved, for example, there was a lot of homophobia or biphobia from other characters that is never fully addressed.
It also touched on the topic of mental health a few times which I wish had been explored a bit more. It shows the importance of seeking help and taking care of your mental health which is a really important message for a young adult audience. However, there were a few moments that I feel needed further developing otherwise they have the opposite effect, for example, Logan makes a throwaway remark about OCD that didn't hit right to me and I think would have worked better if his mental health had been framed more and he had been portrayed with OCD.
Overall, this was a great fast-paced and easy to read contemporary with some fantastic characters. I know there's a sequel already in the works for next year so I really hope some of the things that were only beginning to be touched on in this book will be touched on more in this sequel, such as the topic of mental health. It will be great to see how the characters navigate the fall out of the events in this first book and to see where they will go next as they mature and grow.
TWs: Homophobia, Terminal Illness
August 29, 2020
I read this whole book in one sitting and I never do that! I loved it so much that I absolutely demolished it in just three hours!
Rebecca put's together an incredible cast of characters that I feel like I now know personally, which is really hard to do when there's such a big cast of people! However, my favorite character has to be Charlie. What an absolute sweetheart that deserved none of the hurt that came to him when all he was trying to do was be the best person in every situation - Rebecca built such a great story for him!
The only thing I am more excited by, other than this book, is the fact that I just read that there is a sequel next year! I can't wait to see what Rebecca does with the next book...
Rebecca put's together an incredible cast of characters that I feel like I now know personally, which is really hard to do when there's such a big cast of people! However, my favorite character has to be Charlie. What an absolute sweetheart that deserved none of the hurt that came to him when all he was trying to do was be the best person in every situation - Rebecca built such a great story for him!
The only thing I am more excited by, other than this book, is the fact that I just read that there is a sequel next year! I can't wait to see what Rebecca does with the next book...
January 2, 2021
Great characters that you fall in love with. Can’t wait to see where their journey will go.
August 24, 2022
honestly, this might be the worst book i’ve ever read right next to meet cute diary
August 24, 2020
Actual rating is 3.5 stars!!! I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I took part in the blog tour for this book and an author interview along with my review can be found here https://alittleshelfrighteous.wordpre...
Cherrington Academy is an entertaining, fast-paced read that encapsulates the highs, the lows and the angst-ridden days of being sixteen/seventeen perfectly. Full of scandal and rollercoaster romances, Caffery's debut doesn't shy away from any of the hard or uncomfortable topics as she explores everything from cheating to coming out. Whilst I do think Logan encompasses some gay stereotypes, she incorporates representation and diversity amongst a loveable cast of characters effortlessly. The friendships and bromances between these characters in Cherrington Academy are refreshing — they're supportive and call out each other when needs be.
Another thing I loved is how Logan's coming out isn't a huge deal and his sexuality is not manipulated as a plot device. It's clear Logan suffered in the past, he was bullied, so for him to find a place where he belonged and go on a journey of self-discovery is a delight to read. Whilst Logan's story might not be the happiest, what happens is not a consequence of his sexuality. Gay people deserve stories that explore their sexuality without the story being dependant on the trauma that can come with not fitting into a heteronormative society.
In terms of the main character, Logan is not a good person. He's a cheat, leads people on and knowingly hurts the same people that welcomed him with open arms. For all these reasons, I struggled to sympathise with him and I genuinely couldn't imagine how the author would change my mind. However, Logan's character development is incredible and he evolved in the end.
The primary relationship in this book is between Logan and Isaac — Logan's relationship with Isaac burns hot and fast, which leads to it not being the healthiest in some respects. It's only when Logan realises that he needs to be better for himself does his much needed redemption arc begin. I appreciated that at least three people (that I can think of) call Logan out on his behaviour, meaning he learns from it and becomes more self-aware in the process — having your own baggage/issues never justifies mistreating others. Seeking help and talking about your emotions is really emphasised in this book, especially amongst boys. These themes were integrated so naturally and I wish more YA books touched on them.
Despite being flawed, Logan grew on me towards the end. Even if that isn't the case for you, Caffery has such a large cast of characters that it's not a challenge to find a character you relate to, or want to protect with your life. Noah and Charlie are two that I'm rather attached to.
On the whole, I'd recommend Cherrington Academy because it's packed with drama that will impassion, infuriate and invigorate you. These characters make mistakes and have a lot of tangled connections of each other, yet that's why they're so realistic and the dynamic works so well! The romance is definitely on the fast burn side of things and I'm still hesitant about the cheating, but it works in context and I appreciated the efforts to break the stigma around mental health. This book only scratches the surface of so many potential stories and I can't wait for the world of the academy to be explored in more depth now the groundwork has been laid out.
Cherrington Academy is an entertaining, fast-paced read that encapsulates the highs, the lows and the angst-ridden days of being sixteen/seventeen perfectly. Full of scandal and rollercoaster romances, Caffery's debut doesn't shy away from any of the hard or uncomfortable topics as she explores everything from cheating to coming out. Whilst I do think Logan encompasses some gay stereotypes, she incorporates representation and diversity amongst a loveable cast of characters effortlessly. The friendships and bromances between these characters in Cherrington Academy are refreshing — they're supportive and call out each other when needs be.
Another thing I loved is how Logan's coming out isn't a huge deal and his sexuality is not manipulated as a plot device. It's clear Logan suffered in the past, he was bullied, so for him to find a place where he belonged and go on a journey of self-discovery is a delight to read. Whilst Logan's story might not be the happiest, what happens is not a consequence of his sexuality. Gay people deserve stories that explore their sexuality without the story being dependant on the trauma that can come with not fitting into a heteronormative society.
In terms of the main character, Logan is not a good person. He's a cheat, leads people on and knowingly hurts the same people that welcomed him with open arms. For all these reasons, I struggled to sympathise with him and I genuinely couldn't imagine how the author would change my mind. However, Logan's character development is incredible and he evolved in the end.
The primary relationship in this book is between Logan and Isaac — Logan's relationship with Isaac burns hot and fast, which leads to it not being the healthiest in some respects. It's only when Logan realises that he needs to be better for himself does his much needed redemption arc begin. I appreciated that at least three people (that I can think of) call Logan out on his behaviour, meaning he learns from it and becomes more self-aware in the process — having your own baggage/issues never justifies mistreating others. Seeking help and talking about your emotions is really emphasised in this book, especially amongst boys. These themes were integrated so naturally and I wish more YA books touched on them.
Despite being flawed, Logan grew on me towards the end. Even if that isn't the case for you, Caffery has such a large cast of characters that it's not a challenge to find a character you relate to, or want to protect with your life. Noah and Charlie are two that I'm rather attached to.
On the whole, I'd recommend Cherrington Academy because it's packed with drama that will impassion, infuriate and invigorate you. These characters make mistakes and have a lot of tangled connections of each other, yet that's why they're so realistic and the dynamic works so well! The romance is definitely on the fast burn side of things and I'm still hesitant about the cheating, but it works in context and I appreciated the efforts to break the stigma around mental health. This book only scratches the surface of so many potential stories and I can't wait for the world of the academy to be explored in more depth now the groundwork has been laid out.
November 25, 2020
If you love boarding house themed books, this is for you. The characters are great and I love all of drama that goes on; I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t wait until the sequel comes out!
October 15, 2021
#CherringtonAcademy by @rjcafferyauthor rated ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ on #goodreads and #storygraph
Wow, what a rollercoaster of emotion!!! Thank you @perellapages for the recommendation and gift 🧡 I bought its sequel #ComingHome seconds after I finished - its already arrived and it will be my first read of November for sure! (🙄 at my TBR right now😂)
I loved Logan from the very first moment I opened this book, and didn’t realise it would be as hard hitting as it was!!!
A boarding school drama that I could not put down. It was a lot of fun, but there were emotional roots which added a lot of depth to the story. Definitely check the TW’s before reading!
The representation in this book is brilliant too - very diverse.
I love, love, love the found family trope - and in this case especially Charlie - I actually think I might love him as much as, even maybe a little more than Logan! His scenes broke my heart, but Charlie is a perfect role model and fantastic friend!
The shock on my face when the truth coming out was nearing… I felt all the pain of actually being there with the characters. Isaac however - I felt deserved more negativity from the situation than he got. Especially at the ending of this book (WHAT?!), and I hope to see that happen in book 2!
You can definitely tell that these are teens trying to find their way in life, experiencing heartbreaks, lust, love, friendship and more but it all comes together perfectly!
There was a slight grammatical error on page 33, where their should be there. But this does not for one second take anything away from the book. Here for the drama (and more) and cannot wait for Coming Home!!
#book #books #bookish #bookstagram #bookworm #bookshelf #booklover #bookrecommendations #bookreview #booktok
Wow, what a rollercoaster of emotion!!! Thank you @perellapages for the recommendation and gift 🧡 I bought its sequel #ComingHome seconds after I finished - its already arrived and it will be my first read of November for sure! (🙄 at my TBR right now😂)
I loved Logan from the very first moment I opened this book, and didn’t realise it would be as hard hitting as it was!!!
A boarding school drama that I could not put down. It was a lot of fun, but there were emotional roots which added a lot of depth to the story. Definitely check the TW’s before reading!
The representation in this book is brilliant too - very diverse.
I love, love, love the found family trope - and in this case especially Charlie - I actually think I might love him as much as, even maybe a little more than Logan! His scenes broke my heart, but Charlie is a perfect role model and fantastic friend!
The shock on my face when the truth coming out was nearing… I felt all the pain of actually being there with the characters. Isaac however - I felt deserved more negativity from the situation than he got. Especially at the ending of this book (WHAT?!), and I hope to see that happen in book 2!
You can definitely tell that these are teens trying to find their way in life, experiencing heartbreaks, lust, love, friendship and more but it all comes together perfectly!
There was a slight grammatical error on page 33, where their should be there. But this does not for one second take anything away from the book. Here for the drama (and more) and cannot wait for Coming Home!!
#book #books #bookish #bookstagram #bookworm #bookshelf #booklover #bookrecommendations #bookreview #booktok
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May 20, 2021I bought this book in anticipation of reading the ARC of the second book, which I received from the publisher, SRL Publishing Ltd. I liked the premise of a young gay man finding a new home and friends at his new boarding school after being horrifically bullied by homophobes at his old school and dealing with parents who are the very definition of neglectful. And while they all seem pretty rich, it felt unpretentious.
There’s a whole lot of teenage angst and drama in this book, which is to be expected. But somehow the whole plot just didn’t sit right with me… I couldn’t understand how this seemingly sweet yet beaten-down kid transformed into this egotistical bastard in such a short time, regardless of how much love and attention he was getting from his new friends. I didn’t feel like I was *there* and it wasn’t very believable a lot of the time. And the biggest moment - finally making love with his romantic interest once they’re both broken up with the people they were seeing - is almost completely glossed over. I’m not looking for 50 Shades steamy, but I seriously almost missed the fact that they’d actually had sex before Logan goes sneaking out as soon as Isaac’s asleep.
The run-on sentences, lots of missing punctuation, and missing words made reading it a challenge. Plus, the author got the names of the characters mixed up occasionally or changed the spelling, which also threw me.
I hope that the second book is better edited and more plausible…
There’s a whole lot of teenage angst and drama in this book, which is to be expected. But somehow the whole plot just didn’t sit right with me… I couldn’t understand how this seemingly sweet yet beaten-down kid transformed into this egotistical bastard in such a short time, regardless of how much love and attention he was getting from his new friends. I didn’t feel like I was *there* and it wasn’t very believable a lot of the time. And the biggest moment - finally making love with his romantic interest once they’re both broken up with the people they were seeing - is almost completely glossed over. I’m not looking for 50 Shades steamy, but I seriously almost missed the fact that they’d actually had sex before Logan goes sneaking out as soon as Isaac’s asleep.
The run-on sentences, lots of missing punctuation, and missing words made reading it a challenge. Plus, the author got the names of the characters mixed up occasionally or changed the spelling, which also threw me.
I hope that the second book is better edited and more plausible…
May 11, 2021
Thank you sooooo much to SRL publishing for sending me an e-copy when I couldn’t find one! Cheers to the sequel!
Recommendation: 7/10
Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, cheating, blackmail, lying, death, cancer, therapy
Representation: Gay, Bisexual, Questioning
Cherrington Academy is a contemporary YA novel about a boy who changes schools mid junior year to escape his bullies. Logan makes new friends, falls in love, experiences heartbreak, and more in the halls of his prestigious boarding school. He navigates the remainder of the school year as well as a web of lies and betrayal that leads to a cliffhanger ending.
Overall, this was a good book! Personally I like a happy ending and do not enjoy cliffhangers, but I am very excited for the sequel! I felt all of the characters were fully developed and I enjoyed learning about a full cast rather than staying one character’s head. They each felt different and distinct. My only wish is a perspective shift rather than Logan solely narrating.
I liked the mention of mental health and the healthy stigma to therapy that was illustrated in the book. And I also loved how the characters were just queer and no one made a huge deal about it- very refreshing!
Recommendation: 7/10
Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, cheating, blackmail, lying, death, cancer, therapy
Representation: Gay, Bisexual, Questioning
Cherrington Academy is a contemporary YA novel about a boy who changes schools mid junior year to escape his bullies. Logan makes new friends, falls in love, experiences heartbreak, and more in the halls of his prestigious boarding school. He navigates the remainder of the school year as well as a web of lies and betrayal that leads to a cliffhanger ending.
Overall, this was a good book! Personally I like a happy ending and do not enjoy cliffhangers, but I am very excited for the sequel! I felt all of the characters were fully developed and I enjoyed learning about a full cast rather than staying one character’s head. They each felt different and distinct. My only wish is a perspective shift rather than Logan solely narrating.
I liked the mention of mental health and the healthy stigma to therapy that was illustrated in the book. And I also loved how the characters were just queer and no one made a huge deal about it- very refreshing!
December 27, 2022
I actually found this a challenging read, not because the story isn't good, but because the characters are so flawed and I kept wincing and waiting for it all to implode, which it inevitably did. But that's why I've given Cherrington Academy 4 stars - a group of teenage characters, all trying to figure out life and relationships, whilst living in a boarding school situation where they are around each other all the time? How could it not be messy?
My only real complaint is that I would have liked to see more. Sometimes the story moved a little too fast for me, and I craved a bit more depth. But as it's part of a Duology I am looking forward to seeing the characters develop further in the second book.
My only real complaint is that I would have liked to see more. Sometimes the story moved a little too fast for me, and I craved a bit more depth. But as it's part of a Duology I am looking forward to seeing the characters develop further in the second book.
October 20, 2024
2.5
I'm sorry, but I had high expectations because of the first chapters. And then the author made me hate every character. And then a redemtion arc ? And then hate every character again.
The writing was good, but the whole time, I was screaming at the pages: "IT'S NOT THAT DEEP !!!". It really was not that deep. The amount of DRAMA in this book was unreasonable.
I don't know if I should be giving props to the author for making the characters so dramatic and their problems so imature, because if that was intentional, then she did a spectacular job. These sorts of problems could only exist in high school. Not even high school, to be honest. Primary school. It really WAS NOT THAT DEEP. Nobody cares that much.
I'm sorry, but I had high expectations because of the first chapters. And then the author made me hate every character. And then a redemtion arc ? And then hate every character again.
The writing was good, but the whole time, I was screaming at the pages: "IT'S NOT THAT DEEP !!!". It really was not that deep. The amount of DRAMA in this book was unreasonable.
I don't know if I should be giving props to the author for making the characters so dramatic and their problems so imature, because if that was intentional, then she did a spectacular job. These sorts of problems could only exist in high school. Not even high school, to be honest. Primary school. It really WAS NOT THAT DEEP. Nobody cares that much.
June 1, 2023
I think this could have been super charming and had a bit of potential, but in the end it just feels super disjointed (due to so many time skips between the chapters and many things only summarized in hindsight) and very shallow (storywise and in regards to the characters)... It was still an easy and fast enough read, which might have prompted me to give it 3 stars...but the book needed so much editing done...I am not one to usually note a mistake or two (or be bothered much by it) but damn, there were just so many random paragraph breaks within sentences and many other things, too - so yeah, I had to substract one star just for that...
May 10, 2021
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Trigger Warnings: anxiety, depression, death off-page, and description of traumatic outing off-page.
Representation: gay main character (written on the page), anxious main character (alluded to), bisexual side-character (written on the page), pansexual/questioning side-character (not confirmed on page), Black side-character, and Fat/Plus-Size side-character
It was nice to see a found family story, with a diverse cast! I think sometimes queer books center on one gay kid who has a slew of straight friends which is… obviously not always correct lol.
This book started off strong, with the author drawing you into Logan's life, feeling sympathetic for his past, and Rebecca J. Caffery does a great job of balancing a large cast of characters.
Although, I will say, while it was clear that Logan developed strong relationships with the boys, I wish more time was spent on developing his relationships with the girls. When the inevitable climax occurred, it didn't hit me as hard as it could've if their relationships were fleshed out (more on that later).
I enjoyed how Logan was anxious, and yet cocky and brave at times, and this was highlighted nicely in the club scene. I also really loved how quickly he was able to fit in with his new group friends, after his prefect, Charlie, invited him to lunch with the gang in the dining hall. There were great instances of Logan and his friends hanging out in Cherrington Academy, though I wish there were just a half-scene or so more of him in class, as I think that would’ve strengthened the plot a bit more.
Now let's get to the climax. To be perfectly honest, I wanted the author to put Isaac through more hell than she did Logan. At Logan's birthday party, it's revealed that Logan and Isaac messed around behind October's back while the pair had been dating (and had emotionally cheated while Logan and Callum dated, though this one is a weaker argument to me; I think they should really only be mad at him for the week or two they kissed when Isaac and October were together, and for all the secret keeping). What a birthday, huh?
After the truth comes out, Logan runs from his problems (literally, too) and hides away in his dorm for as long as he can, but it doesn't prevent the rumor mill from making its rounds. Which then brings us to the ickiest part of the book to me; this unresolved, homophobic belief by both October and her friends that Logan has somehow turned Isaac gay (he is not; the author confirmed on Twitter that he is pansexual, although no label is applied to Isaac on the page). I wish this dangerous belief had been resolved in the book, with even October saying, "I understand you didn't turn Isaac gay, and I'm sorry my friends spoke to you like that.” But this did not happen.
Which, ultimately, brings me to another issue I had; no one apologizes to Logan. Ever. The entire third act of the book is Logan apologizing to everyone, and no one reciprocates. Not Noah, for blackmailing him, despite them becoming friends in the end, not October for the above, not Isaac for flaking on him after the truth comes out and not being there for him (though this is answered later), not Charlie for getting mad at him for falling for Logan (that whole bit didn't make sense to me; Logan didn't really have much to apologize to Charlie in my mind, due to his relationship with Isaac. I mean, yes, he had to apologize for making his life as prefect harder, but I didn’t see much else), and not from any of his other friends. At the end of the book, I'm not too certain where Logan stands with two of his friends, October or Libby, as October rebuffed his apology and Libby was never mentioned ever again after the birthday party; the others, he was able to make amends with, in some form, so those relationships had resolutions. However, this part was probably left open-ended for the second book.
And now to the ending. I believe that all authors are entitled to end their books however they want, as it is their story. However, I believe even a paragraph more at the end is needed, or at least, strongly wished for. We just started to see Logan grappling with the cracks in their relationship in the very last chapter (how Isaac had ditched him the moment the truth came out, kept secrets from him, and otherwise was kind of a shit boyfriend/lover), and then suddenly, the book was over. I wanted just one last bit of Logan talking about how his and Isaac's relationship had been toxic, and he realized that now. I'm holding out hope that the sequel will assuage these feelings.
Though, I will say, that I completely understand that relationships are messy and teenagers can be immature. I do applaud the author for taking the road less travelled; instead of wrapping the relationships up with a neat little bow, she demonstrated that friendships are messy, love doesn’t always last forever (or is even a true love), and that you can have a book with romance, that isn’t a romance, but rather focuses on the unique dynamics of high school friendships.
It was an adorable read for the most part, and I really only took issue in the third act.
Trigger Warnings: anxiety, depression, death off-page, and description of traumatic outing off-page.
Representation: gay main character (written on the page), anxious main character (alluded to), bisexual side-character (written on the page), pansexual/questioning side-character (not confirmed on page), Black side-character, and Fat/Plus-Size side-character
It was nice to see a found family story, with a diverse cast! I think sometimes queer books center on one gay kid who has a slew of straight friends which is… obviously not always correct lol.
This book started off strong, with the author drawing you into Logan's life, feeling sympathetic for his past, and Rebecca J. Caffery does a great job of balancing a large cast of characters.
Although, I will say, while it was clear that Logan developed strong relationships with the boys, I wish more time was spent on developing his relationships with the girls. When the inevitable climax occurred, it didn't hit me as hard as it could've if their relationships were fleshed out (more on that later).
I enjoyed how Logan was anxious, and yet cocky and brave at times, and this was highlighted nicely in the club scene. I also really loved how quickly he was able to fit in with his new group friends, after his prefect, Charlie, invited him to lunch with the gang in the dining hall. There were great instances of Logan and his friends hanging out in Cherrington Academy, though I wish there were just a half-scene or so more of him in class, as I think that would’ve strengthened the plot a bit more.
Now let's get to the climax. To be perfectly honest, I wanted the author to put Isaac through more hell than she did Logan. At Logan's birthday party, it's revealed that Logan and Isaac messed around behind October's back while the pair had been dating (and had emotionally cheated while Logan and Callum dated, though this one is a weaker argument to me; I think they should really only be mad at him for the week or two they kissed when Isaac and October were together, and for all the secret keeping). What a birthday, huh?
After the truth comes out, Logan runs from his problems (literally, too) and hides away in his dorm for as long as he can, but it doesn't prevent the rumor mill from making its rounds. Which then brings us to the ickiest part of the book to me; this unresolved, homophobic belief by both October and her friends that Logan has somehow turned Isaac gay (he is not; the author confirmed on Twitter that he is pansexual, although no label is applied to Isaac on the page). I wish this dangerous belief had been resolved in the book, with even October saying, "I understand you didn't turn Isaac gay, and I'm sorry my friends spoke to you like that.” But this did not happen.
Which, ultimately, brings me to another issue I had; no one apologizes to Logan. Ever. The entire third act of the book is Logan apologizing to everyone, and no one reciprocates. Not Noah, for blackmailing him, despite them becoming friends in the end, not October for the above, not Isaac for flaking on him after the truth comes out and not being there for him (though this is answered later), not Charlie for getting mad at him for falling for Logan (that whole bit didn't make sense to me; Logan didn't really have much to apologize to Charlie in my mind, due to his relationship with Isaac. I mean, yes, he had to apologize for making his life as prefect harder, but I didn’t see much else), and not from any of his other friends. At the end of the book, I'm not too certain where Logan stands with two of his friends, October or Libby, as October rebuffed his apology and Libby was never mentioned ever again after the birthday party; the others, he was able to make amends with, in some form, so those relationships had resolutions. However, this part was probably left open-ended for the second book.
And now to the ending. I believe that all authors are entitled to end their books however they want, as it is their story. However, I believe even a paragraph more at the end is needed, or at least, strongly wished for. We just started to see Logan grappling with the cracks in their relationship in the very last chapter (how Isaac had ditched him the moment the truth came out, kept secrets from him, and otherwise was kind of a shit boyfriend/lover), and then suddenly, the book was over. I wanted just one last bit of Logan talking about how his and Isaac's relationship had been toxic, and he realized that now. I'm holding out hope that the sequel will assuage these feelings.
Though, I will say, that I completely understand that relationships are messy and teenagers can be immature. I do applaud the author for taking the road less travelled; instead of wrapping the relationships up with a neat little bow, she demonstrated that friendships are messy, love doesn’t always last forever (or is even a true love), and that you can have a book with romance, that isn’t a romance, but rather focuses on the unique dynamics of high school friendships.
It was an adorable read for the most part, and I really only took issue in the third act.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2023
Some books you can read as an adult even though it's meant for teenagers. I feel like this book isn't for the older audience to read and I think that's why I didn't like it as much.
November 18, 2024
Es una buena historia mal ejecutada, Isaac es el peor interés romántico es un paran
September 24, 2020
Just as I thought it would be, it's awesome! 😆 It's now on my list of favourite books! I wish I could tell something without spoiling anything! The characters are beautiful and the entire book is heartily written! Great book, and amazing job, Becka! 😄 More please! 🥳🤩
December 14, 2024
this did something to fourteen year old me. this was like reading shakespeare when i was 14. idk, if i read this back now id probs be confused.
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