What I Like About You

cute & very cringey. this author makes a good point though when the main character says she will always defend YA even though at some point she knows it isn’t written ~for~ her.i think the main reason why i didn’t love this is because it wasn’t ~for~ me and that’s okay. i enjoyed it and it helped me get closer to my goal so i’ll take it as a positive experience.

Anyone who's ever had a bookstagram should read this super cute story of a girl who's in love with her online best friend, but when she meets him IRL, she's too scared to tell him who she is. Marisa Kanter has perfectly nailed the awkwardness of teen romance and figuring out who you are, both IRL and online.As the creator of One True Pastry, Kels bakes cupcakes to go with book covers. She makes online friends, including a talented comic book artist, Nash.But Kels is really Halle, and when she happens to move to Nash's town and meet him in the library, it seems like fate. Except Halle is worried that she wouldn't be cool enough to match up to the picture in Nash's head. As their friendship grows and sparks begin to fly, Halle almost tells him the truth several times, but can't quite bring herself to do it. It's a perfectly awkward situation where Halle finds herself in a love triangle where she's competing with herself.

I have such mixed feelings. The book includes conversations on how young adult books are meant for teens not adults and as an adult who dabbles in YA, this sort of rubbed me the wrong way but I also understood the sentiment to a certain extent. In fact, this book might be the perfect example of when YA is truly meant for a younger demographic than myself - I struggled with the desire to DNF it because I could not connect with Halle (the main character) and really wanted to yell at/shake her for the majority of the book. In the end, I’m glad I pushed through; the explorations of grief and anxiety, the importance of healthy ambition and pursuit of goals, the value of friendships and the WORK that goes into developing and maintaining good relationships, as well as an examination of the (some times) difference between our real selves and our digital selves is so very relevant and with the rollercoaster ride Halle put me through.

I bought the kindle edition of "What I Like About You" because I needed a good, long read that would completely engross me in the story. What I got was so much more.I cried at some parts (those who have read it will know which to which ones I am referring), I laughed (out loud) at some parts. This book was everything I wanted and needed. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is now one of my favorite reads- which is kind of shocking, because I haven't been enjoying the YA genre as much lately. If you need an emotional release or are in the midst of a massive book hangover, I cannot recommend you read this book enough.

I am an adult who sometimes reads YA but I usually read sci fi not regular fiction. But glad I did. I love this book on so many levels. Who has not gotten tangled up in a deception and felt agonized about how to get out of it? I also like the fact the Jewish identity of the characters is there, it is not the center of the story but is just there. And..most of all I wish the cupcakes were real. This book makes me WANT cupcakes!!!!!

It’s a solid 3 stars out of 5 . It was a tough read considering she was quite insecure but I always say it’s just because she was discovering herself. YA romance vocal point is usually that. Yet, it was a lot over analyzing paragraphs that killed it for me and I just sadly didn’t see the spark between them. In any case, it’s still one of the books to read for fun!

This was such a fantastic debut! It drew me in quickly, and I found the characters flawed and lovable. Kanter does a fantastic job of showing what can happen when online friendships and crushes become real-life relationships.

An engaging and heartwarming story! Cleverly written and well paced! Characters are well developed and empathetic. A must read for any age!