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The Comedienne's Guide to Pride
The Comedienne’s Guide to Pride is a queer coming of age story with biting humor about a young lesbian striving to win a spot on SNL.
Taylor Parker isn’t out yet, but she’s keeping an even bigger secret: she entered a sketch contest where the grand prize is an internship at SNL.
When Taylor applied to this opportunity for marginalized writers, she checked the “LGBTQ” box on the application without really thinking about it. But now that she’s a finalist, she realizes she’ll need to be out to win. Whether she’s ready or not.
In the month leading up to the competition results, Taylor befriends Charlotte Grey, whom Taylor’s had a crush on for years. As they spend more time together, they realize they’re genuinely falling for each other—and while Charlotte is willing to take it slow, Taylor doesn’t want to ask her to keep their relationship secret forever. Taylor just hopes she can muster the courage to come out before all her secrets do.
Taylor Parker isn’t out yet, but she’s keeping an even bigger secret: she entered a sketch contest where the grand prize is an internship at SNL.
When Taylor applied to this opportunity for marginalized writers, she checked the “LGBTQ” box on the application without really thinking about it. But now that she’s a finalist, she realizes she’ll need to be out to win. Whether she’s ready or not.
In the month leading up to the competition results, Taylor befriends Charlotte Grey, whom Taylor’s had a crush on for years. As they spend more time together, they realize they’re genuinely falling for each other—and while Charlotte is willing to take it slow, Taylor doesn’t want to ask her to keep their relationship secret forever. Taylor just hopes she can muster the courage to come out before all her secrets do.
Unknown Binding
First published July 19, 2022
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Want to read
July 28, 2022I may or may not be adding this book to my wishlist because I share the same first name as the author…. Also, lesbian MC!!!! Netgalley, please come through for me 🤞
July 14, 2022
Got an ARC from ALA
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would!
It started off a bit clunky as one of our first introductions to the main character is her being a bit biphobic, and that put a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, but the story found its footing; I figured this was going to be a book about a character kinda getting out of her head and realizing that she’s being kind of annoying, and she did, she had moments where I felt for her, where I laughed with her and wanted to see her succeed. She has that “oh shit” moment about her own internalized biphobia and some really lovely moments with her bi family friend that I was happy to see.
I sometimes felt like the Black best friend, Brooke, got the short end of the character stick (she kinda outs the MC at one point) but the characters seemed to work it out, though I would’ve liked to see Brooke be more flushed out and a person in her own right.
I was very happy this wasn’t another book where “Closeted girl’s secret girlfriend doesn’t understand why she won’t come out” which the back of the book made it sound like, that wasn’t it AT ALL. In fact, the secret girlfriend had some great points about “don’t come out just to flaunt our relationship” and “love yourself half as much as you say you love me” and that I REALLY liked.
So yeah, it stumbled a bit and was a little clunky in ways that I will chalk up to it being a debut, but overall I very much enjoyed it, it had a lot of heart and good things to say, and I think this author could really soar
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would!
It started off a bit clunky as one of our first introductions to the main character is her being a bit biphobic, and that put a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, but the story found its footing; I figured this was going to be a book about a character kinda getting out of her head and realizing that she’s being kind of annoying, and she did, she had moments where I felt for her, where I laughed with her and wanted to see her succeed. She has that “oh shit” moment about her own internalized biphobia and some really lovely moments with her bi family friend that I was happy to see.
I sometimes felt like the Black best friend, Brooke, got the short end of the character stick (she kinda outs the MC at one point) but the characters seemed to work it out, though I would’ve liked to see Brooke be more flushed out and a person in her own right.
I was very happy this wasn’t another book where “Closeted girl’s secret girlfriend doesn’t understand why she won’t come out” which the back of the book made it sound like, that wasn’t it AT ALL. In fact, the secret girlfriend had some great points about “don’t come out just to flaunt our relationship” and “love yourself half as much as you say you love me” and that I REALLY liked.
So yeah, it stumbled a bit and was a little clunky in ways that I will chalk up to it being a debut, but overall I very much enjoyed it, it had a lot of heart and good things to say, and I think this author could really soar
June 5, 2022
The Comedienne's Guide to Pride has been an instant new favourite. There is one quote in this book (which I will not quote because we all know we can't quote arcs) that is about how our lovely, in the closet, MC Taylor doesn't know whether she is funny because of her sadness, because all the funniest people were also the saddest.
That quote I think is excellent to describe this book because it is funny. It is so, so funny. The things Taylor says, either to be actively comedic or just casual banter she has is hilarious. This book is also so sad. Taylor is struggling with her sexuality - or rather the coming out part - and she is struggling with herself as a person. She's struggling with her family and their whole dynamic, she is struggling to fit in. even though she has big dreams for herself to stand out.
Taylor is such an amazing character that you will root for her and just hope she will be okay. You're laughing with her, are mad on her behalf, you want to wrap her up in a blanket and tell her she will be fine and you will relate to her. She is just such a highly relatable, fully fleshed out character, that she often almost jumped out of the pages for me.
The romance in this is so... wholesome, I am in absolute awe. Taylor lands the girl, she has been pining over and the joy she experiences is just so catchy. Their understanding and trust is so lovely, and even through rough patches, there is always the impression of the deep affection these two characters feel for each other.
Reading this book had me go through a whole rollercoaster of emotions and I already know that this will definitely be a re-read and I cannot wait to do it all over again.
That quote I think is excellent to describe this book because it is funny. It is so, so funny. The things Taylor says, either to be actively comedic or just casual banter she has is hilarious. This book is also so sad. Taylor is struggling with her sexuality - or rather the coming out part - and she is struggling with herself as a person. She's struggling with her family and their whole dynamic, she is struggling to fit in. even though she has big dreams for herself to stand out.
Taylor is such an amazing character that you will root for her and just hope she will be okay. You're laughing with her, are mad on her behalf, you want to wrap her up in a blanket and tell her she will be fine and you will relate to her. She is just such a highly relatable, fully fleshed out character, that she often almost jumped out of the pages for me.
The romance in this is so... wholesome, I am in absolute awe. Taylor lands the girl, she has been pining over and the joy she experiences is just so catchy. Their understanding and trust is so lovely, and even through rough patches, there is always the impression of the deep affection these two characters feel for each other.
Reading this book had me go through a whole rollercoaster of emotions and I already know that this will definitely be a re-read and I cannot wait to do it all over again.
June 22, 2024
Consider my heart warmed. We love to see the representation!!! I definitely missed a bunch of references and jokes about people as well as the references to Salem, but I DID recognize a book store name (Wicked Good Books) and my sister had eaten at a restaurant mentioned. How fun! Overall the story had some moments that weren’t my favorite of other characters or actions, but for once I loved the main character and her romantic interest. I could read a whole story just about them. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 28, 2022
Taylor has a big secret. Well, make that a few. First, she has applied to a prestigious internship at Saturday Night Live. Her dream is to write sketch comedy, so she is hoping to score this internship. However, there is a big catch for it. This internship is for diverse writers. The problem isn't that Taylor doesn't fit this category - the problem is that she is a closeted lesbian. She has to find a way to come out to her mom before the winner is announced, just in case she is chosen. As she struggles with this, she starts to hang out more and more with Charlotte, and cannot deny her feelings there. On top of that, one of her mom's best friends, Jen, has come back to stay with them for a bit... pregnant and with her boyfriend. Taylor had always assumed Jen was only into women so she feels a bit betrayed by this.
This is more of a coming of age story that I thought it would be. That isn't bad but there is less comedy scenes in it - that is less of the focus than on Taylor discovering herself and learning to love herself. I thought that this one started a bit slow but then halfway through, it just clicked and I wanted to find out how it was going to end.
I think this one is a solid 3.7/5 (so I'll round up for the four stars). Like I said it starts slow, but I .liked Taylor's development and the lesson about loving oneself.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is more of a coming of age story that I thought it would be. That isn't bad but there is less comedy scenes in it - that is less of the focus than on Taylor discovering herself and learning to love herself. I thought that this one started a bit slow but then halfway through, it just clicked and I wanted to find out how it was going to end.
I think this one is a solid 3.7/5 (so I'll round up for the four stars). Like I said it starts slow, but I .liked Taylor's development and the lesson about loving oneself.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 20, 2022
As an avid fan of Saturday Night Live (I would be more than willing to die for Kate McKinnon if it was ever necessary), I could not contain my excitement when I read the synopsis for A Comedienne’s Guide to Pride! I forced myself to wait to read my copy until Pride month, as a little reading treat, and I’m very glad I waited. A Comedienne’s Guide to Pride is an instant pride month classic! Taylor was such a hilarious protagonist, and reading from her point of view was delightful. I found her to be especially relatable, as I not only share her identity as a lesbian, but as a person who uses humor to cope with difficult circumstances. Though this book was largely very funny, there were still high emotional stakes and a lot of intense scenes for Taylor, which gave the story a solid balance in my opinion.
My Recommendation-
If you love the sense of humor the cast brings to each episode of Saturday Night Live, you need to grab a copy of A Comedienne’s Guide to Pride as soon as possible! I would especially encourage folks who need a funny queer story to make them laugh (and to give them all the feels) this pride month!
My Recommendation-
If you love the sense of humor the cast brings to each episode of Saturday Night Live, you need to grab a copy of A Comedienne’s Guide to Pride as soon as possible! I would especially encourage folks who need a funny queer story to make them laugh (and to give them all the feels) this pride month!
December 31, 2022
This book changed my life. It reads like a memoir, which is interesting for a fiction novel. The third act is a little bit annoying, but overall, I loved this book so much. It’s hilarious and lighthearted but also has so much power and meaning.
But then again, with my deep seated love for Abigail Williams in the Crucible and all things queer, I don’t think anything could’ve caused me to give this book anything less than five stars.
And comparing coming out to expecting vanilla icing on a cake but then taking a bite and it’s lemon? Too accurate. 10/10.
But then again, with my deep seated love for Abigail Williams in the Crucible and all things queer, I don’t think anything could’ve caused me to give this book anything less than five stars.
And comparing coming out to expecting vanilla icing on a cake but then taking a bite and it’s lemon? Too accurate. 10/10.
Read
July 15, 2022Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Neon Moon
Drinking Buddy: Two Drink Minimum
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (sexuality, crude humor)
Talky Talk: Didja Ever Notice?
Bonus Factors: SNL, Salem
Bromance Status: Closing Credits
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Neon Moon
Drinking Buddy: Two Drink Minimum
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (sexuality, crude humor)
Talky Talk: Didja Ever Notice?
Bonus Factors: SNL, Salem
Bromance Status: Closing Credits
Read the full book report here.
Read
April 25, 2023I'm not sure what to rate this one. I really wanted to love it and I did like it, sort of. But, there were just too many things I didn't like that overshadowed some really sweet moments. Hmm, might think about it a bit more.
Read
July 27, 2022
Trigger & Content Warnings
Bimisia
Outing
Parental abandonment
Alcohol consumption
Emesis
Bimisia
Outing
Parental abandonment
Alcohol consumption
Emesis
March 26, 2023
it was okay but kinda mid and wish it was better
June 18, 2024
3.5 stars
July 3, 2023
If you don’t know anything about Salem,Ma then this isn’t for you but it’s a great Salem love story.
March 8, 2022
Thank you, Page Street Kids, for allowing me to read The Comedienne's Guide to Pride early!
I really enjoyed reading this humorous queer coming of age novel. I liked the premise and it definitely delivered. Another queer debut definitely worthy of a read!
I really enjoyed reading this humorous queer coming of age novel. I liked the premise and it definitely delivered. Another queer debut definitely worthy of a read!
Want to read
March 7, 2022never clicked want to read that quick til i heard sapphic romcom
May 9, 2022
2.75
Honestly, I'm REALLY sad that I didn't love this more than I did. I was really excited to read this and I wanted to love it so I actually ignored a lot of things that bothered me early on and, unfortunately, it continued to the point where I couldn't ignore it anymore. I'm going to flag this one entirely for spoilers. I won't spoil anything major, but there are some things I'll mention that may linger close to the spoiler line. I felt like for this one, it would be easier to write what I did like:
So for starters, I wasn't a fan of the writing. This isn't to say it's bad because I don't think it is, but it didn't resonate with me for most of this (though some parts definitely did, but more on that in a bit). There were a lot of similes used in this book. A distracting amount. I don't know if this was intentional to enhance the comedic nature of the book, but a lot of them were odd. This brings me to another piece I didn't like: the summary seemed like this book would focus more on the Saturday Night Live internship than it did. Obviously Taylor getting the internship is a huge piece of this story, but I thought we would get the time leading up to the internship and then actually go with her through it as well and see more of her in that element since it meant so much for her. But that didn't happen. I guess I was expecting more exposure to her sketches and maybe even a scene of her doing a standup or a full sketch played out. I guess this just didn't go the direction I thought it would based on the summary. Which I recognize isn't necessarily a fault with the book itself, but I kept wishing we were getting a story about a girl going through the SNL internship, falling in love, and wrestling with coming out while she juggles with loving herself and becoming a comedienne. We got pieces of that, but I think I just wanted the whole.
There was also the side characters. Were we supposed to like them? Not every character is meant to be likable, I get that, but some of the things these characters did were outright cringeworthy. And one of my pet peeves in books is when an MC apologizes for everything when they don't even always do the wrong thing. Sure, Taylor is hardly perfect, but she was apologizing a lot in this and people were telling her she needed to apologize for things I wasn't entirely sure she needed to. Or, she'd apologize and character B would apologize and all would be well, despite character B doing something much worse than our MC did. A lot of the major conflicts in this resolved very quickly at the end. Her best friend Brooke was barely likable and her mother was...fascinating to say the least. Her father was downright terrible and Jen was interesting, but I honestly didn't know if I totally liked her at the end of this. I felt like Taylor and Charlotte were the only characters who went through major growth and everyone else was forgiven really easily despite not really growing that much with them.
what I loved:
Taylor and Charlotte were the heartbeat of this story. Honestly, I'd read another book that focused only on them in New York following their dreams. I'd buy that and love every page of it. Any time these two were on page together, I was happy. Their relationship was phenomenal. And the scenes with them were where the writing resonated with me the most. Taylor felt many emotions being with Charlotte: love, lust, longing, joyfulness, friendship, fear, and even shame. I loved getting into her head when she was with Charlotte and I loved that Charlotte challenged her and truly wanted what was best for Taylor.
Also, this book did have many hilarious moments that I have to acknowledge. The author is super funny and I wish we could've gotten more of that.
Overall, this book wasn't my favorite. But what I loved, I LOVED. So much. Though this didn't resonate with me all that much, I am sure many people will enjoy it as it has many great elements. Thank you to Page Street Kids and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Honestly, I'm REALLY sad that I didn't love this more than I did. I was really excited to read this and I wanted to love it so I actually ignored a lot of things that bothered me early on and, unfortunately, it continued to the point where I couldn't ignore it anymore. I'm going to flag this one entirely for spoilers. I won't spoil anything major, but there are some things I'll mention that may linger close to the spoiler line. I felt like for this one, it would be easier to write what I did like:
So for starters, I wasn't a fan of the writing. This isn't to say it's bad because I don't think it is, but it didn't resonate with me for most of this (though some parts definitely did, but more on that in a bit). There were a lot of similes used in this book. A distracting amount. I don't know if this was intentional to enhance the comedic nature of the book, but a lot of them were odd. This brings me to another piece I didn't like: the summary seemed like this book would focus more on the Saturday Night Live internship than it did. Obviously Taylor getting the internship is a huge piece of this story, but I thought we would get the time leading up to the internship and then actually go with her through it as well and see more of her in that element since it meant so much for her. But that didn't happen. I guess I was expecting more exposure to her sketches and maybe even a scene of her doing a standup or a full sketch played out. I guess this just didn't go the direction I thought it would based on the summary. Which I recognize isn't necessarily a fault with the book itself, but I kept wishing we were getting a story about a girl going through the SNL internship, falling in love, and wrestling with coming out while she juggles with loving herself and becoming a comedienne. We got pieces of that, but I think I just wanted the whole.
There was also the side characters. Were we supposed to like them? Not every character is meant to be likable, I get that, but some of the things these characters did were outright cringeworthy. And one of my pet peeves in books is when an MC apologizes for everything when they don't even always do the wrong thing. Sure, Taylor is hardly perfect, but she was apologizing a lot in this and people were telling her she needed to apologize for things I wasn't entirely sure she needed to. Or, she'd apologize and character B would apologize and all would be well, despite character B doing something much worse than our MC did. A lot of the major conflicts in this resolved very quickly at the end. Her best friend Brooke was barely likable and her mother was...fascinating to say the least. Her father was downright terrible and Jen was interesting, but I honestly didn't know if I totally liked her at the end of this. I felt like Taylor and Charlotte were the only characters who went through major growth and everyone else was forgiven really easily despite not really growing that much with them.
what I loved:
Taylor and Charlotte were the heartbeat of this story. Honestly, I'd read another book that focused only on them in New York following their dreams. I'd buy that and love every page of it. Any time these two were on page together, I was happy. Their relationship was phenomenal. And the scenes with them were where the writing resonated with me the most. Taylor felt many emotions being with Charlotte: love, lust, longing, joyfulness, friendship, fear, and even shame. I loved getting into her head when she was with Charlotte and I loved that Charlotte challenged her and truly wanted what was best for Taylor.
Also, this book did have many hilarious moments that I have to acknowledge. The author is super funny and I wish we could've gotten more of that.
Overall, this book wasn't my favorite. But what I loved, I LOVED. So much. Though this didn't resonate with me all that much, I am sure many people will enjoy it as it has many great elements. Thank you to Page Street Kids and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2022
I got a free copy through Netgalley, this did not influence my review
Honestly, now that I have had some time to think about, I might lower my rating to 3.5 instead of 4. This book was in no way bad, but it just didn’t stand out in the sea of queer books.
I didn’t particularly like our main character and how she treated other side characters. She was completely in her own head and didn’t care for others.
I understand that coming out is a big part of the story and as a queer person myself, I completely get that she’s stressing over telling her mom, but the whole thing felt a bit anticlimactic at the end, so that was kind of disappointing.
But if you enjoy sapphic books, you could pick this up, because it wasn’t a bad book at all, it just didn’t stand out for me.
Honestly, now that I have had some time to think about, I might lower my rating to 3.5 instead of 4. This book was in no way bad, but it just didn’t stand out in the sea of queer books.
I didn’t particularly like our main character and how she treated other side characters. She was completely in her own head and didn’t care for others.
I understand that coming out is a big part of the story and as a queer person myself, I completely get that she’s stressing over telling her mom, but the whole thing felt a bit anticlimactic at the end, so that was kind of disappointing.
But if you enjoy sapphic books, you could pick this up, because it wasn’t a bad book at all, it just didn’t stand out for me.
June 6, 2022
This. Book. Was. HOT.
I need more believable Sapphic romances in my life with fully realised characters and this books delivered. It was funny, emotional and filled with believable characters with flaws who weren’t always actually likeable. (The protagonists mother and best friend spring to mind here, as well as the protagonist herself from time to time.)
What also sold me on this was the setting, Salem. As a sucker for anything about the Witch Trials this book made me fall in love with the town just as much as the story.
I need more believable Sapphic romances in my life with fully realised characters and this books delivered. It was funny, emotional and filled with believable characters with flaws who weren’t always actually likeable. (The protagonists mother and best friend spring to mind here, as well as the protagonist herself from time to time.)
What also sold me on this was the setting, Salem. As a sucker for anything about the Witch Trials this book made me fall in love with the town just as much as the story.
July 11, 2022
Trigger Warnings: Closeted, outing, toxic friendship, mentions of Pulse, adultery, parental abandonment, alcohol, vibrator, masturbation, homophobia, weed, cursing, internalized homophobia, vomit, lesbophobia, drunk, nudity, underage drinking, biphobia, sex, panic attack, church, misogyny
Representation: Lesbian, Black, Down Syndrome (minor side character), Person with tremor, Gay
The Comedienne’s Guide to Pride is a young adult contemporary romance about main character, Taylor, who has entered a sketch writing competition that could result in an internship with SNL. If she wins, she’ll have to admit to why she checked off LGBTQ on the application. While the countdown to the winner announcement continues, Taylor starts to hang out and fall for a girl she has always secretly had a crush on.
This ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit that when I received this book in the mail, I had no clue what it was about. I assumed it had to do with Pride month because of the title, but I was very incorrect. This book is about finding yourself and falling in love. It is for anyone who has ever had a dream that they couldn’t quite fathom coming true. It is for anyone who has ever not liked themselves and to those of us who are trying to change that.
This book was written very well and had a slew of characters. I thought our main, Taylor was the most developed but unfortunately it took quite a while to get to that point. I would have loved to learn more about the side characters as well. Taylor is quite funny though! Her sense of humor and comedic timing come through on the page. She is a good-hearted girl and is truly worth rooting for.
The relationships in this book were a bit all over the place. Taylor and her love interest are cute but also kind of toxic. Luckily her crush can point out the things that Taylor needs to improve on if she wants to be happy in life. Taylor’s “best friend” is so toxic. I understand high school and I remember how hard it is but Taylor definitely needs to rethink the red flags that she ignores. And I didn’t like how at the end, everything is okay again. Taylor and her parents also have interesting relationships, as well as her family friend, Jen. The only wholesome and healthy connection in the book is between Taylor and Gilda.
Overall, this is a great coming out story. It is also a great story for high school. It is a typical YA novel and reads like one. I think for anyone looking for that, this is a great fit!
Representation: Lesbian, Black, Down Syndrome (minor side character), Person with tremor, Gay
The Comedienne’s Guide to Pride is a young adult contemporary romance about main character, Taylor, who has entered a sketch writing competition that could result in an internship with SNL. If she wins, she’ll have to admit to why she checked off LGBTQ on the application. While the countdown to the winner announcement continues, Taylor starts to hang out and fall for a girl she has always secretly had a crush on.
This ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit that when I received this book in the mail, I had no clue what it was about. I assumed it had to do with Pride month because of the title, but I was very incorrect. This book is about finding yourself and falling in love. It is for anyone who has ever had a dream that they couldn’t quite fathom coming true. It is for anyone who has ever not liked themselves and to those of us who are trying to change that.
This book was written very well and had a slew of characters. I thought our main, Taylor was the most developed but unfortunately it took quite a while to get to that point. I would have loved to learn more about the side characters as well. Taylor is quite funny though! Her sense of humor and comedic timing come through on the page. She is a good-hearted girl and is truly worth rooting for.
The relationships in this book were a bit all over the place. Taylor and her love interest are cute but also kind of toxic. Luckily her crush can point out the things that Taylor needs to improve on if she wants to be happy in life. Taylor’s “best friend” is so toxic. I understand high school and I remember how hard it is but Taylor definitely needs to rethink the red flags that she ignores. And I didn’t like how at the end, everything is okay again. Taylor and her parents also have interesting relationships, as well as her family friend, Jen. The only wholesome and healthy connection in the book is between Taylor and Gilda.
Overall, this is a great coming out story. It is also a great story for high school. It is a typical YA novel and reads like one. I think for anyone looking for that, this is a great fit!
August 16, 2022
When Taylor learns that she's a contender to win an internship as a diversity sketch writer at SNL, she's thrilled but also terrified, because that will mean that she has to come out to her family and friends.
I felt like this book promised a lot more than it delivered on. This is probably my fault for assuming, but I thought we'd get to see some of Taylor's comedy. We really didn't, outside of a scene of her joking onstage during play rehearsal and a brief description of the gist of one of her improv sketches. My guess is that the author felt that her comedy came through in the writing, but I was looking forward to some stand-up or improv or even a sketch that never came up.
My other issue with this book is that I just did not like Taylor. I found her to be extremely selfish (as many teens are) but in a bildungsroman, we typically see the character grow and become better. She remained selfish and unapologetic to me. She wasn't a good friend or girlfriend or daughter. She didn't seem to care about anyone else's feelings, except for the girl she was pursuing, and she doesn't seem to consider hers enough either. She was often mean, dismissive, and avoidant. I didn't care for her personality at all, and her humor didn't hit for me. It mostly came off as mean.
The writing in this book was a bit strange to me at times, too. There were some expressions and phrasing that made it hard to follow what was happening at times. It contained a lot of historical names and references to the Salem Witch Trials because it's set in Salem, and those felt less like they created an atmosphere and more like they distracted from the story for me.
I also felt like this book was just too long. There were scenes that were very long and felt dragged-out, and oftentimes, they culminated in nothing particularly meaningful or important to the plot. Taylor has a lot of thoughts and memories, and very often, dialogue and interactions would be interrupted by her thinking of or remembering something tangential. I get that this is a writing device to add depth to the character and the story, but it was used too often and ended up making normal interactions way too long and convoluted, and even hard to follow at times.
I think this book would've been better if we'd seen more growth in the main character. A selfish main character isn't so bad if you develop them and allow them opportunities to grow and demonstrate their growth. Taylor got a few of those moments at the end, but it felt like too little too late for me.
I felt like this book promised a lot more than it delivered on. This is probably my fault for assuming, but I thought we'd get to see some of Taylor's comedy. We really didn't, outside of a scene of her joking onstage during play rehearsal and a brief description of the gist of one of her improv sketches. My guess is that the author felt that her comedy came through in the writing, but I was looking forward to some stand-up or improv or even a sketch that never came up.
My other issue with this book is that I just did not like Taylor. I found her to be extremely selfish (as many teens are) but in a bildungsroman, we typically see the character grow and become better. She remained selfish and unapologetic to me. She wasn't a good friend or girlfriend or daughter. She didn't seem to care about anyone else's feelings, except for the girl she was pursuing, and she doesn't seem to consider hers enough either. She was often mean, dismissive, and avoidant. I didn't care for her personality at all, and her humor didn't hit for me. It mostly came off as mean.
The writing in this book was a bit strange to me at times, too. There were some expressions and phrasing that made it hard to follow what was happening at times. It contained a lot of historical names and references to the Salem Witch Trials because it's set in Salem, and those felt less like they created an atmosphere and more like they distracted from the story for me.
I also felt like this book was just too long. There were scenes that were very long and felt dragged-out, and oftentimes, they culminated in nothing particularly meaningful or important to the plot. Taylor has a lot of thoughts and memories, and very often, dialogue and interactions would be interrupted by her thinking of or remembering something tangential. I get that this is a writing device to add depth to the character and the story, but it was used too often and ended up making normal interactions way too long and convoluted, and even hard to follow at times.
I think this book would've been better if we'd seen more growth in the main character. A selfish main character isn't so bad if you develop them and allow them opportunities to grow and demonstrate their growth. Taylor got a few of those moments at the end, but it felt like too little too late for me.
June 11, 2022
*this arc was sent too me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
This book is about a girl who entered to work at SNL and befriends who her long time crush, both falling for each other but Taylor is too scared to reveal their relationship. This was a great coming of age story where the main character learns to discover herself and to love who she is. Thinking this was a LGBTQ+ comedy book, I was expecting to laugh a lot throughout this book was disappointed with the lack of humor. The story was still great though because I love coming of age story as it helps readers discover themselves too. The storyline was great but a little basic with no twists and turns. The pacing was perfect and I enjoyed the setting of the story.
The main character in this book is Taylor who is a closeted lesbian. I enjoyed her character as she wants to pursue her dream but that also means that she has to reveal her secrets. I enjoyed how much she grew in this book as she had such an amazing character development. The main side character in this book is Charlotte whom I also loved as she helped Taylor reveal her true self and to love who she is. She challenged Taylor which shows how good their relationship is because if you don't challenge your lover then what is love. The trope in this book is an f/f friends to lovers romance which was so good and very well done.
The ending was cute with a HEA. This was such a cute coming of age novel and it's something that can lift your spirit on a bad day just because you know you are not alone. I do have to say that the story line was kind of basic as there was nothing dramatic in the book to change the storyline. Like I read many similar books to this kind of storyline. Overall this is an amazing read and I recommend it if you love Rachel Lippincott and Casey McQuiston books.
This book is about a girl who entered to work at SNL and befriends who her long time crush, both falling for each other but Taylor is too scared to reveal their relationship. This was a great coming of age story where the main character learns to discover herself and to love who she is. Thinking this was a LGBTQ+ comedy book, I was expecting to laugh a lot throughout this book was disappointed with the lack of humor. The story was still great though because I love coming of age story as it helps readers discover themselves too. The storyline was great but a little basic with no twists and turns. The pacing was perfect and I enjoyed the setting of the story.
The main character in this book is Taylor who is a closeted lesbian. I enjoyed her character as she wants to pursue her dream but that also means that she has to reveal her secrets. I enjoyed how much she grew in this book as she had such an amazing character development. The main side character in this book is Charlotte whom I also loved as she helped Taylor reveal her true self and to love who she is. She challenged Taylor which shows how good their relationship is because if you don't challenge your lover then what is love. The trope in this book is an f/f friends to lovers romance which was so good and very well done.
The ending was cute with a HEA. This was such a cute coming of age novel and it's something that can lift your spirit on a bad day just because you know you are not alone. I do have to say that the story line was kind of basic as there was nothing dramatic in the book to change the storyline. Like I read many similar books to this kind of storyline. Overall this is an amazing read and I recommend it if you love Rachel Lippincott and Casey McQuiston books.
July 10, 2022
Taylor loves Saturday Night Live and she’s a finalist for a summer internship to work on the show. There’s just one problem, the internship is targeted at diverse applicants and nobody knows she likes girls. She’s decided that she’ll come out to everyone before the winner is announced just after Christmas. With a ticking clock over her head, Taylor tries to work up the confidence to share her secrets while she gets closer to Charlotte, an out a proud lesbian Taylor’s had a crush on.
I went back and forth on whether to read this one, which I guess should have been an early warning sign. I think I would have really enjoyed this when I was younger. It was funny and had a cute romance. However, I found Taylor’s flaws to be more annoying than relatable. She wasn’t willing to open up to anyone and that translated into her being rude and biphobic to the people who cared most about her. I felt like the story focused more on some of the subplots than the main plot, but even those weren’t woven together well and were left hanging.
If the description sounds interesting to you, pick it up because it’s well written even if it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
I went back and forth on whether to read this one, which I guess should have been an early warning sign. I think I would have really enjoyed this when I was younger. It was funny and had a cute romance. However, I found Taylor’s flaws to be more annoying than relatable. She wasn’t willing to open up to anyone and that translated into her being rude and biphobic to the people who cared most about her. I felt like the story focused more on some of the subplots than the main plot, but even those weren’t woven together well and were left hanging.
If the description sounds interesting to you, pick it up because it’s well written even if it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
July 19, 2022
The Comedienne’s Guide to Pride is the debut YA novel by Hayli Thomson. While it could easily summed up as a sapphic rom-com, it’s more aptly the story of a high school senior coming to terms with her sexuality, and coming out to her friends and family. Taylor Parker is the daughter of two comedians - one who is a successful Christian comedian, and one who gave up her career to raise Taylor. Though her parents are now divorced, she doesn’t think either one of them will approve of their daughter being a lesbian - or a comedian.
When Taylor receives a notification that she’s a finalist for the Emerging Writers’ Diversity Award and has a chance to win an internship at Saturday Night Live, she has less than two months to come out to her friends and family before the winner is announced. She is terrified. On top of everything else, Charlotte Grey, the girl Taylor is in love with, asks for help with her senior project, putting them in close proximity.
The Comedienne’s Guide to Pride is witty and emotional, and so very fun to read.
When Taylor receives a notification that she’s a finalist for the Emerging Writers’ Diversity Award and has a chance to win an internship at Saturday Night Live, she has less than two months to come out to her friends and family before the winner is announced. She is terrified. On top of everything else, Charlotte Grey, the girl Taylor is in love with, asks for help with her senior project, putting them in close proximity.
The Comedienne’s Guide to Pride is witty and emotional, and so very fun to read.
August 3, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It was well written, witty, funny, and at one point actually made me cry. Let me start with Taylor. She was a well-rounded character who I rooted for. The times where I wasn't on her side, she proved to me that I could trust her again with her apology/rebound. Her mom was also a great character. I loved seeing her peaks and valleys, flaws and all. I loved how she came through from her coming out with the help of Jen. Speaking of Jen, such a great character. The way Taylor treated her at first was very closed-minded, but I was so glad Jen helped her change her mind with the ability to still let her in again. Now Brooke. She was extremely neglected and honestly, not the best character. I felt that after Taylor and Brooke's big blow up, they both forgave each other way too easily. Charlotte was hands down the best character. Everything from her kindness to respecting Taylor was so refreshing. I loved how she challenged Taylor to be comfortable in her own body before even being with her. Great book overall!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2023
This book had a writing style that made it really easy for me to read, which is good.
One thing that bothered me: the dad is an asshole, sure, but when he gives Taylor 150 dollars to buy his wife a present because she's pregnant, she buys a bunch of awful gifts that aren't specified very well and it never gets addressed? I understand that he's a bad person and Taylor is angry, but that should have been addressed in some way because everything else is. I also would have liked to see her father's reaction to her contest entry, and how the apartment he will be paying the rent for will now be empty.
Also, Brooke's actions near the end where she prints out Taylor's sketch just doesn't make sense to me, for her character, so that could have been done better. Or maybe just not done at all.
I guess this book just wasn't the exact type of story I felt like reading, so that might be influencing my rating.
One thing that bothered me: the dad is an asshole, sure, but when he gives Taylor 150 dollars to buy his wife a present because she's pregnant, she buys a bunch of awful gifts that aren't specified very well and it never gets addressed? I understand that he's a bad person and Taylor is angry, but that should have been addressed in some way because everything else is. I also would have liked to see her father's reaction to her contest entry, and how the apartment he will be paying the rent for will now be empty.
Also, Brooke's actions near the end where she prints out Taylor's sketch just doesn't make sense to me, for her character, so that could have been done better. Or maybe just not done at all.
I guess this book just wasn't the exact type of story I felt like reading, so that might be influencing my rating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2022
I don't normally like ya novels but this has won my heart. I just finished reading this. It was very heartwarming and genuine. It is based in the Salem trials world. There is witty character and a good dose of romance. But most of all this book is about the development of a teenager into an adult. It was brilliant of the author to write such angst in a lighthearted way. The mc in it doesn't have depression or anything serious but she is finding difficulty in navigating life as we all feel that when we are 16.
My favourite part about the book was that it resonated with me. All teenager or gay teenagers don't suffer from depression. They just have difficulty finding a road ahead, the same as the mc is this book.
The romance part of the book was good but not quite in par with the rest of the book. Or maybe that is just my own bais of being a die hard romantic.
My favourite part about the book was that it resonated with me. All teenager or gay teenagers don't suffer from depression. They just have difficulty finding a road ahead, the same as the mc is this book.
The romance part of the book was good but not quite in par with the rest of the book. Or maybe that is just my own bais of being a die hard romantic.
July 17, 2022
A Salem, Massachusetts teen accidentally puts a deadline on her own coming out when she enters an SNL internship contest for "diverse" writers and falls for a high school actress.
I received an advance reader copy of this book in order to write this review.
Complex character relationships shine in this YA "coming-out" Rom Com. While worrying about how those close to her will react to her lesbianism, Taylor must grapple with her own biphobia and the ways it has tainted her relationship with a bi mentor. Not only Taylor's choices, but the choices of her mother and her best friend contain layers of good intentions, flawed assumptions, and subconscious selfishness. There are no villains here, only humans doing their best to love and support one another. If you're looking for a nuanced Rom Com or a coming out narrative with a unique backdrop, this is a book you'll want to pick up.
I received an advance reader copy of this book in order to write this review.
Complex character relationships shine in this YA "coming-out" Rom Com. While worrying about how those close to her will react to her lesbianism, Taylor must grapple with her own biphobia and the ways it has tainted her relationship with a bi mentor. Not only Taylor's choices, but the choices of her mother and her best friend contain layers of good intentions, flawed assumptions, and subconscious selfishness. There are no villains here, only humans doing their best to love and support one another. If you're looking for a nuanced Rom Com or a coming out narrative with a unique backdrop, this is a book you'll want to pick up.
June 2, 2022
oh the sapphic romance. this is one of the first YA books that felt like the age of the characters matched the overall tone and content of the book. Taylor is a finalist for an SNL internship. but its a diversity intership, and she hasnt come out yet.
The dialogue is funny, i genuinely related to Taylor, her ability to deflect conversations she doesnt want to have by making jokes feels believable. in comes Charlotte, the girl of her dreams, out and proud, and very into Taylor.
Charlotte is incredibly likeable, to the point that i got angry at some of the deflection tactics that Taylor pulls later in the book.
highly recommend this to anyone who wants a sweet sapphic romance, that is quick and easy to read.
The dialogue is funny, i genuinely related to Taylor, her ability to deflect conversations she doesnt want to have by making jokes feels believable. in comes Charlotte, the girl of her dreams, out and proud, and very into Taylor.
Charlotte is incredibly likeable, to the point that i got angry at some of the deflection tactics that Taylor pulls later in the book.
highly recommend this to anyone who wants a sweet sapphic romance, that is quick and easy to read.
June 6, 2022
This book and I may not have gotten started on the best foot, but by the end, I was fully invested and didn't want to stop reading. Taylor is a very believably imperfect protagonist. Her growth throughout the story obviously has to do with coming out and becoming more confident in her lesbian identity, but it's also so much more than that. The writing was uneven in places, but there are parts of this book that just shone, and that makes me really excited to see what this author writes in the future.
I recieved an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
CW: outing of a queer character, biphobia, homophobia, panic attack, discussions of abortion, references to racism/cyberbullying, past infidelity, food tampering
I recieved an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
CW: outing of a queer character, biphobia, homophobia, panic attack, discussions of abortion, references to racism/cyberbullying, past infidelity, food tampering
September 12, 2022
Set in the US city of Salem The Comedienne’s Guide to Pride is the story of Taylor who is keeping a lot of secrets from those close to her and struggling to know how to be true to herself. It’s a story of first love and following passions and trusting your heart. Friendships and family connections are tested when a deadline is set for Taylor to reveal all her truths. Side note: I just thought the friendship between Gilda and Taylor was just beautiful.
I think if you are knowledgeable on the witch-hunt era of Salem’s past and a fan of American comedy and SNL in particular then this book will appeal even more. I fear a few of the references were lost on me as I don’t know much about the witch trials and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one ep of SNL!
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