Happy Friday, friends! I hope you’re all doing well! Today I am here to highlight a gorgeous book, both inside and out with this bullet-point review. Here’s to hoping I might convince you to read it!
The book
Riley Redgate, Final Draft, Published by Amulet Books, June 12th, 2018.
The only sort of risk 18-year-old Laila Piedra enjoys is the peril she writes for the characters in her stories: epic sci-fi worlds full of quests, forbidden love, and robots. Her creative writing teacher has always told her she has a special talent. But three months before her graduation, he’s suddenly replaced—by Nadiya Nazarenko, a Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist who is sadistically critical and perpetually unimpressed.
At first, Nazarenko’s eccentric assignments seem absurd. But before long, Laila grows obsessed with gaining the woman’s approval. Soon Laila is pushing herself far from her comfort zone, discovering the psychedelic highs and perilous lows of nightlife, temporary flings, and instability. Dr. Nazarenko has led Laila to believe that she must choose between perfection and sanity—but rejecting her all-powerful mentor may be the only way for Laila to thrive.
I ENJOYED…
?
There’s so much to love about this story, I don’t even know where to start, please bear with me.
- This story has a teenage writer as a main character. This story deals with writing struggles and I WAS ALL HERE FOR THIS. Yet, it’s not only about writing: it’s about failure, expectations you set for yourself and for other, struggles to be perfect and so on. I loved this.
- Our main character, Laila, is one of my favorites. She is bi-racial, with an Equatorian dad and a French-Canadian mom, she is plus-size, she is pansexual. We have such an amazingly diverse main character, that also deals with anxiety and depression in the story and, while this seems like A LOT written down like that, it’s NOT. The author has a way of making everything flow and creating characters, three-dimensional ones with their experiences and uniqueness and I AM HERE FOR IT.
- We also have such an amazing emphasis on friendships in the story, with such a great group of freinds I LOVED. They all get together and fangirl over the same tv show. I loved that. Also, one of the friends, Hannah, is a Korean lesbian and yay another diverse character. I loved her as well.
- No spoilers, and even if I kind of saw it coming, there is an adorable romance and I SHIPPED THEM FROM THE START.
- Also, points for the sisters’ relationship, just because I really love sisters relationships in my books.
I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…
?
- I’m going to be honest here and tell you that I’ve been thinking about what I didn’t enjoy in this book and… I didn’t manage to find what. You know, sometimes you have a book you perfectly love, but it missed that little spark to be a five-stars? I think there’s a little bit of that.
OVERALL
Final Draft was everything I expected it to be. I loved the characters and the main character’s development through the story, loved the way the story was written and the cast of characters surrounding her. If you’re looking for a great read with a writer, with a great friendship, with adorable romance, if you’re just looking for a great book to read, just get this one.
Final rating: 4,5 drops!
The biggest thanks to ABRAMS Books / Amulet Books for sending me an ARC of this book. This did not, in any way, affect my opinion and this review.
Trigger warnings: grief, death.
Do you want to read Final Draft? Why, or why not? Did you read any of Riley Redgate’s books so far?
Do you know other stories with writers as main characters? Let me know in comments!
ICYMI in my monthly wrap-up, I’m on a small break, which means I most likely won’t be blog-hopping and answering to comments. Be back around the 10th of June! xx
Okay, so consider this one already on my TBR. You totally sold this to me ? This book definitely sounds so interesting with such amazing diverse characters and relationships. I can’t wait to read it.
Considerinf June is the #pridemonth, this seems to be a perfect read. Thank you so much for putting this on my TBR ❤️
AHHH YES I AM SO HAPPY! I hope you’ll read it soon and that you will enjoy it, it was such a great read 😀 <3
Awesome review ❤ ?
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Can’t wait to read this one. Thanks for your review.
Oh thank you so much!! I hope you’ll read it and will love it as much as I did 🙂
Oh, I love books about young writers. Adding this one to my wishlist! I can’t believe I’ve not seen this one around, but I guess it’s not quite out yet 😀 Thanks for the awesome review. I now have quite the growing list of new releases from authors I’ve not read before.
This book hasn’t gotten much hype so far – I find it very sad though, it was such a GREAT story! I’m glad you are adding it to your wishlist and I hope you will love it as much as I did 😀
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! <3 <3
Wonderful review, Marie! 🙂 I added this book to my TBR because friendships and sister relationships and everything else you mentioned…IT LOOKS SO GOOD!
Oh thank you very much Olivia, this makes me so happy <3 I hope you'll read and love it! 😀
This books sounds amazing, and your review is definitely getting me wanting to get a copy. For me, if there’s a book about writing struggles, I’m ALL FOR IT. Us bloggers and writers face writing struggles daily, and if we don’t face them daily, we’re still facing struggles every once in a while. I loved this post! 😀
Aw thank you so, so much! It really was a wonderful book and I loved how the main character was a writer as well – we need more books like this one for sure 😀
Thank you so much! 😀
Welcome, and you’re completely right!
Aww! This book sounds so cute! I really hope I get a chance to read it! (Especially since it’s #PrideMonth!) AND YAY!! BULLET POINT REVIEWS ARE GREAT!!
It was such a cute and amazing book – perfect for this month!! I hope you’ll get to read it soon and that you will LOVE it 😀
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! xx
I really want hope I get to read it!! So far, I’ve only read a couple of LGBTQ ?️? Books this month and they were my first! Which was exciting!! I can’t wait to get a copy! No problem! xx❤️?
YAY that’s so great, I hope you’ll enjoy all of your reads for this Pride month 😀 and hope you’ll be able to squeeze in this one, it’s worth it 🙂
Thank you!! <3
Haha! Yes! I’m super excited! I hope I can! No problem! xx❤️?
This sounds so fantastic! I haven’t read a book that’s been really focused on writing (this topic isn’t talked about enough from where I’m standing!) so I’m really glad you thought it was handled well. I completely get the whole ‘spark’ dealio. It feels kind of awful to dock stars (or half-stars!) for something so unquantifiable but really, connecting with a book and being immersed in it’s specialness and wonderfulness is something that is really unquantifiable. Lovely review, Marie!
Laura @BlueEyeBooks
I’m with you – I feel like we could use so many books talking about writing, or with writers as main characters. I LOVE it so much. I hope you’ll give this one a try!
YES, rating books is such a tricky business haha, I’m always struggling with that at times.
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Laura! 🙂 <3
I really enjoyed seven ways we lie and just put a hold on this at the library. It sounds really fun and just my sort of thing. I tried reading noteworthy but I didn’t like it as much so I eft it alone
Oh I’m sorry you didn’t like Noteworthy so much – but I really hope you’ll enjoy that one! It was a fun read and I LOVED the characters so much 😀 I will be waiting for your review then 😀
Thank you so much, Shanti! <3 <3
Well I just got it from the library so I am excited
AHHHH YES that’s great! I can’t wait to hear what you think of it 😀
That is a lovely diverse character. It is great to see more and more of that.
It really is amazing, I LOVE it. I hope you’ll give this book a try someday 🙂
Thank you so much! 🙂
Great review, Marie! This sounds interesting and very refreshing. I’m glad you loved it! 😉
Ahh thank you so much, Raven! I hope you’ll want to give it a try someday 😀
Great review for this book Marie, and I’m really glad you enjoyed this one too. I have all of Riley Redgate’s books on my TBR list and really can’t wait to get around to them all. I do have to say though I think because of the fact that this has a writer MC and deals with writer struggles makes Final Draft my most anticipated of her books to finally pick up you know? It sounds like an amazing read, and knowing you enjoyed it means I need to get around to it ASAP when it’s finally released! 😀 <3
Again great review. 🙂
OH I 200% understand that – I think that, out of all of her books so far, that one has the most appealing synopsis, even if they are all fantastic 😀
I can’t wait for you to read her books and I really hope you’ll enjoy them 🙂 Thank you, Beth! x
sdkfjsldjfl this book sounds so good and everyone always says how underrated it is and HOW DIVERSE LAILA IS MAKES ME SO HAPPY LSKDFLK
IT IS WAY TOO UNDERRATED? I have seen, NO one, scream about this book so far and it deserves to have ALL the hype. The main character is AMAZING and the diversity in this book is so great as well. And to be honest, the friends are kind of squad goals as well 😛
I hope you’ll get to read it! And thank you for stopping by! <3 <3
Ohhh I love how this has such amazing elements, like dealing with writing struggles and the amazing biracial rep and friendship! I totally know what you mean though – it’s hard to get that elusive 5 stars!
It really was a fantastic book – I loved that it managed to pack so many great things (diverse characters, tackling writing struggles + friendship struggles + identity etc.) without making it hard to digest, somehow. It was such a great read 😀
Thank you so much, Jeann! <3 <3
I haven’t read any of her books yet but this one sounds intriguing! Nice review?
Oh I hope you’ll give her books a try – I loved all of them 😀
Thank you so much! <3
Riley Redgate seems to keep putting great books out there and I am so happy to know that. I might read this one some day 🙂 and I totally get what you mean with that certain spark. It’s that gut feeling that makes a book just that tiny bit better. Still, great review 😀
She really is – I’m loving all of her books so far, especially that one <3 I hope you'll give it a try someday 😀 And thank you so much <3 <3
Oh my god this sounds perfect. I love a nerd getting outside of her comfort zone (obviously, haha). I am in a bit of a reading slump atm (truthfully I haven’t picked up a book in a week. Who even am I any more?), and looking for a way out. This sounds like it might do it!
Oooh, in terms of writerly protagonists, Cath from Fangirl always comes to mind. She is a big fan fiction girl and runs into trouble when she gets to college and her teacher won’t let her do it in her creative writing class.
OH YES – to be honest I could see you LOVING this book, I really hope I’m not wrong about that haha. It was a fun read, but also tackled so many interesting issues, I loved it 🙂
I HAVE to read Fangirl someday, I’m probably the only one left not having read this book, haha, but I can’t wait 😀
Thank you so much! <3 <3
Ah that’s so cool that this deals with writer struggles and friendship- I’m definitely here for both of those!! I’m really intrigued about all the relationships in this. Great review!
I hope you’ll give it a try – we need more books dealing with writers’ struggles for sure 😀
Thank you so much! xx
So true! You’re welcome! Xx
I requested this one on NG but got denied and now I’m even more sad about it because it already sounded SO GOOD when I read the blurb and now I’m like.. “Fck, I would’ve loved this one..” :’)
Awesome review!
Oh no 🙁 well you WILL love it, you hopefully will be able to squeeze in your next book haul to read 😀
Thank you so much, Kathy!! <3 <3
Book buying ban.. *cries*
Some day though, haha!
<3
YES someday, I will be reminding you of it 😛
I loved this book too!!! I really appreciated the fat and anxiety rep, it really resonated with me 🙂
YAY I’m so glad to hear it, the rep was fantastic and I really loved the characters, both the main character and her friends, too. Such a great group <3 <3
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! <3 <3
A book about writer struggles!?! I think I’ll definitely have to read this one 🙂
Glad to hear that you enjoyed this book, Marie! And that’s wonderful that it has a cast of diverse characters. This seems to be a trend in fiction nowadays which is amazing. Great review!
YEEEEEEEEEEES YOU DO. I could see you enjoying this book, Sophie – and not only because the main character writes, but also because she and all of the other characters are really GREAT 😀
Thank you so much! <3 <3
Oh awesome 🙂 I am definitely looking forward to reading this book then!
Eeek! I absolutely adore Riley Redgate and all her books and I had this on my TBR even before it had a cover! I’m so, so incredibly happy you loved this book, Marie ❤️
I adore the fact that the cast is so diverse and that we get a plus-sized main character. Also love the fact that it focuses on anxiety and depression, I’m so excited to actually read this.
Great review as always, Marie ❤️
AHH I’m so glad to hear it – I can’t wait for you to read that one, the cast of characters was so, so amazing <3 <3
Thank you so much, Michelle <3 <3
I’ve been hearing so many good things about Final Draft lately! I’m definitely all here for the writing themes, because this is what I love to see represented in YA, give me all the book about aspiring writers ??? I’m also very happy to hear that there is such a focus on friendships! As always an excellent Review! ?
It was SUCH a great book, I really think you’d enjoy it, Caro! I can’t wait for you to read it 😀
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! <3 <3
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this one Marie! I didn’t know much about this one, only that it had to do with writing but this sounds so good! I had no idea it was so diverse but I’m so here for it 😀 Lovely review <3
I really hope you’ll pick it up sometimes and that you will love it, Michelle – I have a feeling you would 😀
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! <3 <3
This looks like an amazing book, and incredibly diverse. Your review makes me want to read it so much!
Oh this makes me so, so happy, thank you! I hope you will read and love it 😀
Your welcome! I think that I will really love reading it!