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Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster
In this voice-driven young adult debut by Andrea Mosqueda, Maggie Gonzalez needs a date to her sister's quinceañera - and fast.
Growing up in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley, Maggie Gonzalez has always been a little messy, but she’s okay with that. After all, she has a great family, a goofy group of friends, a rocky romantic history, and dreams of being a music photographer. Tasked with picking an escort for her little sister’s quinceañera, Maggie has to face the truth: that her feelings about her friends—and her future—aren’t as simple as she’d once believed.
As Maggie’s search for the perfect escort continues, she’s forced to confront new (and old) feelings for three of her friends: Amanda, her best friend and first-ever crush; Matthew, her ex-boyfriend twice-over who refuses to stop flirting with her, and Dani, the new girl who has romantic baggage of her own. On top of this romantic disaster, she can’t stop thinking about the uncertainty of her own plans for the future and what that means for the people she loves.
As the weeks wind down and the boundaries between friendship and love become hazy, Maggie finds herself more and more confused with each photo. When her tried-and-true medium causes more chaos than calm, Maggie needs to figure out how to avoid certain disaster—or be brave enough to dive right into it.
Growing up in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley, Maggie Gonzalez has always been a little messy, but she’s okay with that. After all, she has a great family, a goofy group of friends, a rocky romantic history, and dreams of being a music photographer. Tasked with picking an escort for her little sister’s quinceañera, Maggie has to face the truth: that her feelings about her friends—and her future—aren’t as simple as she’d once believed.
As Maggie’s search for the perfect escort continues, she’s forced to confront new (and old) feelings for three of her friends: Amanda, her best friend and first-ever crush; Matthew, her ex-boyfriend twice-over who refuses to stop flirting with her, and Dani, the new girl who has romantic baggage of her own. On top of this romantic disaster, she can’t stop thinking about the uncertainty of her own plans for the future and what that means for the people she loves.
As the weeks wind down and the boundaries between friendship and love become hazy, Maggie finds herself more and more confused with each photo. When her tried-and-true medium causes more chaos than calm, Maggie needs to figure out how to avoid certain disaster—or be brave enough to dive right into it.
345 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2022
55 people are currently reading
8401 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Mosqueda
3 books40 followersAndrea Mosqueda is a Chicana writer. She was born and raised in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her partner and works in the publishing industry as an assistant editor. When she’s not writing or editing, she can be found doing her makeup, drinking too much coffee, and angsting over children’s media. Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster is her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 311 reviews
May 25, 2022
3.25 Stars. This was an okay read but not the book I was hoping for. It felt like it was an average YA read of the times. I think if I would have read this as a teenager I might have really enjoyed it, but it’s hard to compare this to some of the great YA books I’ve read recently. This is a debut so Mosqueda has the chance to work through the newbie bumps and just get better and better because there is some good potential here.
I have to admit that I really struggled to get into this book. I picked this book up, and then put it back down, four times before I finally pushed myself through it on the fifth day. If this had not been an ARC book I would have DNF’d it. However, I’m glad I kept reading it because once I got about one third into the book I started to enjoy it more. Part of my main issue with the book is that it felt too long. While there were some parts I wished had more time spent on them, others were too long and they started to drag. I definitely did some skimming in the book (mostly in the first third) but I did less and less as the book went on.
On a good note, I loved the family dynamics in the book. The main was in the middle of two sisters, being raised by her widowed mother. To me, this is really where the book shined. The sisterly relationships, and the mother-daughter dynamic was well written and felt real. I thought some of the secondary character in this book needed more development, but not so when it came to this loving family and they truly were my favorite scenes of the book.
The romance in this book is in a triangle. Our main character is dealing with feeling for her ex-boyfriend, her best girlfriend, and the new girl who moved to town. While I didn’t mind the triangle drama -it added some needed conflict to the plot- I don’t think it was the best choice for a debut writers first romance. I will not give away which person our main character picked, but because she had to spend time on all three characters and potential relationships with all of them, there was not a lot of time left for the one she did pick. That’s a big ask to write about one character having feelings for three people in any book, so I think it was a bit much to take on for a new author. And while I liked who the main ended up with, I didn’t really feel the connection with them that I needed to because they didn’t have a ton of alone time together -since a lot of time was spent with other characters-.
TLDR: This was an average YA and a decent debut book. It was hard to get into, but the book does improve as the story goes on. This book had some good things going for it like well written family scenes, but it just didn’t all come together for me. There were also a lot of pop culture references that seemed out of place or just got stale after a while. Maybe I’m getting too old but it really didn’t work having memes quoted to me in this book. In the end this is not a book I can recommend, but I would not say stay away either. I think a younger audience might appreciate it more than I was able to.
An ARC copy was given to me for a review.
I have to admit that I really struggled to get into this book. I picked this book up, and then put it back down, four times before I finally pushed myself through it on the fifth day. If this had not been an ARC book I would have DNF’d it. However, I’m glad I kept reading it because once I got about one third into the book I started to enjoy it more. Part of my main issue with the book is that it felt too long. While there were some parts I wished had more time spent on them, others were too long and they started to drag. I definitely did some skimming in the book (mostly in the first third) but I did less and less as the book went on.
On a good note, I loved the family dynamics in the book. The main was in the middle of two sisters, being raised by her widowed mother. To me, this is really where the book shined. The sisterly relationships, and the mother-daughter dynamic was well written and felt real. I thought some of the secondary character in this book needed more development, but not so when it came to this loving family and they truly were my favorite scenes of the book.
The romance in this book is in a triangle. Our main character is dealing with feeling for her ex-boyfriend, her best girlfriend, and the new girl who moved to town. While I didn’t mind the triangle drama -it added some needed conflict to the plot- I don’t think it was the best choice for a debut writers first romance. I will not give away which person our main character picked, but because she had to spend time on all three characters and potential relationships with all of them, there was not a lot of time left for the one she did pick. That’s a big ask to write about one character having feelings for three people in any book, so I think it was a bit much to take on for a new author. And while I liked who the main ended up with, I didn’t really feel the connection with them that I needed to because they didn’t have a ton of alone time together -since a lot of time was spent with other characters-.
TLDR: This was an average YA and a decent debut book. It was hard to get into, but the book does improve as the story goes on. This book had some good things going for it like well written family scenes, but it just didn’t all come together for me. There were also a lot of pop culture references that seemed out of place or just got stale after a while. Maybe I’m getting too old but it really didn’t work having memes quoted to me in this book. In the end this is not a book I can recommend, but I would not say stay away either. I think a younger audience might appreciate it more than I was able to.
An ARC copy was given to me for a review.
released-2022
January 3, 2021personally, i dig this book title A LOT...😶
February 18, 2022
thank you netgalley for giving me an arc of this book!
while the title and cover of just your local bisexual disaster drew me in, i was certainly left disappointed.
this book was ... kinda a mess tbh? the vibes were amazing at first, and i loved all side characters but as the story progressed it felt dragging and the 10 pop-culture references in every other page was so annoying (coming from someone who actually likes them)
i was glad the mc realized a few things by the end but the ending left me wishing it was tied in 100 pages less drama.
while the title and cover of just your local bisexual disaster drew me in, i was certainly left disappointed.
this book was ... kinda a mess tbh? the vibes were amazing at first, and i loved all side characters but as the story progressed it felt dragging and the 10 pop-culture references in every other page was so annoying (coming from someone who actually likes them)
i was glad the mc realized a few things by the end but the ending left me wishing it was tied in 100 pages less drama.
unreleased
December 20, 2020as a bi disaster myself, i am very much looking forward to this one
November 17, 2025
There's a lot going on in our narrator's life just now. Deciding where to go or if she even can go to university to pursue her love of photography, or stay in the Rio Grand Valley with her friends and family. Maggie has a younger and older sister, being raised by her single mum who runs a convenience store. Mixed in with the upcoming quince for her younger sister, which is a big event for their catholic, Hispanic culture. Maggie needs a date for the upcoming quince, her twice broken up with boyfriend, her best friend or the new girl, whom she has feelings for. Tied in with her secretive major school art project, emotions are exploding around and within her.
I knew nearly nothing of the culture depicted, but the love and closeness of her family and friends makes for a worthwhile read. Having lived in Texas for two years back in the day, I never made it anywhere near this area, which made it even more interesting for me.
I knew nearly nothing of the culture depicted, but the love and closeness of her family and friends makes for a worthwhile read. Having lived in Texas for two years back in the day, I never made it anywhere near this area, which made it even more interesting for me.
Read
January 20, 2023Is the main characters name Zoe? Because this sounds awfully like my life
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 23, 2022
3.5, rounded down.
Don't get me wrong—this was good and entertaining, but I found myself skimming through quite a bit of it. I felt it was too long and not the book for me, which is 100% on me for continuing to read YA contemporary when I was in the mood for speculative literary fiction (#moodreaderproblems).
However, this is DEFINITELY going to be the book for other people, and it probably definitely would have been the book for me when I was a teen and super duper closeted bisexual (I was so fucking closeted I didn't even realize it myself).
There is a lot to love in this book. Amazing rep, for starters. A cute subversion of the "bisexual who can't decide" trope/stereotype. A supportive (and messy) friend group. A fantastic set of siblings. A mom who had just the right amount of guidance while being real herself (and also messy). And a lot of (actually contemporary for today's teens) music...although there was mention of Weezer, Blink 182 and some other band I grew up with as a teen a bajillion (going on twenty years ago is a bajillion in teen years) years ago, so maybe that loses some cred there. Also there was a lot of flannel and converse. Is flannel a thing again? Because if so, my wife will be thrilled.
Full RTC
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review
Don't get me wrong—this was good and entertaining, but I found myself skimming through quite a bit of it. I felt it was too long and not the book for me, which is 100% on me for continuing to read YA contemporary when I was in the mood for speculative literary fiction (#moodreaderproblems).
However, this is DEFINITELY going to be the book for other people, and it probably definitely would have been the book for me when I was a teen and super duper closeted bisexual (I was so fucking closeted I didn't even realize it myself).
There is a lot to love in this book. Amazing rep, for starters. A cute subversion of the "bisexual who can't decide" trope/stereotype. A supportive (and messy) friend group. A fantastic set of siblings. A mom who had just the right amount of guidance while being real herself (and also messy). And a lot of (actually contemporary for today's teens) music...although there was mention of Weezer, Blink 182 and some other band I grew up with as a teen a bajillion (going on twenty years ago is a bajillion in teen years) years ago, so maybe that loses some cred there. Also there was a lot of flannel and converse. Is flannel a thing again? Because if so, my wife will be thrilled.
Full RTC
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review
January 3, 2025
all these emo bands references hahahaha oh no i feel Old
Read
May 27, 2021Reading this now for blurb purposes. RTC. I can already say it's the love letter to the Rio Grande Valley I never knew I needed.
Want to read
February 25, 2022That's one hell of a title.
July 3, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
quick review *may contain spoilers*
First of all, this TITLE!! This title is everything! It was the first thing that drew me to the book and why I ended up reading it!
I don’t read a lot of YA because some feel a bit too young for me (if that makes sense), which is how I felt about this book. It’s a great book, but one I would've LOVED to read in high school…not as much now.
It was a cute book, but all over the place (but I think that was the point, her messy life). I loved Maggie. I also found her crushes to be realistic; I had like four crushes (probably more) in high school, so her crushes make sense! It was cute to see her interactions with them and trying to figure out herself and what she wants in a relationship. It was on the realistic side, it definitely captured being a teenager well (with all the high school drama). However, I didn’t like her plan / her project. Like, I understand her trying to figure out her feelings but she kind of disregarded her friend's feelings, in a way. To make someone your project without their knowledge and consent wasn’t something I was a fan of. But I loved how she owned up to her mistakes. The ending was cute, but the chapters leading up to it weren’t my favorite, so I did a lot of skimming.
Overall, a good YA coming-of-age book with a bisexual latinx mc!
** look up TW for this novel **
quick review *may contain spoilers*
First of all, this TITLE!! This title is everything! It was the first thing that drew me to the book and why I ended up reading it!
I don’t read a lot of YA because some feel a bit too young for me (if that makes sense), which is how I felt about this book. It’s a great book, but one I would've LOVED to read in high school…not as much now.
It was a cute book, but all over the place (but I think that was the point, her messy life). I loved Maggie. I also found her crushes to be realistic; I had like four crushes (probably more) in high school, so her crushes make sense! It was cute to see her interactions with them and trying to figure out herself and what she wants in a relationship. It was on the realistic side, it definitely captured being a teenager well (with all the high school drama). However, I didn’t like her plan / her project. Like, I understand her trying to figure out her feelings but she kind of disregarded her friend's feelings, in a way. To make someone your project without their knowledge and consent wasn’t something I was a fan of. But I loved how she owned up to her mistakes. The ending was cute, but the chapters leading up to it weren’t my favorite, so I did a lot of skimming.
Overall, a good YA coming-of-age book with a bisexual latinx mc!
** look up TW for this novel **
Want to read
March 14, 2021This book doesn't even have a description but the title is something I'd call my autobiography so you know...I HAVE TO READ IT✨
July 7, 2023
As messy as the title promises
A love quadrangle is a little too stressful for me but I like the way it turned out. The highlight is definitely the platonic and sisterly relationships, which were great.
A love quadrangle is a little too stressful for me but I like the way it turned out. The highlight is definitely the platonic and sisterly relationships, which were great.
Read
May 30, 2022Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster by Andrea Mosqueda is the perfect read for June. It follows Maggie, a bisexual Chicana, who has to find a date for her sister’s quince. things get complicated when she has to figure out if she wants to give her ex-boyfriend a second chance, confess her crush to her best friend or explore her feelings for the new girl in town. This was such a fun story, with pure chaos and bisexual disasters.
Maggie is a messy character, trying her best. She’s wondering what love is, and how it feels for the different people in her life. She loves photography, but she isn’t sure if leaving her town for university is what she wants to do anymore. She’s the definition of a disaster (sorry not sorry, Maggie!). But it’s impossible to not root for her, she’s such a caring and sympathetic character. She’s afraid of stepping out of the familiar, she’s scared of disappointing her mom and sisters after everything they have done for her. She’s scared, she’s seventeen, she’s pure angst and she’s your local bisexual disaster
Yes, this is a story about romantic love and crushes. But it is also about figuring out life after high school, the way friendships and dreams change. It’s about family and sisters and a big quince. Maggie is so afraid of how things are changing in her relationships, that she wants to hold on to the familiar so hard. She makes mistakes along the way and she learns how to fix them. Her relationships help her grow and in turn, her relationship with her loved ones grows as well.
Andrea brings such charming characters to life. It’s a poignant story, with so much thought behind it. Maggie discusses many times different biphobic stereotypes. It's how self-aware the story is that won me over some of my doubts at the beginning of the book. Like how Maggie comments about being a bisexual girl who isn't sure about her feelings for these three people and how it looks like she can't decide. These instances are properly called out, I just want to say. Maggie acknowledges these stereotypes, which I thought was very well done. There is an intention behind Maggie's (questionable) choices, which makes her character more nuanced, and more charming as well.
One of my favorite things about the story was the relationship between Maggie and her sisters. They fight and tease each other but they are always there to hold each other up. Their love for Maggie carries her so far. It warmed my heart.
I feel like if you love YA romance and messy YA protagonists, Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster is a must-read.
Maggie is a messy character, trying her best. She’s wondering what love is, and how it feels for the different people in her life. She loves photography, but she isn’t sure if leaving her town for university is what she wants to do anymore. She’s the definition of a disaster (sorry not sorry, Maggie!). But it’s impossible to not root for her, she’s such a caring and sympathetic character. She’s afraid of stepping out of the familiar, she’s scared of disappointing her mom and sisters after everything they have done for her. She’s scared, she’s seventeen, she’s pure angst and she’s your local bisexual disaster
Yes, this is a story about romantic love and crushes. But it is also about figuring out life after high school, the way friendships and dreams change. It’s about family and sisters and a big quince. Maggie is so afraid of how things are changing in her relationships, that she wants to hold on to the familiar so hard. She makes mistakes along the way and she learns how to fix them. Her relationships help her grow and in turn, her relationship with her loved ones grows as well.
Andrea brings such charming characters to life. It’s a poignant story, with so much thought behind it. Maggie discusses many times different biphobic stereotypes. It's how self-aware the story is that won me over some of my doubts at the beginning of the book. Like how Maggie comments about being a bisexual girl who isn't sure about her feelings for these three people and how it looks like she can't decide. These instances are properly called out, I just want to say. Maggie acknowledges these stereotypes, which I thought was very well done. There is an intention behind Maggie's (questionable) choices, which makes her character more nuanced, and more charming as well.
One of my favorite things about the story was the relationship between Maggie and her sisters. They fight and tease each other but they are always there to hold each other up. Their love for Maggie carries her so far. It warmed my heart.
I feel like if you love YA romance and messy YA protagonists, Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster is a must-read.
May 21, 2022
I received an advance copy from Feiwel and Friends via Netgalley for review purposes. This in no way influences my review; all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.
Content notes:
This book perfectly speaks to messy teenage romance and feelings, and navigating friendship and romance, especially when the person you think you like is also your best friend. Maggie is such a fantastic protagonist, and I loved being a part of her journey of figuring out who she likes and wants to take to her sister’s Quince. Full review closer to release!
Full review:
This book perfectly speaks to messy teenage romance and feelings, and navigating friendship and romance, especially when the person you think you like is also your best friend. Maggie is such a fantastic protagonist, and I loved being a part of her journey of figuring out who she likes and wants to take to her sister’s Quince.
Maggie’s younger sister is getting ready for her quinceñera and as one of her damas, Maggie needs to figure out who she wants to take as her date. Her ex-boyfriend-returned-to-friend Matthew seems to be sending her mixed, confused signals on whether he likes her and wants to try again, further complicated by the fact he’s got a new girlfriend. Her best friend was one of her first crushes that she thinks she’s moved on from because Amanda is straight, but what if the touches and hugs between them mean more than Maggie initially thinks? And then there’s Dani, a girl who just moved to town and has her own baggage with past relationships and less-than-stellar reactions to work through. In order to figure out who Maggie actually likes, she decides for her art project to do a series of photographs on a private finsta with captions to navigate her emotions in a way she’s used to understanding the world.
This book is truly such a delight and gave me so many feelings while reading it. I related very much to Maggie working through her feelings and trying to figure out whether her feelings for her best friend are platonic or romantic. The complicated, messy friendships were so relatable and such a highlight of this book. I also loved Maggie’s relationships with her sisters Veronica and Alyssa, as well her mom and Veronica’s boyfriend CJ. Seeing all the different relationships and how much love there is for family and community was so well balanced and perfectly told this story. I truly just loved this book and cannot wait for more people to fall in love with Maggie’s journey.
Content notes:
This book perfectly speaks to messy teenage romance and feelings, and navigating friendship and romance, especially when the person you think you like is also your best friend. Maggie is such a fantastic protagonist, and I loved being a part of her journey of figuring out who she likes and wants to take to her sister’s Quince. Full review closer to release!
Full review:
This book perfectly speaks to messy teenage romance and feelings, and navigating friendship and romance, especially when the person you think you like is also your best friend. Maggie is such a fantastic protagonist, and I loved being a part of her journey of figuring out who she likes and wants to take to her sister’s Quince.
Maggie’s younger sister is getting ready for her quinceñera and as one of her damas, Maggie needs to figure out who she wants to take as her date. Her ex-boyfriend-returned-to-friend Matthew seems to be sending her mixed, confused signals on whether he likes her and wants to try again, further complicated by the fact he’s got a new girlfriend. Her best friend was one of her first crushes that she thinks she’s moved on from because Amanda is straight, but what if the touches and hugs between them mean more than Maggie initially thinks? And then there’s Dani, a girl who just moved to town and has her own baggage with past relationships and less-than-stellar reactions to work through. In order to figure out who Maggie actually likes, she decides for her art project to do a series of photographs on a private finsta with captions to navigate her emotions in a way she’s used to understanding the world.
This book is truly such a delight and gave me so many feelings while reading it. I related very much to Maggie working through her feelings and trying to figure out whether her feelings for her best friend are platonic or romantic. The complicated, messy friendships were so relatable and such a highlight of this book. I also loved Maggie’s relationships with her sisters Veronica and Alyssa, as well her mom and Veronica’s boyfriend CJ. Seeing all the different relationships and how much love there is for family and community was so well balanced and perfectly told this story. I truly just loved this book and cannot wait for more people to fall in love with Maggie’s journey.
June 20, 2022
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Thank you to publisher Fierce Reads and Colored Pages Book Tours for providing a free copy of the book to review.
Content Warnings: biphobia (mostly internalized), past death of a parent | Minor: police brutality (past), gun violence (past), cheating (past), pregnancy, drug use
3.25 stars rounded way up because we need more OwnVoices queer POC rep.
This book was honestly very much the YA bisexual love story it set out to be. What made it stand so strongly is the fact that this isn't your typical coming out plus romance, and instead, the romance takes center stage and is very distinctly with a man and two women (one lesbian) as love interests for Maggie, our female main character. Love that. In the way that much fiction features an all-white cast, this one takes place in a Mexican-American community. Their Mexican identity is important. There are untranslated Spanish sentences, which I don't mind as someone who knows enough Spanish, but even if I didn't, the context clues are there.
In terms of characters, we have our bisexual disaster main character Maggie. She is exactly the messy unapologetic bisexual you'd expect with a title like this. And 2/3 of her love interests are equally as messy and dramatic as she is. And while the three love interests get a solid amount of background, their personalities aren't complex and are ultimately archetypes. Despite that, they all feel like proper teens. I actually felt old while reading this since I'd never heard the term "finsta" before this. Ugh, I was on Urban Dictionary and everything. Don't look at me.
Told from the singular first-person POV of Maggie, the prose is well suited to the story in its mellow manner. The overall pacing, especially in the beginning, is slow in a careless way more filler than deliberate. The book could have told the same story in about 100 fewer pages and been all the stronger for it.
The plot itself is a very classic romantic comedy. There's something acutely "teen movie rom-com" about turning your relationship woes into a school project.
Overall, this was a neat read. Most of all, I enjoyed the definitely messy and stereotypical, but ultimately valid representation. I'd recommend this to lovers of YA, bisexual characters, sapphic relationships, drama, love triangles- all that good stuff. If that's distinctly not your thing and you're considering it, don't.
Thank you to publisher Fierce Reads and Colored Pages Book Tours for providing a free copy of the book to review.
Content Warnings: biphobia (mostly internalized), past death of a parent | Minor: police brutality (past), gun violence (past), cheating (past), pregnancy, drug use
3.25 stars rounded way up because we need more OwnVoices queer POC rep.
This book was honestly very much the YA bisexual love story it set out to be. What made it stand so strongly is the fact that this isn't your typical coming out plus romance, and instead, the romance takes center stage and is very distinctly with a man and two women (one lesbian) as love interests for Maggie, our female main character. Love that. In the way that much fiction features an all-white cast, this one takes place in a Mexican-American community. Their Mexican identity is important. There are untranslated Spanish sentences, which I don't mind as someone who knows enough Spanish, but even if I didn't, the context clues are there.
In terms of characters, we have our bisexual disaster main character Maggie. She is exactly the messy unapologetic bisexual you'd expect with a title like this. And 2/3 of her love interests are equally as messy and dramatic as she is. And while the three love interests get a solid amount of background, their personalities aren't complex and are ultimately archetypes. Despite that, they all feel like proper teens. I actually felt old while reading this since I'd never heard the term "finsta" before this. Ugh, I was on Urban Dictionary and everything. Don't look at me.
Told from the singular first-person POV of Maggie, the prose is well suited to the story in its mellow manner. The overall pacing, especially in the beginning, is slow in a careless way more filler than deliberate. The book could have told the same story in about 100 fewer pages and been all the stronger for it.
The plot itself is a very classic romantic comedy. There's something acutely "teen movie rom-com" about turning your relationship woes into a school project.
Overall, this was a neat read. Most of all, I enjoyed the definitely messy and stereotypical, but ultimately valid representation. I'd recommend this to lovers of YA, bisexual characters, sapphic relationships, drama, love triangles- all that good stuff. If that's distinctly not your thing and you're considering it, don't.
July 31, 2022
maggie and i have a lot of things in common aside from being a bisexual disaster, but my love life wasn't this eventful. reading this was like answering one of those "who is your ideal partner" flowcharts/quiz they have in magazines although you already know who you like in the first place and you just keep hoping that you end up with your choice as you answer each question.
this has been quite messy. the first half was so chaotic but i had a bit of fun joining maggie in her journey of messing up, learning, and trying all over again, and we got that really cute, happily-ever-after ending.
some parts of the story, i just wasn't really convinced, but i'm glad there were closures, apologies, and forgiveness bc i haven't witnessed that a lot in real life especially in high school kxjskd
but the love interest conflict was my least liked part of this book even though it consumed like 90% of it and i had better time reading about maggie's family, veronica and cj, basically any scene with jordan, and the last part of the quince:
"Her bravery is yours.” 🥺 representation matters and is important, even if it's in the form of your local bisexual disaster who's still in the process of learning and growing and sorting out her feelings and plans for the future.
this has been quite messy. the first half was so chaotic but i had a bit of fun joining maggie in her journey of messing up, learning, and trying all over again, and we got that really cute, happily-ever-after ending.
some parts of the story, i just wasn't really convinced, but i'm glad there were closures, apologies, and forgiveness bc i haven't witnessed that a lot in real life especially in high school kxjskd
but the love interest conflict was my least liked part of this book even though it consumed like 90% of it and i had better time reading about maggie's family, veronica and cj, basically any scene with jordan, and the last part of the quince:
"Her bravery is yours.” 🥺 representation matters and is important, even if it's in the form of your local bisexual disaster who's still in the process of learning and growing and sorting out her feelings and plans for the future.
April 20, 2022
2.5 stars
I saw this title and *knew* I would love this book. That's why it's so surprising that I just could never get into it...and I tried HARD. Maggie deserves better.
Maggie, the m.c., is - as the title suggests - bisexual and somewhat of a disaster (though not that bad for her age), and though she's living in a place that is doing a better job of showing its backward attitudes toward humanity even more lately, she's fortunate to be surrounded by a relatively supportive group of family and friends. Her sister's quince is a fun backdrop because of these relationships.
There are few things I dread more than a less-than-stellar review, particularly for a YA novel with an intersectionally diverse main character, but I struggled here. Everything takes forever. There is so much thinking and processing and language to say the simplest stuff. At times, I thought I could skip several chapters and lose no important information at all. To be clear, I didn't do this, but I wanted to badly throughout the read. Having completed the read, I unfortunately feel like that assumption was correct.
The ingredients for greatness are here, but there's too much filler diluting the substance. Maggie is that rare bi character who demonstrates actual interest in multiple partners of distinct genders, and there is so much opportunity for a complex and meaningful dive into her character, but it just does not come together. I will recommend this one to students with some caveats because of some of the specific boxes it checks, but tighter editing here, please.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I saw this title and *knew* I would love this book. That's why it's so surprising that I just could never get into it...and I tried HARD. Maggie deserves better.
Maggie, the m.c., is - as the title suggests - bisexual and somewhat of a disaster (though not that bad for her age), and though she's living in a place that is doing a better job of showing its backward attitudes toward humanity even more lately, she's fortunate to be surrounded by a relatively supportive group of family and friends. Her sister's quince is a fun backdrop because of these relationships.
There are few things I dread more than a less-than-stellar review, particularly for a YA novel with an intersectionally diverse main character, but I struggled here. Everything takes forever. There is so much thinking and processing and language to say the simplest stuff. At times, I thought I could skip several chapters and lose no important information at all. To be clear, I didn't do this, but I wanted to badly throughout the read. Having completed the read, I unfortunately feel like that assumption was correct.
The ingredients for greatness are here, but there's too much filler diluting the substance. Maggie is that rare bi character who demonstrates actual interest in multiple partners of distinct genders, and there is so much opportunity for a complex and meaningful dive into her character, but it just does not come together. I will recommend this one to students with some caveats because of some of the specific boxes it checks, but tighter editing here, please.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
tbr-interesting
December 16, 2021Are you sure that this title isn't based on anyone. Like yknow, me? 😳😂😂
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prereview written 14th november
Goodreads | My blog | Storygraph | Pinterest | Instagram
prereview written 14th november
Read
September 9, 2022The more interesting and potentially complex themes felt underdeveloped, like afterthoughts, and took a backseat to the teen love triangle. Might have liked it more if I were still a teen myself, but even the love interests were given an unbalanced amount of attention considering how it all ends. I had trouble getting through it but I'm sure the title will attract a lot of young readers who might enjoy it more than I did.
May 18, 2022
Coming of Age, Bisexual, Latinx, Mexican American, LGBTQIA, YA.
I adored this book and loved the main character Maggie who uses a school art project to short out her complicated feelings towards her ex, her BFF, a new girl and her future. I completely felt for Maggie and her dilemmas with all the relationships in her life and coming to terms with life and love. Mosqueda did a fantastic job of drawing me into Maggie’s world and back to my teenage years, making me wish I had stories like these growing up. Everything about this story felt authentic and genuine and how a real 17-year-old would deal with her issues. I really appreciated and liked how Mosqueda approached relationships between Bi and Straight individuals and how to navigate certain actions and boundaries.
Such a fantastic book, a really compelling coming-of-age story. Also, I’d like to give a special shout-out to the narrator Stacy Gonzalez who did a wonderful job.
Special thank you to #NetGalley, #AndreaMosqueda and #MacmillanAudio for sharing this digital copy, these are my honest thoughts on #JustYourLocalBisexualDisaster. Also, a thank you to narrator #StacyGonzalez.
I adored this book and loved the main character Maggie who uses a school art project to short out her complicated feelings towards her ex, her BFF, a new girl and her future. I completely felt for Maggie and her dilemmas with all the relationships in her life and coming to terms with life and love. Mosqueda did a fantastic job of drawing me into Maggie’s world and back to my teenage years, making me wish I had stories like these growing up. Everything about this story felt authentic and genuine and how a real 17-year-old would deal with her issues. I really appreciated and liked how Mosqueda approached relationships between Bi and Straight individuals and how to navigate certain actions and boundaries.
Such a fantastic book, a really compelling coming-of-age story. Also, I’d like to give a special shout-out to the narrator Stacy Gonzalez who did a wonderful job.
Special thank you to #NetGalley, #AndreaMosqueda and #MacmillanAudio for sharing this digital copy, these are my honest thoughts on #JustYourLocalBisexualDisaster. Also, a thank you to narrator #StacyGonzalez.
August 24, 2022
I loved this a lot so I took my time with it.
Honestly, my teenage life with super boring, even kinda sad so “Your local bisexual disaster” gave me an experience that I mourned for a long time.
Especially the topics of concerts and photography, music and art hit my heart immediately and then the main topic being bisexuality, figuring out relationships and friendships and on top of that a loving, understanding and accepting family? Andrea Mosqueda really got me there and I am more than happy that books like this exist for younger people seeking all of the above and proper bisexual representation.
Honestly, my teenage life with super boring, even kinda sad so “Your local bisexual disaster” gave me an experience that I mourned for a long time.
Especially the topics of concerts and photography, music and art hit my heart immediately and then the main topic being bisexuality, figuring out relationships and friendships and on top of that a loving, understanding and accepting family? Andrea Mosqueda really got me there and I am more than happy that books like this exist for younger people seeking all of the above and proper bisexual representation.
June 3, 2022
3.5 stars.
Loved the messy bi rep + the subversion of the "bisexuals can't choose" trope but this book was sorta all over the place? Maggie's voice was great and I liked that we got to see so much of her history between 2 of her love interest, plus her closeness with her friends and family. The exploration of culture was wonderful too, but there was just so much happening at once. It was like the book couldn't choose exactly what it was about. Also, I liked the first few pop culture references, but then it began to border on steroetypical. I still don't know how I feel about it.
Really glad who she chose in the end though :)
Loved the messy bi rep + the subversion of the "bisexuals can't choose" trope but this book was sorta all over the place? Maggie's voice was great and I liked that we got to see so much of her history between 2 of her love interest, plus her closeness with her friends and family. The exploration of culture was wonderful too, but there was just so much happening at once. It was like the book couldn't choose exactly what it was about. Also, I liked the first few pop culture references, but then it began to border on steroetypical. I still don't know how I feel about it.
Really glad who she chose in the end though :)
June 16, 2022
3.5/5
CW: biphobia (mostly internalized), death of a parent via police, police brutality (off page), gun violence (off page), cheating mentioned, pregnancy (briefly mentioned at the end), drug use (weed), smoking
This was a fun read! Maggie is, as the title indicates, a hot bisexual disaster. She was messy, selfish, and has so many complicated feelings for her ex, best friend, and the new girl at school so she creates a finsta as a school art project to try and detangle those feelings and see who she wants to escort her to her sisters quince.
I loved Maggie as a character. She loves her family and friends fiercely and, despite having some residual feelings for her ex, really wants to make things work with him as friends. She just can't see past herself and her wants/needs sometimes when it comes to being there for them while also at the same time pushing herself to want things because she thinks that's what's expected of her and she doesn't want to let anyone down. Like I said, she's a hot mess and honestly, junior year of high school is usually where that hot messiness starts because it's such a pivotal year for most teens.
I loved watching her grow throughout the book as well as seeing how close she and her sisters are. I'm giving it 3.5 stars because it's a pretty basic storyline with nothing really exciting or new added and because there are so many love interests and people, the side characters felt a little flat. But that's okay! I still really enjoyed my time reading it and I'm glad this wasn't a huge disappointment because I'm going to be honest it was a title and cover buy for me!
CW: biphobia (mostly internalized), death of a parent via police, police brutality (off page), gun violence (off page), cheating mentioned, pregnancy (briefly mentioned at the end), drug use (weed), smoking
This was a fun read! Maggie is, as the title indicates, a hot bisexual disaster. She was messy, selfish, and has so many complicated feelings for her ex, best friend, and the new girl at school so she creates a finsta as a school art project to try and detangle those feelings and see who she wants to escort her to her sisters quince.
I loved Maggie as a character. She loves her family and friends fiercely and, despite having some residual feelings for her ex, really wants to make things work with him as friends. She just can't see past herself and her wants/needs sometimes when it comes to being there for them while also at the same time pushing herself to want things because she thinks that's what's expected of her and she doesn't want to let anyone down. Like I said, she's a hot mess and honestly, junior year of high school is usually where that hot messiness starts because it's such a pivotal year for most teens.
I loved watching her grow throughout the book as well as seeing how close she and her sisters are. I'm giving it 3.5 stars because it's a pretty basic storyline with nothing really exciting or new added and because there are so many love interests and people, the side characters felt a little flat. But that's okay! I still really enjoyed my time reading it and I'm glad this wasn't a huge disappointment because I'm going to be honest it was a title and cover buy for me!
January 14, 2023
I wish I had had this book when I was in high school. I love how raw and messy Maggie's story is, and how it focuses a lot on her desire to be loved and give love in return. I went to a Catholic high school and was a closeted bisexual for the entirety of my high school career, mainly because I didn't have supportive friends who didn't view bisexuality as some form of "greediness." What I love about this story is how supportive Maggie's friends and family are. This book is absolutely predictable, but I don't care because I connected to this story so profoundly, and I did similar things that Maggie does in this story (even while being in the closet).
I'm so happy this book exists and I love that it is a reminder that we can all be messy sometimes.
I'm so happy this book exists and I love that it is a reminder that we can all be messy sometimes.
May 23, 2022
3.5 rounded up.
An #ownvoices coming of age debut featuring Maggie Gonzales, a Latinx bisexual teen who needs to find a date to her sister's quinceañera. I loved the focus on family, friendship and navigating old and new romantic relationships. Maggie's love life is a bit of a mess, she's confused about what she wants to do after high school and trying to figure out how to be a better friend, sister, girlfriend. Perfect for fans of Once Upon a Quinceañera by Monica Gomez-Hira or No filter and other lies by Crystal Maldonado and great on audio narrated by Stacy Gonzalez. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.
An #ownvoices coming of age debut featuring Maggie Gonzales, a Latinx bisexual teen who needs to find a date to her sister's quinceañera. I loved the focus on family, friendship and navigating old and new romantic relationships. Maggie's love life is a bit of a mess, she's confused about what she wants to do after high school and trying to figure out how to be a better friend, sister, girlfriend. Perfect for fans of Once Upon a Quinceañera by Monica Gomez-Hira or No filter and other lies by Crystal Maldonado and great on audio narrated by Stacy Gonzalez. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.
May 25, 2022
Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster has a heartfelt story with drama, romance, and photography as Maggie tries to understand her heart and her relationships with others. Besides having amazing Bisexual and Latinx rep, this book has great, realistic characters that are flawed but lovable. I also loved how Maggie used her photography as an outlet to understand others.
July 23, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: biphobia, sexism
My love for Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster is split between Maggie's character and this story line. In general, all of the characters in this story are fantastic - like I couldn't pick a favorite family member or even love interest. Mosqueda does an amazing job of creating these fully dimensional complex side characters even if we only see them for a few scenes. I'd love stories for each of them because it's clear they have nuance and life to them. But even more so, Maggie is such a gem. In Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster, I empathized with Maggie's dilemmas.
Love triangles or potential love interests always fascinate me because I think they're so telling of who we are. What each person represents to us and the futures they hold. So seeing Maggie having to process her own feelings was incredibly endearing. However the method she chooses has the potential for a lot of consequences and Maggie is going to have to figure out what she will do. But as a whole, Maggie's narration is unique, fresh, and full of character.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
TW: biphobia, sexism
My love for Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster is split between Maggie's character and this story line. In general, all of the characters in this story are fantastic - like I couldn't pick a favorite family member or even love interest. Mosqueda does an amazing job of creating these fully dimensional complex side characters even if we only see them for a few scenes. I'd love stories for each of them because it's clear they have nuance and life to them. But even more so, Maggie is such a gem. In Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster, I empathized with Maggie's dilemmas.
Love triangles or potential love interests always fascinate me because I think they're so telling of who we are. What each person represents to us and the futures they hold. So seeing Maggie having to process her own feelings was incredibly endearing. However the method she chooses has the potential for a lot of consequences and Maggie is going to have to figure out what she will do. But as a whole, Maggie's narration is unique, fresh, and full of character.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
August 11, 2022
3.75/5
June 7, 2022
My little mind and heart are blown that I read two books in a row featuring queer Chicana main characters, the other being The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School. While I preferred TLGtCS, as it took me a while to get into this book, I loved the characters, especially appreciating their flaws and how they were allowed to make mistakes. I found this incredibly realistic. It was also nice to see a supportive friend group and family. I am from Corpus and was thrilled to see South Texas repped. Raspas y tacos para todos!
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