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dilemm4's review against another edition
1.0
1.5 stars...super cheesy very “millennial” in a bad way.
glitterkitter's review against another edition
2.0
I could not support the relationship in this book at all. They have a cute moment when they first meet, but everything after is terrible communication, misinterpreting things, jealousy and overreaction. And the friendships in this book aren't much better.
There's also some gross body image stuff in here. The main character is constantly insecure about her looks because she's not hot/model like beautiful. And people keep reassuring her that it's okay. Not because there are things more important and those are horrible standards to be held to, but because she's a different sort of beautiful, the sort that lasts, while the other will fade and be worthless.
There's some good getting into the mindset of the way awkward teenagers think and their insecurities, but the entire book was focused on the progression of a relationship I did not find healthy at all.
There's also some gross body image stuff in here. The main character is constantly insecure about her looks because she's not hot/model like beautiful. And people keep reassuring her that it's okay. Not because there are things more important and those are horrible standards to be held to, but because she's a different sort of beautiful, the sort that lasts, while the other will fade and be worthless.
There's some good getting into the mindset of the way awkward teenagers think and their insecurities, but the entire book was focused on the progression of a relationship I did not find healthy at all.
emmanovella's review against another edition
3.0
I read this whilst on holiday and all I really remember is just trying to finish it. In all fairness, my mum is an avid "let's walk miles and miles and miles to go in all the shops every single day" person so I never really had the chance to read except one morning it rained and I woke up sick so that may explain why I didn't love it. I also didn't get the whole 'lobster' reference? I think it's from friends? Idk, I'm one of those weird creatures who never saw it and doesn't care to... oops.
claremm's review against another edition
3.0
This book didn't really work for me. I understand that it was intentionally cringe worthy, but I struggled. I didn't find it funny or sweet at all. Just not for me :-(
ashleighmacro's review against another edition
4.0
Funny & honest UKYA novel makes a perfect summer contemporary that you won’t be able to put down.
(Originally published on my blog, Ashleigh Online.)
This is without doubt one of my favourite books of the year so far and will definitely find its way into the mid-year Top Ten Tuesday coming up soon. It’s honest, funny and bold, and is the perfect book to take to a festival or on a camping trip this summer. What’s more, it’s a UKYA book, making it extra relatable for those of us living in good old England.
Lobsters alternates between the points of view of Hannah and Sam, both believable and realistic teenage characters. They have wonderfully distinct voices and I didn’t for one moment get confused. That’s because Tom Ellen wrote Sam’s parts and Lucy Ivison wrote Hannah’s, and it works like a charm.
This was a rare case in which the instalove really worked for me. When Hannah and Sam first meet in a bathroom they bond over hot Ribena of all things, but their rare connection is rudely interrupted a mere matter of minutes later, tearing them apart before they’d even learned each other’s names.
The weeks that follow see Hannah and Sam constantly thinking about each other, but the obstacles and hiccups they face along the way make the build-up and anticipation of them finally reconciling utterly addictive. I couldn’t put this book down.
I think I’ve got a love for this kind of novel – alternating narratives, especially if they’re male/female, seem to be getting better. I also love the British summertime feel to Lobsters, something I discovered made a welcome return to my bookshelf when I picked up Remix by Non Pratt a week ago (review coming soon). They both feature festivals, too, which is not exactly my scene but I’ve discovered I love reading YA about them.
I do think it’s important to note that Lobsters has a lot of swearing in it, though. It makes the book all the more realistic to me, but I know that some younger readers might find it inappropriate. There’s even the C word at one point – I think it’s the first time I’ve ever witnessed that in YA.
It was Lobsters that made me decide to introduce half stars to Ashleigh Online reviews. It’s such a great book, but there are definitely a few other books I’ve read in my lifetime that I enjoyed more. So 4.5 stars seems perfect. I’m going to be a little stricter with my ratings from now on, and I think the half stars will help with that.
(Originally published on my blog, Ashleigh Online.)
This is without doubt one of my favourite books of the year so far and will definitely find its way into the mid-year Top Ten Tuesday coming up soon. It’s honest, funny and bold, and is the perfect book to take to a festival or on a camping trip this summer. What’s more, it’s a UKYA book, making it extra relatable for those of us living in good old England.
Lobsters alternates between the points of view of Hannah and Sam, both believable and realistic teenage characters. They have wonderfully distinct voices and I didn’t for one moment get confused. That’s because Tom Ellen wrote Sam’s parts and Lucy Ivison wrote Hannah’s, and it works like a charm.
This was a rare case in which the instalove really worked for me. When Hannah and Sam first meet in a bathroom they bond over hot Ribena of all things, but their rare connection is rudely interrupted a mere matter of minutes later, tearing them apart before they’d even learned each other’s names.
The weeks that follow see Hannah and Sam constantly thinking about each other, but the obstacles and hiccups they face along the way make the build-up and anticipation of them finally reconciling utterly addictive. I couldn’t put this book down.
I think I’ve got a love for this kind of novel – alternating narratives, especially if they’re male/female, seem to be getting better. I also love the British summertime feel to Lobsters, something I discovered made a welcome return to my bookshelf when I picked up Remix by Non Pratt a week ago (review coming soon). They both feature festivals, too, which is not exactly my scene but I’ve discovered I love reading YA about them.
I do think it’s important to note that Lobsters has a lot of swearing in it, though. It makes the book all the more realistic to me, but I know that some younger readers might find it inappropriate. There’s even the C word at one point – I think it’s the first time I’ve ever witnessed that in YA.
It was Lobsters that made me decide to introduce half stars to Ashleigh Online reviews. It’s such a great book, but there are definitely a few other books I’ve read in my lifetime that I enjoyed more. So 4.5 stars seems perfect. I’m going to be a little stricter with my ratings from now on, and I think the half stars will help with that.
luna_rondo's review against another edition
1.0
This is one of those books that people say "Never judge a book by it's cover" about. If it isn't, it should be. A Totally Awkward Love Story is about sex.
Honestly.
Really.
That's what it's about, with a side dash of frenemies and characters you want to punch. Ten minutes in a purple bathroom starts off the most EPIC-ly boring love story, in which I can't actually figure out why they love each other (they both like... hot grape juice?!?!). Hannah lets her friends walk right over her, Sam hooks up every other chapter with a different girl and has some major double standard issues.
This book gets all the thumbs down and a one star rating. It should be a negative star.
Honestly.
Really.
That's what it's about, with a side dash of frenemies and characters you want to punch. Ten minutes in a purple bathroom starts off the most EPIC-ly boring love story, in which I can't actually figure out why they love each other (they both like... hot grape juice?!?!). Hannah lets her friends walk right over her, Sam hooks up every other chapter with a different girl and has some major double standard issues.
Spoiler
Sam freaks out because Pax, a guy in an earlier chapter, shows up and Sam finds out that they had a kiss WEEKS AGO; meanwhile, Sam and Hannah had just met up again and he had been full on hooking up with a girl named Miranda/Panda - which Hannah and her friends interrupted. Yeah, sorry, Sam. You are nowhere in the right in this situation.This book gets all the thumbs down and a one star rating. It should be a negative star.
patty_creatively_bookish's review against another edition
3.0
Verhaal: 3/5
Karakters: 4/5
Schrijfstijl: 3,5/5
Papier/audio? Papier.
Herlezen: Als ik weer eens iets super luchtigs wil lezen, ja.
lizeindisney's review against another edition
5.0
link to blog
Sam and Hannah are going to university in September, and only have the holidays to find their lobster. Anyone who has watched Friends knows that a lobster is someone's soulmate, and I'm hoping that it is actually a Friends reference. I must admit, the title is actually why I bought the book.
Sam and Hannah meet in a bathroom at a party, and as they bond over hot Ribena, they know they are each other's lobster. But they don't exchange names or numbers, so Sam is known to Hannah's friends as 'Toilet Boy' and Sam refers to Hannah as 'Ribena Girl'.
Neither of them have had sex, and worry about going to university as virgins. Most of their friends have done it, although Hannah's friend Tilly is - hilariously - in 'hymen limbo' which I absolutely cried laughing at. Finding their lobster and losing their virginity are very important to both of them.
Although they didn't arrange to meet up again, fate steps in the way in the form of Woodland Festival in Devon. I love books where fate steps in, as Serendipity is one of my favourite films. I wouldn't say it's the teenage version of it or anything, but just that I really enjoyed the element of fate in the book.
I really enjoyed this book, it had me laughing so hard in places, and worrying in places too. The ending completely took me by surprise, but it ended on a very funny note and I loved that. Sam and Hannah were both incredibly likeable, and I loved reading both of their stories.
Sam and Hannah are going to university in September, and only have the holidays to find their lobster. Anyone who has watched Friends knows that a lobster is someone's soulmate, and I'm hoping that it is actually a Friends reference. I must admit, the title is actually why I bought the book.
Sam and Hannah meet in a bathroom at a party, and as they bond over hot Ribena, they know they are each other's lobster. But they don't exchange names or numbers, so Sam is known to Hannah's friends as 'Toilet Boy' and Sam refers to Hannah as 'Ribena Girl'.
Neither of them have had sex, and worry about going to university as virgins. Most of their friends have done it, although Hannah's friend Tilly is - hilariously - in 'hymen limbo' which I absolutely cried laughing at. Finding their lobster and losing their virginity are very important to both of them.
Although they didn't arrange to meet up again, fate steps in the way in the form of Woodland Festival in Devon. I love books where fate steps in, as Serendipity is one of my favourite films. I wouldn't say it's the teenage version of it or anything, but just that I really enjoyed the element of fate in the book.
I really enjoyed this book, it had me laughing so hard in places, and worrying in places too. The ending completely took me by surprise, but it ended on a very funny note and I loved that. Sam and Hannah were both incredibly likeable, and I loved reading both of their stories.