ARTBA 2021 discussion

PLEASE READ ALL BOOKS AS YOUR TEEN SELF - NOT YOUR ADULT SELF.
What did you think about this book? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not? Do you think it would appeal to teens?
Please provide a score for this book based on a rating scale of 1-5 (1--you hated it; 5--you loved it). THIS IS NOT YOUR OFFICIAL VOTE!

I am really torn on this book. The story itself was fantastic. Very strong. Great imagery. Strong female characters throughout and is one of the few YAs that breaks the narrative of "I have to keep the secret to protect my loved ones" trope. I appreciate that. It is very heavy handed with the anti-"boys will be boys" which is great to see! My naive teen self wouldn't have understood the depth of the challenge this book is putting up.

But...

It is in 2nd person. I found it awkward to read and think that it could isolate male readers from being able to embrace the story. It is one thing to read about a female protagonist and an entirely different thing to BE the female protagonist.

I am not a squeamish sort - I don't mind graphic details - but man, that whole first period/inserting of a tampon scene was uncomfortable.

So 5/5 on story
and 3/5 on making me uncomfortable in not a good way.

3/5

Okay so this book starts off gross. It could have been written just as good (better in my opinion) if it would have left out the period stuff. Seriously? Disgusting. No one wants to read that mess. I almost stopped reading it thinking if the beginning of the book started out that gross it could only get worse but I kept on because I hate stopping a book, even if I don't like it.
I didn't mind the 2nd person point of view and I love retellings of classics so I was really hoping to love this but the grossness in it can not allow me to give it more than a 3 star.guys will most definitely not want to read this book!! It could’ve hit both guys and gals had only it just not been so detailed with the personal stuff. Whhhhy?!

This one was good-ish. Liked the strong females and not letting boys get away with the usual crap but it was a bit much.... 3/5

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy a book with a strong, bad to the bone lead female character but a play by play of her period is a bit much. I agree that if the whole constant dialogue about her period was left out, I would have given the book a higher rating. 3/5