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I Kissed Alice
For fans of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda and Fangirl, I Kissed Alice is a romantic comedy about enemies, lovers, and everything in between.
Rhodes and Iliana couldn't be more different, but that's not why they hate each other.
Hyper-gifted artist Rhodes has always excelled at Alabama’s Conservatory of the Arts despite a secret bout of creator's block, while transfer student Iliana tries to outshine everyone with her intense, competitive work ethic. Since only one of them can get the coveted Capstone scholarship, the competition between them is fierce.
They both escape the pressure on a fanfic site where they are unknowingly collaborating on a graphic novel. And despite being worst enemies in real life, their anonymous online identities I-Kissed-Alice and Curious-in-Cheshire are starting to like each other...a lot. When the truth comes out, will they destroy each other's future?
An Imprint Book
Rhodes and Iliana couldn't be more different, but that's not why they hate each other.
Hyper-gifted artist Rhodes has always excelled at Alabama’s Conservatory of the Arts despite a secret bout of creator's block, while transfer student Iliana tries to outshine everyone with her intense, competitive work ethic. Since only one of them can get the coveted Capstone scholarship, the competition between them is fierce.
They both escape the pressure on a fanfic site where they are unknowingly collaborating on a graphic novel. And despite being worst enemies in real life, their anonymous online identities I-Kissed-Alice and Curious-in-Cheshire are starting to like each other...a lot. When the truth comes out, will they destroy each other's future?
An Imprint Book
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2020
138 people are currently reading
11098 people want to read
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June 27, 2020DNF @ pg. 101
I wanted so badly to love this, it sounded amazing! But enemies to lovers isn’t my favourite and this was sooo focused on the enemies part, and I didn’t care for the writing. I was pretty confused especially because I couldn’t tell the characters apart and it’s dual perspective. I wanted to push through but just found my attention wandering because I wasn’t connected to the characters. They weren’t really developed beyond just disliking each other.
I wanted so badly to love this, it sounded amazing! But enemies to lovers isn’t my favourite and this was sooo focused on the enemies part, and I didn’t care for the writing. I was pretty confused especially because I couldn’t tell the characters apart and it’s dual perspective. I wanted to push through but just found my attention wandering because I wasn’t connected to the characters. They weren’t really developed beyond just disliking each other.
January 6, 2021
I Kissed Alice follows two girls, Iliana and Rhodes, who are best friends—and maybe something more—online, designing a webcomic together. In real life, however, the two despise each other, despite their mutual best friend Sarah’s wishes. It will take an art school competition and a whole lot of drama to get them together.
Okay, honestly, ever since I saw this blurb, I was hooked:
Like. Come on. Incredible.
This book had some really positive qualities. I Kissed Alice puts a lot of effort into making its three lead characters, but especially its main two, feel vivid. I enjoyed Rhodes as a character; I liked her character development and desire to repent. Both Rhodes and Iliana felt like real people with flaws, which I really appreciated. The general premise of this novel is solid, offering for some good classic sapphic hate-to-love moments; some of the online conversations are sweet.
Ultimately, however, this book left me wanting more. We’re not really given a clear picture of the pre-book relationship between the two online: I really didn’t get the sense of their relationship I wanted. The novel is attempting to make all of the characters somewhat complex, and not 100% likable, but I just didn’t really find myself genuinely invested in any of them.
I understand the intention; I know the broad outline of these characters. But I just didn’t feel like the book gave me reasons to genuinely believe in Iliana, the relationship between Iliana and Sarah, the relationship between Rhodes and Sarah, or the relationship between Iliana and Rhodes (Cheshire & Alice).
I enjoy hate to love a lot but I feel like I’ve struggled recently with a few examples I’ve found on it because I just do not believe that these characters would in fact make a functional couple. The best part of hate to love, to me, is seeing people discover the connections between them. And by the time I was seeing that for Rhodes and Iliana, I just kind of wanted this to be over.
Honestly. On a much more personal level. I really did not like the main characters of this book. Iliana specifically felt like she had very little self-awareness, which is something I really struggled with just on a personal level. A lot of her other flaws feel like very strong and solid potential for character growth, and I could not tell to what degree this specific flaw was intentional. I honestly struggled even more with Sarah, who does not have a pov but is, as Iliana describes her, is “the kind of person who absorbs the worst qualities of the people around her.” For a character who feels fairly well-drawn, I just could not get a sense of her as a real person, and felt I knew where her characterization was going the whole time (I was not wrong). I think possibly they’re both just… people whom I have known and had bad experiences with in real life?
Listen, I recognize this isn’t an objectively great take on this book, but in the interest of honesty, I suppose I just spent more time disliking these characters than being invested in their dynamics.
So. Yes. I think this is a solid book with some good aspects. But it didn’t exactly hit the mark for me.
Okay, honestly, ever since I saw this blurb, I was hooked:
Two girls at a southern school for the arts find themselves in a bitter rivalry over the final spot in the scholarship program, even as they anonymously fall in love on a fanfic site.
Like. Come on. Incredible.
This book had some really positive qualities. I Kissed Alice puts a lot of effort into making its three lead characters, but especially its main two, feel vivid. I enjoyed Rhodes as a character; I liked her character development and desire to repent. Both Rhodes and Iliana felt like real people with flaws, which I really appreciated. The general premise of this novel is solid, offering for some good classic sapphic hate-to-love moments; some of the online conversations are sweet.
Ultimately, however, this book left me wanting more. We’re not really given a clear picture of the pre-book relationship between the two online: I really didn’t get the sense of their relationship I wanted. The novel is attempting to make all of the characters somewhat complex, and not 100% likable, but I just didn’t really find myself genuinely invested in any of them.
I understand the intention; I know the broad outline of these characters. But I just didn’t feel like the book gave me reasons to genuinely believe in Iliana, the relationship between Iliana and Sarah, the relationship between Rhodes and Sarah, or the relationship between Iliana and Rhodes (Cheshire & Alice).
I enjoy hate to love a lot but I feel like I’ve struggled recently with a few examples I’ve found on it because I just do not believe that these characters would in fact make a functional couple. The best part of hate to love, to me, is seeing people discover the connections between them. And by the time I was seeing that for Rhodes and Iliana, I just kind of wanted this to be over.
Honestly. On a much more personal level. I really did not like the main characters of this book. Iliana specifically felt like she had very little self-awareness, which is something I really struggled with just on a personal level. A lot of her other flaws feel like very strong and solid potential for character growth, and I could not tell to what degree this specific flaw was intentional. I honestly struggled even more with Sarah, who does not have a pov but is, as Iliana describes her, is “the kind of person who absorbs the worst qualities of the people around her.” For a character who feels fairly well-drawn, I just could not get a sense of her as a real person, and felt I knew where her characterization was going the whole time (I was not wrong). I think possibly they’re both just… people whom I have known and had bad experiences with in real life?
Listen, I recognize this isn’t an objectively great take on this book, but in the interest of honesty, I suppose I just spent more time disliking these characters than being invested in their dynamics.
So. Yes. I think this is a solid book with some good aspects. But it didn’t exactly hit the mark for me.
July 29, 2020
Unfortunately, I really didn't like this book very much. Based on the cover and the blurb, I went into this one expecting a light and fun enemies-to-lovers sapphic romance, and this just.. was not that book. It is definitely sapphic, but nothing about this book was fun. With all that being said, even if I had known going into it that this was a much heavier book than I was expecting, I still don't think I would have liked it all that much. I really didn't like either of the main characters and I was honestly pretty frustrated by how each of them not only treated each other, but also every other person around them. This just very much did not work for me.
TW: depression
TW: depression
June 8, 2022
"People will never stop asking for things. If I want to spend my life as an artist, I’ll spend my life creating what other people expect of me."
~ Rating- 2.5 stars ~
Content/ Trigger Warnings- Anxiety, Depression, Alcohol consumption, Recreational Drug Use, Bullying, Financial Issues & Bankruptcy
Note- I have tried to include all the content warnings that I noticed, but there is no guarantee that I haven’t missed something.
-Mention of some these in the review-
"Hate is a complicated word. Some people believe hating is wishing death on someone. Others think it’s three-minutes-in-a-dark-broom-closet away from True Love™. If this is the case, I don’t hate Rhodes Ingram at all: I don’t hate her, and I would rather die myself than be alone with her anywhere. But, oh, it feels good to say it: I hate Rhodes Ingram. I hate Rhodes Ingram. I. HATE. RHODES. INGRAM."
I Kissed Alice, by Anna Birch was a book I picked up on a whim, not expecting anything much out of the story. I thought it would be a cute sapphic enemies to lovers romance about two artists; and it was in a way, but it also wasn't. It was somewhere in between. I'm keeping this review brief, as I have around 80 more reviews to write.
"Have I given up on myself? Surely, if I just made my craft more of a priority, I’d get back in the swing of it, right?"
Rhodes and Iliana are writing a webcomic online, where they are best friends, and maybe even something more. But in real life they hate each other, despite their mutual best friend Sarah's wishes. Will they find out who they are, and will they be able to leave their history behind?
"Her face has been etched on the surface of my heart for as long as I’ve known her, and I don’t think I’m ever going to know where hate ended and want began—because is there really that much of a difference? Does it matter what I call the way I feel about her, as long as I know she’s flavored most of my thoughts?"
➼The plot of I Kissed Alice is very typical YA, but unlike most YA it focuses on themes that are often ignored. My main complaint with it was the wasted potential, because while it touched on stuff like bulling, drugs and toxic friendships, it doesn't quite expand on them properly. It felt a mix between 'trying too hard' and 'not trying at all', which made the end result fall flat. I wish we got a bit more on the familial relations each of the MC's had with their family, and a bit more on their individual friendships with Sarah. The book seemed like bad attempt at wanting to implement more series topics and have a fluffy romance.
➼The writing of the book was pretty decent. There was nothing exceptional about it, but it wasn't bad either. I liked the writing for the most part.
➼The characters are alright. I liked Rhodes a lot more than Iliana, as I felt a disconnect with Iliana's character. I'm not entirely sure why I couldn't connect to her, but I believe its due to the fact that there was so much unnecessary drama that Iliana added. Things could have gone a lot smoother if she talked things through with other people. She always viewed herself as a victim, and never thought about whether she played any role in all the doom that came her way.
➼I also would have liked if Sarah's character was explored a bit more, and we understood things from her side as well. While I got why Iliana and Sarah are friends, I wanted some good moments between Sarah and Rhodes. They 'grew close' as they were roommates, but we don't see that. Their friendship felt superficial, and since the premise is based on both of the MC's mutual friendship for Sarah, a bit more exploration on that would have been great.
➼Despite that though, I though these characters and their relations with each other was a pretty good portrayal of teenagers. Most YA books show teenagers as this incredibly annoying set of children, or bland carbon cutouts with no personality. I Kissed Alice was a lot more true to how teenagers are, and I liked that.
➼I appreciated the fact that the characters were quite unlikable people, and not these 'goody-goody' people who do everything right. Even though I couldn't relate to either of them, I did like them.
➼I don't have any strong opinions on the romance . It was a sweet relationship, but they have lots of issues they need to deal with. There was also a lot of unnecessary miscommunication which could have been avoided if the characters sucked up their ego and talked to each other. I get why it happened, but it was annoying to read nevertheless, as a person who hates miscommunication of any kind.
"Iliana, friend and rival. Lover and enemy."
Overall, I enjoyed I Kissed Alice, despite its flaws. I'd recommend it if this interests you, but would advise to check content warnings before reading.
"Hearts are fickle things. Hate is complicated."
Review written & uploaded on 16th March 2022.
Storygraph Review. Storygraph. Spotify. Youtube. Pinterest. Goodreads. Linktree.
DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite
...............................
This was fun! Review to come.
November 24, 2022
17 October 2022
Got the audiobook finally! This book is so lucky it has one of the cutest covers ever, because that's the reason I gave it another chance. I'm sorry, but I do judge a book by its cover.
Yes, I dnf'd it when I first tried it, but now I honestly don't understand why it has such a low rating. I enjoyed it immersely and ordered a physical copy the minute I finished it.
It has somewhat unlikeable characters, but they are like that on purpose, and who wouldn't like a book about two girls being obsessed with each other while they are also rivals? And on top of that, it dealt with serious topics, like mental health, privilege and toxic friendships.
25 November 2020
DNF at 20%. I'm confused and bored.
Maybe I'll start it all over again sometimes. Or find the audiobook. That would be the best.
But this cover just won't let me go.
3 March 2020
If you want to know why the cover has changed, you can find the answer here.
9 November 2019
THE COVER! 😍
All of next year's LGBT releases have so gorgeous covers!
Just sayin', this is my second (maybe first) most anticipated book from now on.
Got the audiobook finally! This book is so lucky it has one of the cutest covers ever, because that's the reason I gave it another chance. I'm sorry, but I do judge a book by its cover.
Yes, I dnf'd it when I first tried it, but now I honestly don't understand why it has such a low rating. I enjoyed it immersely and ordered a physical copy the minute I finished it.
It has somewhat unlikeable characters, but they are like that on purpose, and who wouldn't like a book about two girls being obsessed with each other while they are also rivals? And on top of that, it dealt with serious topics, like mental health, privilege and toxic friendships.
25 November 2020
DNF at 20%. I'm confused and bored.
Maybe I'll start it all over again sometimes. Or find the audiobook. That would be the best.
But this cover just won't let me go.
3 March 2020
If you want to know why the cover has changed, you can find the answer here.
9 November 2019
THE COVER! 😍
All of next year's LGBT releases have so gorgeous covers!
"...despite being worst enemies in real life, their anonymous online identities are starting to like each other...a lot. When the truth comes out, will they destroy each other's future?"
Just sayin', this is my second (maybe first) most anticipated book from now on.
May 1, 2020
Finally a story takes place where I'm familiar with: Atlanta and Alabama. Funny about the Atlanta traffic because I feel what Rhodes felt driving and merging onto the busy crowded highway, a nervous wreck! It's interesting getting to know about art competition and art school in this book. I enjoyed the humor, especially how Rhodes and her younger brother caught each other checking out the same girl. I love the illustrations and the cover. The way Iliana was described in this story is fascinating like when she's angry, her hair shakes and her body shakes. You don't want to know where Iliana sweats when she's about to give a presentation! lol
This book is told in the first person point of view following Iliana, 18. She's feeling hate for Rhodes, her best friend Sarah's dorm mate who is also Sarah's best friend. Rhodes' side of the room has stuffs from Pottery Barn whereas her friend Sarah own things from thrift stores and DIY's. Iliana has a fan fiction account where she goes to work on her Alice in Wonderland comic, queer style. The alternating view is Rhodes, 18. Rhodes also loves Alice in Wonderland and joined an online community to spread the love of it. Neither Iliana nor Rhodes knew of each other's online activities. Rhodes used to win art prizes until she froze up. Now her grades are slipping and so is her creativity. She is expected to overcome her fear. There are comics within the story of Iliana's fan fiction. The story is timeline by counting down to an art award that Rhodes, Sarah, and Iliana wants to win. This story is divided into three parts.
I Kissed Alice is well written and a fast paced read. I like the online love and I'm not sure what I was expecting for their first meeting, but that wasn't it. Though, it's the best decision the author made because Iliana sure need to think it all over. I like how innocent the romance is. I like the humor between Rhodes' brother and Iliana. My family is like Iliana's family when comes to disagreements. I can't do silent treatment because I have to say something lol. One thing I don't like is if wanting the love, why wait until being face-to-face cornered to do something about it? Other than that, I do recommend everyone to read this book!
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details
Many thanks to Fierce Reads for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
This book is told in the first person point of view following Iliana, 18. She's feeling hate for Rhodes, her best friend Sarah's dorm mate who is also Sarah's best friend. Rhodes' side of the room has stuffs from Pottery Barn whereas her friend Sarah own things from thrift stores and DIY's. Iliana has a fan fiction account where she goes to work on her Alice in Wonderland comic, queer style. The alternating view is Rhodes, 18. Rhodes also loves Alice in Wonderland and joined an online community to spread the love of it. Neither Iliana nor Rhodes knew of each other's online activities. Rhodes used to win art prizes until she froze up. Now her grades are slipping and so is her creativity. She is expected to overcome her fear. There are comics within the story of Iliana's fan fiction. The story is timeline by counting down to an art award that Rhodes, Sarah, and Iliana wants to win. This story is divided into three parts.
I Kissed Alice is well written and a fast paced read. I like the online love and I'm not sure what I was expecting for their first meeting, but that wasn't it. Though, it's the best decision the author made because Iliana sure need to think it all over. I like how innocent the romance is. I like the humor between Rhodes' brother and Iliana. My family is like Iliana's family when comes to disagreements. I can't do silent treatment because I have to say something lol. One thing I don't like is if wanting the love, why wait until being face-to-face cornered to do something about it? Other than that, I do recommend everyone to read this book!
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details
Many thanks to Fierce Reads for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
July 31, 2020
“She says she sees this version of Alice in me and reminds me almost daily that being brave simply means doing the hard thing—even if you’re terrified.”
I Kissed Alice is a YA Contemporary that I think will be incredibly divisive but that I loved so very much for its flawed and unlikeable characters and portrayal of the complexity of friendship.
I'm not gonna lie, this is one of those reviews that I'm almost dreading to write a little bit. I just think this book is going to have a lot of mixed reactions and will definitely not be for everyone but I personally loved every bit of it and I found myself relating to a lot of the inner monologue. I think this book offers a very realistic look at friendships and honestly it's one of those books that I wish I would've had as a teen for many, many reasons.
Don't be misled by the cover or the synopsis the publisher has provided. This book is not a fluffy sapphic rom-com whatsoever. This book is hard-hitting and emotional, filled with incredibly flawed, downright unlikeable characters. It's honestly a book that turns most other YA Contemporaries completely on its head, where we get a cute falling in love story all throughout the book and then just a little bit of a fall towards the end, so we feel like the happily every after is especially rewarding.
But this book is just one big fall. It starts out kinda messy and then it just gets messier as we go.
Our two main characters, Iliana and Rhodes, constantly fight with each other. This is not just some cute teasing, where you can see that they actually have feelings for each other. These characters are very mean to each other and the reason why they are is not only because they are competitors for a scholarship but because they have the same best friend, Sarah, and constantly fight for her attention or being "the better friend". There are lots of things as to why the characters treat each other the way that they do but the synopsis is definitely quite misleading by just making it about the competition.
“My conversation with Mom a few nights ago hangs over my head, an entire childhood of Sarah standing too close to the blast zone while I pack dynamite into the crevices of each wall that has stood in the way of getting what I want. She has always been in the position to lose something where I’ve stood to gain.”
Really, the biggest theme of this book is jealousy, in all its ugly forms, and how messy and confusing friendships and feelings can be.
There is not only the element of Iliana and Rhodes not treating each other well. In their constant competition with each other, they also often make Sarah a tool to prove who is the better person or friend, more than ACTUALLY being a good friend. But Sarah is not any better. She, too, takes advantage of her friendship with the two, sometimes acting especially close with one of them to make the other jealous. You get what I mean when I say this is all very MESSY?!
But I would refrain from criticizing this book for portraying "girl hate", as the motives for these behaviours become very clear throughout the book and it is much more complex than just that. I think this is exactly where this book stands out when it comes to the way the friendships are portrayed. There is depth to the dislike between these characters, which is something a lot of other YA books cannot offer because their focus simply lies somewhere else.
“No, I want to scream back to myself. Cheshire is the realest thing I have right now. Cheshire is real. What we have is real. And yet. The whispering continues. Anxiety doesn’t care about the laws of the universe. All it takes is one singular seed of fear and all bets are off.”
Honestly this book is really the hate to love trope in its truest form and maybe the only reason it works (although it still won't work for many people) is that Iliana and Rhodes have an anonymous online relationship. They never really define what they are but it is clear from a lot of their texts but especially their thoughts that they both are not only in love with each other but want to be with each other too. You have to judge and see for yourself if you find this aspect realistic, especially considering that it is anonymous, and we obviously see how much they despise each other in real life, but I was feeling pretty soft about this aspect of the story.
I also loved the webcomic that the two write together. It is a fanfiction of Alice in Wonderland and it mirrors the relationship between the two perfectly and beautifully. Sadly we only get to see a little part of it and I honestly wish we had gotten more, especially as it includes beautiful illustrations by Victoria Ying!
“All I want is to curl up next to Cheshire and listen to all of her theorizing face-to-face, find some kind of a keyhole I could squeeze through into another life and another world where anonymity and distance doesn’t separate us. Sometimes I’m afraid that all she sees of me is a computer screen—to me she’s real, and she’s perfect. She’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
In the book we read from both Iliana's and Rhodes's perspective and I will say that I found their voices kinda hard to distinguish, to the point where there was one chapter in which I thought I was reading from the other POV. That's definitely the biggest flaw with the writing for me personally. Iliana and Rhodes are two very different characters and that's easy to tell from the story in general but their voices read very similarly and the tone of this book stayed the same all throughout, which was a little bit of a bummer but obviously didn't really influence my overall love for the book.
Both the main characters are obviously queer. Iliana identifies as bisexual and is also fat. Rhodes does not use any label. Sarah is also queer but uses no label.
We also have Rhodes dealing with both depression and anxiety and going to therapy. I feel like there are little YA books that actually feature characters going to therapy within the book and us experiencing the sessions along with them and I immensely appreciated the inclusion of this aspect, although I can't quite make up my mind on if I found the therapy sessions well done.
“I’ve been stretched about as far as I can go, and the only thing left is for me to snap.”
This book also puts an emphasis on falling out of love with your passion, which is a topic that I always appreciate deeply. Rhodes has trouble drawing for school and for the scholarship competition and the drawing for the webcomic and working together on it with Cheshire (Iliana's online persona) is the only thing that still brings Rhodes joy.
But this novel also shines a light on privilege. It is a message that is subtly woven into the pages of this book but it is there. It shows how certain privileges do not only give you advantages in life but also that growing up with these privileges will give you a different perspective on a lot of things.
“According to Sarah, Iliana left Victory Hills High School like she leaves everything else: scorched earth, dousing every bridge with gasoline and dropping matches on her way out. Sarah told me once that she doesn’t know which came first: Iliana hating, or being hated.”
Especially in Rhodes's chapters we also have some very interesting family dynamics. Rhodes has a really lovely relationship with her brother, Griffin, that I loved reading about. Maybe Griffin is actually the most likeable character in this entire book but it was especially wonderful to see their relationship and the way they unconditionally love each other, which felt especially comforting when everything else in this book feels so conditional, unsure and complicated.
Rhodes's mother also plays a big part in this novel and is a good example for how a perfect looking, wealthy family, doesn't necessarily have to be all that. Rhodes's mum has a drinking problem and definitely acts questionable in a lot of ways.
On the other hand, Iliana's mum positively stands out in this book, even though we don't get to see that much of her. I loved seeing the very different relationships both of these girls have with their mothers.
“I gave her what she needed—space—and I turned my heart toward the very specific pain of getting used to the idea of what life will look like now without the person who filled it with color.”
As for the ending and if I ended up finding all of it believable? I honestly don't know. But I'm still just head over heels in love with this story and the brutally honest way in which these characters were portrayed.
I think that this book is, if anything, brave. It depicts all the aspects in such a real way and it just doesn't hold back in order to bring comfort to the reader and I liked that so much.
I think what eventually fully won me over, to the point where I could wholeheartedly give this 5 stars, is that at the end of this novel the characters have all gone through a lot of character development but they are still far from being perfect people.
They recognize their mistakes and fucked up behaviour, they cut ties with some people and don't just act like none of the things that have been said or done have never happened. I think the ending of this novel has a good balance between being hopeful, while still being realistic and that is something I very much appreciate.
“She walks past Sarah and me without another word, a girl who struck a match and doesn’t wait around to watch the entire world catch fire.”
Overall, I honestly have no idea if I would recommend this book. It is a study in flawed characters and I know it won't be an enjoyable reading experience for everyone.
But for me personally, reading this book was a rewarding experience that emotionally captivated me on every page. I definitely recommend giving this a chance but don't say I didn't warn you if you don't like it.
Trigger and content warnings for depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse (off-page, side character), cheating (off-page, side character).
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I received an ARC through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!
Want to read
March 2, 20202020 book covers need to sit down.
My eyes can't take this much beauty.
My eyes can't take this much beauty.
September 23, 2020
Well, I'm drained.
I Kissed Alice started out very strong, and I was excited to see where it would take me. I've actually read a few similar books before, and I love the real life enemies, online lovers plotline. Plus, queen teens! I had very high hopes.
However, though this book is billed as a romantic comedy, there is nothing, and I mean nothing funny about this story. Mainly, it's about frenemies being pretty terrible to one another.
It's also not really romantic. It's more of a drama with LGBT teens, and I wish it was billed as that. I kept waiting for it to pick up and live up to expectations, but time and time again, it didn't. There are some very interesting issues at play, and both MCs have a lot of personal issues and drama to work through, but it wasn't a good love story.
A toxic relationship and unlikable MCs made even the fairly good writing difficult to get through. This story was not for me,
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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I Kissed Alice started out very strong, and I was excited to see where it would take me. I've actually read a few similar books before, and I love the real life enemies, online lovers plotline. Plus, queen teens! I had very high hopes.
However, though this book is billed as a romantic comedy, there is nothing, and I mean nothing funny about this story. Mainly, it's about frenemies being pretty terrible to one another.
It's also not really romantic. It's more of a drama with LGBT teens, and I wish it was billed as that. I kept waiting for it to pick up and live up to expectations, but time and time again, it didn't. There are some very interesting issues at play, and both MCs have a lot of personal issues and drama to work through, but it wasn't a good love story.
A toxic relationship and unlikable MCs made even the fairly good writing difficult to get through. This story was not for me,
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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April 10, 2020
You know, before this book, I actually thought I had read enemies-to-lovers before. Now, after having read it, I realize that what I thought was enemies-to-lovers was merely two people who have the most vague irritation fueled by UST towards each other to lovers.
This book was exquisitely written, and if I were a different person on a different day, this would hands down be a five star read. But I do find that I prefer less enemies and more lovers, and that the angst factor was higher by several degrees than I like.
Having said that, I can't think of a single other YA (or even adult novel to be honest),where the girl characters were allowed to be as simultaneously ragged, raw-edged, vital, whole, hopeful, fully realized, sympathetic, and likeable. Other positives were casual and positive LGBTQIA and fat rep, positive portrayals of therapy and mental health awareness, and a laserlike focus on inter-feminine relationships, both romantic and platonic.
I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long time.
This book was exquisitely written, and if I were a different person on a different day, this would hands down be a five star read. But I do find that I prefer less enemies and more lovers, and that the angst factor was higher by several degrees than I like.
Having said that, I can't think of a single other YA (or even adult novel to be honest),where the girl characters were allowed to be as simultaneously ragged, raw-edged, vital, whole, hopeful, fully realized, sympathetic, and likeable. Other positives were casual and positive LGBTQIA and fat rep, positive portrayals of therapy and mental health awareness, and a laserlike focus on inter-feminine relationships, both romantic and platonic.
I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long time.
November 18, 2020
A cute, gay enemies to lovers YA story about girls in art school. 🌈💜
April 21, 2025
Not very good, but I liked the Curious-in-Cheshire and I-kissed-Alice interaction for a while online before the shit all hit the fan and this convoluted mess fell apart. All about some high school students competing in an art contest for a scholarship in Nashville. 2.5 really.
April 8, 2022
I made it to about halfway on inertia alone. The sad fact is that I don't like anybody in this story. Both Rhodes and Iliana are mean, angry, and self-destructive.
Rhodes is deep in depression with an anxiety kicker that nobody else can see, possibly because the characterization is just that poor. I mean, her mom is pretty much evil incarnate (on the "using others for her own gratification" axis) so no surprise she doesn't see it, but neither can anybody else. The author has made Rhodes an active malevolence and that just doesn't fit my experience of someone both depressed and anxious to the point that she's literally failing everything and everybody in her life.
Iliana is a giant bundle of prickly self-involvement who is so busy with her own pain that nobody else even registers. Even her "best friend", Sarah, is merely an occasional visitor to her little world of vengeance and aggrandizement.
And even the anonymous, online relationship is fraught with misunderstandings and recrimination. So even in their curated selves where they feel closely connected, they manipulate and whine and dump emotional payloads all over the place.
All of which spells romance to me! Sorry, someone turned the sarcasm scale to "ludicrous". The single star shouldn't be a surprise at this point. I wasted enough time on it already.
Rhodes is deep in depression with an anxiety kicker that nobody else can see, possibly because the characterization is just that poor. I mean, her mom is pretty much evil incarnate (on the "using others for her own gratification" axis) so no surprise she doesn't see it, but neither can anybody else. The author has made Rhodes an active malevolence and that just doesn't fit my experience of someone both depressed and anxious to the point that she's literally failing everything and everybody in her life.
Iliana is a giant bundle of prickly self-involvement who is so busy with her own pain that nobody else even registers. Even her "best friend", Sarah, is merely an occasional visitor to her little world of vengeance and aggrandizement.
And even the anonymous, online relationship is fraught with misunderstandings and recrimination. So even in their curated selves where they feel closely connected, they manipulate and whine and dump emotional payloads all over the place.
All of which spells romance to me! Sorry, someone turned the sarcasm scale to "ludicrous". The single star shouldn't be a surprise at this point. I wasted enough time on it already.
August 17, 2020
I think the biggest downfall for this book is the marketing. It’s touted as an enemies to lovers romantic comedy. That is 100% false. Yeah, it’s enemies to lovers all right, but nothing in this book is funny. These girls are ruthless to one another to the point that their toxicity destroys each other and themselves.
June 19, 2020
Okay, but this is already one of my favourite f/f romances ever. Halfway through this book, I preordered a physical edition, because I was just loving it that much.
This book is about two girls who share a best friend but HATE each other, but they're also best online friends (who are crushing on each other) who work on a webcomic/fanfic of Alice in Wonderland together, and they don't know each other's real identities.
And the writing??? Is amazing?????? Honestly, this was so well written, and I actually loved how messy the relationships between these girls were. Because that's really just how a lot of teenage friendships work.
To clarify, because you might not know this about me: I'm a HUGE Alice in Wonderland fan (as in, I own around 40 different copies), and this book is speaking to my autistic "gets obsessed with certain fandoms" soul. In that sense, it reminded me of a sapphic version of Fangirl or Eliza and Her Monsters. And we all know sapphic means superior.
This book is about two girls who share a best friend but HATE each other, but they're also best online friends (who are crushing on each other) who work on a webcomic/fanfic of Alice in Wonderland together, and they don't know each other's real identities.
And the writing??? Is amazing?????? Honestly, this was so well written, and I actually loved how messy the relationships between these girls were. Because that's really just how a lot of teenage friendships work.
To clarify, because you might not know this about me: I'm a HUGE Alice in Wonderland fan (as in, I own around 40 different copies), and this book is speaking to my autistic "gets obsessed with certain fandoms" soul. In that sense, it reminded me of a sapphic version of Fangirl or Eliza and Her Monsters. And we all know sapphic means superior.
May 4, 2020
I felt like this book suffered from a poor execution of its basic enemies to lovers trope-premise. The initial set up is that Rhodes and Iliana hate each other for some unclear reason or another. Both are friends with Sarah and seem jealous of the other but neither is romantically interested in Sarah, so it's just a jealousy over which is perceived to be the better "best friend". Frankly, the Sarah character flitters throughout this book but is never developed enough to feel particular germane to the story. Added to the jealousy motivating factor for the hatred, there is also a somewhat confusing event that had occurred the previous school year where the girls were caught attending an art installation while high--and apparently...arrested? After a rocky set of initial chapters told through alternating first person perspectives of Iliana and Rhodes to set up the mutual hatred, we're introduced to "Cheshire" and "Alice" through a DM conversation on a fan fiction website where they've been submitting their webcomic based on Alice in Wonderland. Naturally for this trope to work, neither Iliana nor Rhodes has any idea that their online counterpart is the other girl. But this is where much of the story ended up breaking down for me. It wasn't clear that the online personas were romantically interested in each other until a random conversation about "sexts" but other than that, the DM conversations are dull. "Cheshire" and "Alice"'s actual relationship sounded to have developed the previous summer or school year, before the events of this book. There was just such a disconnect for me with where these characters were at in their own headspaces and where the author drops the reader in the story. This almost felt like the second or third book of a series, so much history happens and is eluded to but the reader isn't part of any of it. So instead we have massive amounts of telling instead of showing. We don't see a relationship evolving between Cheshire and Alice, it's not completely clear or reasonable why Rhodes and Iliana hate each other, Sarah is set up to be an important character but never quite develops into one, and while the Wonderland comic seems like it would be important to the story, there are maybe just 4 or 5 small panels included in the book and none really parallel the characters and events they correspond with.
Ultimately, this felt like an unfocused story. The reader was denied the more interesting bits--this webcomic and the importance of the relationship between Cheshire and Alice. What remains are too many small pieces of what could have been a strong whole.
ARC provided by NetGalley
Ultimately, this felt like an unfocused story. The reader was denied the more interesting bits--this webcomic and the importance of the relationship between Cheshire and Alice. What remains are too many small pieces of what could have been a strong whole.
ARC provided by NetGalley
Read
May 24, 2020
July 17, 2020
Thank you to Edelweiss+ to have given me a free arc for an honest review
I dont know who to blame this Review on: the author or the marketing person. I dont really have a problem with the book itself BUT the summary dont add up to the book in my opinion. In the summary we read that we have a rom-com with 2 Girls who are enemies due to their art but they meet anamously online and bound over some fanart. And from enemies they become lovers.
But to me the book isnt about to Girls having some sort of rivaly over their art at all. They have a third friend whom they fight over. And its not a very cute way or a silly rivaly but a full on toxic one.
I got intrested in this because of the art rivaly thing. I been seeing alot of art drama lately on social media. People accusing others of copying, tracing and stealing art. Art is a sensetive topic, who created it and did you give credit to the right people. I would have love to see this play out in an art school.
I myself had two friends in high school who i today understand had a smaller rival thing going on because of me. I msyelf didnt notice this at all. But we were Young and they didnt want to lose me to the other.
In this book though we have a petty and toxic relationship. The third party girl know they dont like eachother and its not just disslie but its pure hate. I never really understood where this extreme hate came from to be fair. More than one been childhood friends and one just added on to the Group. is it the same situation as with my two good friends, them wanting her for themselves and are afraid of losing their one true friend?
But then again….do you truly hate someone that much over that? I get being annoyed etc. But this is full on toxic and they try their best to involve the third girl in wanting to choose a side and not invite the other one.
Another thing that did annoy me was the fact that I couldnt tell if they were truly gay or bisexual or straight. I felt like they Went back and forth alot. When it suits me im this.
I dont know who been watching 90 Days fiance and the first ever gay couple Erika och Stephanie. Just like their relationship felt odd and not truly “gay” it didnt in this book either. I wanted more true feelings and less petty and toxic teen drama.
The summary also said they was suppost to be completly different but I couldnt tell the difference between them. The book is told through their boths perspective and i must say i sometimes though i read about the other. I wanted them to be more than their hate for eachother.
Many people seem to be annoyed over the fanart and fandom part of this book. I myself dont mind it. I mean come on, cant we all agree on being stupid when we love something and we do super emberessing fanart or other fan content that we might regret later. Yes, the Alice in wonderland is overused but can we choose our love for something?
The story itself is really good, the Writing isnt bad and i did enjoy it for the most parts. But if i didnt read the summary of the book I would have enjoyed it better and because of that my rating is low. With this I dont want to make anyone feel scared of trying t out. Do you enjoy freniemies-to-lovers plot with fanart and other nerdy things sprincled on top of that this is for sure the book for you.
I dont know who to blame this Review on: the author or the marketing person. I dont really have a problem with the book itself BUT the summary dont add up to the book in my opinion. In the summary we read that we have a rom-com with 2 Girls who are enemies due to their art but they meet anamously online and bound over some fanart. And from enemies they become lovers.
But to me the book isnt about to Girls having some sort of rivaly over their art at all. They have a third friend whom they fight over. And its not a very cute way or a silly rivaly but a full on toxic one.
I got intrested in this because of the art rivaly thing. I been seeing alot of art drama lately on social media. People accusing others of copying, tracing and stealing art. Art is a sensetive topic, who created it and did you give credit to the right people. I would have love to see this play out in an art school.
I myself had two friends in high school who i today understand had a smaller rival thing going on because of me. I msyelf didnt notice this at all. But we were Young and they didnt want to lose me to the other.
In this book though we have a petty and toxic relationship. The third party girl know they dont like eachother and its not just disslie but its pure hate. I never really understood where this extreme hate came from to be fair. More than one been childhood friends and one just added on to the Group. is it the same situation as with my two good friends, them wanting her for themselves and are afraid of losing their one true friend?
But then again….do you truly hate someone that much over that? I get being annoyed etc. But this is full on toxic and they try their best to involve the third girl in wanting to choose a side and not invite the other one.
Another thing that did annoy me was the fact that I couldnt tell if they were truly gay or bisexual or straight. I felt like they Went back and forth alot. When it suits me im this.
I dont know who been watching 90 Days fiance and the first ever gay couple Erika och Stephanie. Just like their relationship felt odd and not truly “gay” it didnt in this book either. I wanted more true feelings and less petty and toxic teen drama.
The summary also said they was suppost to be completly different but I couldnt tell the difference between them. The book is told through their boths perspective and i must say i sometimes though i read about the other. I wanted them to be more than their hate for eachother.
Many people seem to be annoyed over the fanart and fandom part of this book. I myself dont mind it. I mean come on, cant we all agree on being stupid when we love something and we do super emberessing fanart or other fan content that we might regret later. Yes, the Alice in wonderland is overused but can we choose our love for something?
The story itself is really good, the Writing isnt bad and i did enjoy it for the most parts. But if i didnt read the summary of the book I would have enjoyed it better and because of that my rating is low. With this I dont want to make anyone feel scared of trying t out. Do you enjoy freniemies-to-lovers plot with fanart and other nerdy things sprincled on top of that this is for sure the book for you.
August 1, 2020
Sapphic YA romance about two messy art students who hate each other in real life while they are in love online creating a fancomic together.
Read the full review on the blog!
Content warnings include: bullying, loss of scholarship, corruption, nepotism, abusive parents, class difference, destruction of art property; mentions of teens consuming drugs.
I loved the setup for this book. I adore enemies-to-lovers trope, and Rhodes and Iliana truly do hate each other, even though they share the same best friend, Sarah.
As I said before, the book is messy. I loved that because I do think it's important to show more mean, headstrong girls who make mistakes and hurt others in YA and fiction in general. However, that also made the overall mood sort of dire. Pretty much throughout the entire book, Iliana and Rhodes hurt each other and others, and a lot of time is spent fighting or resenting someone. Added to that Rhodes has depression, artblock and abusive parents, while Iliana desperately needs another scholarship in order to go to college since her previous one was taken away, and wants to prove she's earned her spot.
I think both Rhodes' and especially Iliana's stories are important. The themes of the book are picked and delivered well.
However the execution of it all and the way the character development worked, and the way a lot of things ended up and weren't adressed in the end wasn't my favourite. I would have liked more closure for Sarah and Griffin.
While the pacing worked overall, again, I personally would have liked to see some things slower and others more quickly.
Ultimately this has a great setup, and I loved that it shows teenage girls being messy and far from perfect, making mistakes and falling in love.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Read the full review on the blog!
Content warnings include: bullying, loss of scholarship, corruption, nepotism, abusive parents, class difference, destruction of art property; mentions of teens consuming drugs.
I loved the setup for this book. I adore enemies-to-lovers trope, and Rhodes and Iliana truly do hate each other, even though they share the same best friend, Sarah.
As I said before, the book is messy. I loved that because I do think it's important to show more mean, headstrong girls who make mistakes and hurt others in YA and fiction in general. However, that also made the overall mood sort of dire. Pretty much throughout the entire book, Iliana and Rhodes hurt each other and others, and a lot of time is spent fighting or resenting someone. Added to that Rhodes has depression, artblock and abusive parents, while Iliana desperately needs another scholarship in order to go to college since her previous one was taken away, and wants to prove she's earned her spot.
I think both Rhodes' and especially Iliana's stories are important. The themes of the book are picked and delivered well.
However the execution of it all and the way the character development worked, and the way a lot of things ended up and weren't adressed in the end wasn't my favourite. I would have liked more closure for Sarah and Griffin.
While the pacing worked overall, again, I personally would have liked to see some things slower and others more quickly.
Ultimately this has a great setup, and I loved that it shows teenage girls being messy and far from perfect, making mistakes and falling in love.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
July 1, 2020
[I received a digital arc from netgalley for an honest review]
I wanted to like this book. Enemies to lovers romantic comedy and an Alice in Wonderland theme made me so excited. Let's start with this is not a romantic comedy. I laughed zero times and nothing about any of this made me want to chuckle.
Essentially this story is about two girls, Rhodes and Iliana, who have the same best friend, Sarah and who hate each other to an extreme. They are in competition for an art scholarship and in competition over their friends Sarah. Yet online they are more than best friends under their online identities and have created an Alice retelling comic. When one of them discovers their true identities things change and everything spirals out of control.
This book is depressing. Both girls are going through their own issues and mentally not handling things well. The females in this book, including our main leads, are not nice people. The relationships are toxic, especially Rhodes relationship with her mother. The bright side in it all is that they both reflect on their actions and see the error of their ways. Iliana goes through a major character growth for the better.
Sadly all the Alice in Wonderland references couldn't make up for the fact that this book was not what it expected it to be. I Kissed Alice needs to step away from the romantic comedy tag line and live as a YA LGBT contemporary.
I wanted to like this book. Enemies to lovers romantic comedy and an Alice in Wonderland theme made me so excited. Let's start with this is not a romantic comedy. I laughed zero times and nothing about any of this made me want to chuckle.
Essentially this story is about two girls, Rhodes and Iliana, who have the same best friend, Sarah and who hate each other to an extreme. They are in competition for an art scholarship and in competition over their friends Sarah. Yet online they are more than best friends under their online identities and have created an Alice retelling comic. When one of them discovers their true identities things change and everything spirals out of control.
This book is depressing. Both girls are going through their own issues and mentally not handling things well. The females in this book, including our main leads, are not nice people. The relationships are toxic, especially Rhodes relationship with her mother. The bright side in it all is that they both reflect on their actions and see the error of their ways. Iliana goes through a major character growth for the better.
Sadly all the Alice in Wonderland references couldn't make up for the fact that this book was not what it expected it to be. I Kissed Alice needs to step away from the romantic comedy tag line and live as a YA LGBT contemporary.
August 12, 2020
Rep: bi mc, lesbian mc with depression and anxiety
(3.5)
may come back and round up but rounding down for now
(3.5)
may come back and round up but rounding down for now
March 19, 2021
I kissed Alice by Anna birch
Well I finally finished this book. I kind of liked this was confused for some of the book. But I like the book for the most part. I feel the beginning of the book could of been done a little bit better.
This book follows two I oung girls name iliana and Rhodes. They happen to enemy's except for online one fanfic page. They both have no idea that their enemy is who they are falling for online. The two girls go to a fancy art school and they are both going for the same big scholarship. Only one can win.
Raiting: 3 stars 🌟
Well I finally finished this book. I kind of liked this was confused for some of the book. But I like the book for the most part. I feel the beginning of the book could of been done a little bit better.
This book follows two I oung girls name iliana and Rhodes. They happen to enemy's except for online one fanfic page. They both have no idea that their enemy is who they are falling for online. The two girls go to a fancy art school and they are both going for the same big scholarship. Only one can win.
Raiting: 3 stars 🌟
August 22, 2021
2.75/5 Stars
I Kissed Alice is a YA romance that I was expecting to like a lot more, in the end I'm sorry to say that I found this novel to be just an okay read, definitely not something that will stay with me for long.
The idea of Rhodes and Iliana's online friendship might have been cute if it had been explored a bit more in my opinion.
Moreover, I wasn't the biggest fan of how everything went down at the end of the novel and how some characters behaved, it just didn't sit right with me.
I Kissed Alice is a YA romance that I was expecting to like a lot more, in the end I'm sorry to say that I found this novel to be just an okay read, definitely not something that will stay with me for long.
The idea of Rhodes and Iliana's online friendship might have been cute if it had been explored a bit more in my opinion.
Moreover, I wasn't the biggest fan of how everything went down at the end of the novel and how some characters behaved, it just didn't sit right with me.
March 24, 2021
↠ 1 star
Wow. Talk about drawing the short end of the stick because this book was nothing like I anticipated. I Kissed Alice is marketed as a Rivals to lovers between two girls attending an art school. Both Iliana and Rhodes desperately want to win the Capstone scholarship, which will only be awarded to one student. What ensues is a competition for the scholarship, but unbeknownst to either of them they continue to collaborate on an online web comic together. A project they both have been working on for months.
The actual bulk of the story, however, differs greatly from the premise. I want to preface this by saying that I have never read a book so far off from its synopsis or what it was presented as, and that was biggest problem I had with this book. Instead of the promised rivalry between the two main characters, they spend most of the book fighting over the affection of a mutual friend. From the beginning, the author doesn't give any background or past information on either of the main characters which only served to make me confused as a reader. There were also things that were alluded to early on that weren't given any context to that ended up making reading this such a chore. I felt like I was reading a barebones or first draft version of what this was supposed to be, and knowing this was a final version just made me so upset. All of the characters were so unlikeable, never seeming to develop from who they were at the beginning to the end of the novel. The romantic aspect was just as underdeveloped. The only thing I enjoyed, was how different panels of the Alice in Wonderland web comic the two characters were working on was shown throughout the book. It was a much needed break from everything else that was going on. This book was definitely a let down for me, which is disappointing given how excited I was to read it.
Wow. Talk about drawing the short end of the stick because this book was nothing like I anticipated. I Kissed Alice is marketed as a Rivals to lovers between two girls attending an art school. Both Iliana and Rhodes desperately want to win the Capstone scholarship, which will only be awarded to one student. What ensues is a competition for the scholarship, but unbeknownst to either of them they continue to collaborate on an online web comic together. A project they both have been working on for months.
The actual bulk of the story, however, differs greatly from the premise. I want to preface this by saying that I have never read a book so far off from its synopsis or what it was presented as, and that was biggest problem I had with this book. Instead of the promised rivalry between the two main characters, they spend most of the book fighting over the affection of a mutual friend. From the beginning, the author doesn't give any background or past information on either of the main characters which only served to make me confused as a reader. There were also things that were alluded to early on that weren't given any context to that ended up making reading this such a chore. I felt like I was reading a barebones or first draft version of what this was supposed to be, and knowing this was a final version just made me so upset. All of the characters were so unlikeable, never seeming to develop from who they were at the beginning to the end of the novel. The romantic aspect was just as underdeveloped. The only thing I enjoyed, was how different panels of the Alice in Wonderland web comic the two characters were working on was shown throughout the book. It was a much needed break from everything else that was going on. This book was definitely a let down for me, which is disappointing given how excited I was to read it.
March 12, 2021
I really liked it!
This has been on my to-read, or at least in my sights for months, but I finally found a copy this month, so I was really excited to start this one!
The characters were really good, the writing amazing, the illustrations awesome, and the plot just engrossing!??!
I really like the enemies-to-lovers trope, and this one really delivered on that front. The fanfiction was just amazing, and their chemistry really good. I love books like this where they meet and interact online, then meet in real life but don't know each other, then one of them finds out and then the angst filled goodness I have come to read about.
What I didn't like was the Sarah plot:
I really loved it, and I recommend it to anyone who likes romance, (F/F romance, because that's one I haven't seen a lot of, and have read very little), fanfiction, the enemies-to-lovers trope, and just a teen romance in general.
This has been on my to-read, or at least in my sights for months, but I finally found a copy this month, so I was really excited to start this one!
The characters were really good, the writing amazing, the illustrations awesome, and the plot just engrossing!??!
I really like the enemies-to-lovers trope, and this one really delivered on that front. The fanfiction was just amazing, and their chemistry really good. I love books like this where they meet and interact online, then meet in real life but don't know each other, then one of them finds out and then the angst filled goodness I have come to read about.
What I didn't like was the Sarah plot:
I really loved it, and I recommend it to anyone who likes romance, (F/F romance, because that's one I haven't seen a lot of, and have read very little), fanfiction, the enemies-to-lovers trope, and just a teen romance in general.
October 19, 2020
my emotions are...mixed. the characters in this book are totally narcissistic, mean, and unlikeable - but also impossible not to root for and relate to on some level. i’d almost say “i kissed alice” read more like an outline than a novel. patches of info and buildup are “missing” or lacking, and the whole book up until some of the very last scenes are loaded with an addicting tension that just dissipates all of a sudden.
EDIT: the longer it's been since i read this book, the less i like it....so do with that what you will...
EDIT: the longer it's been since i read this book, the less i like it....so do with that what you will...
March 18, 2022
DNF at 38%
These characters are so toxic and vicious towards each other, I just don't want to do anything with the drama
These characters are so toxic and vicious towards each other, I just don't want to do anything with the drama
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dnf
June 27, 2020DNF at 21%
Just not feeling it. I think this is more me and my general mood and not really jonesing with YA angst than this book.
Probably won't pick it up again, but I am very happy that it exists in this world. We need more f/f YA.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review
Just not feeling it. I think this is more me and my general mood and not really jonesing with YA angst than this book.
Probably won't pick it up again, but I am very happy that it exists in this world. We need more f/f YA.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review
maybe
February 26, 2019"Two girls at a southern school for the arts find themselves in a bitter rivalry over the final spot in the scholarship program, even as they anonymously fall in love on a fanfic site" is this the real life
August 31, 2023
CW: classism
Rep: Illiana (MC) is cis, white, and bisexual. Other MC is sapphic.
DNFed at 39% because I literally couldn't care less
Rep: Illiana (MC) is cis, white, and bisexual. Other MC is sapphic.
DNFed at 39% because I literally couldn't care less
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