Better Than the Movies

Trade Paperback, 349 pages

English language

Published July 9, 2022 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers.

ISBN:
978-1-5344-6763-7
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Liz Buxbaum has always known that Wes Bennett was not boyfriend material. You would think that her next-door neighbor would be a prime candidate for her romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only proven himself to be a pain in the butt, ever since they were little. Wes was the kid who put a frog in her Barbie Dreamhouse, the moster who hid a lawn gnome's severed head in her little homemade neighborhood book exchange.

Flash forward ten years from the Great Gnome Decapitation. It's Liz's senior year, a time meant to be rife with milestones perfect for any big screen, and she needs Wes's help. See, Liz's forever crush, Michael, has just moved back to town, and—horribly, amazingly—he's hitting it off with Wes. Meaning that if Liz wants Michael to finally notice her, and hopefully be her prom date, she needs Wes. He's her in.

But as …

3 editions

None

This book was like 90% the movie « The DUFF » except instead of two hot popular friends it’s one. I still ate it up and really enjoyed it, except for all the brand mentioning, I really don’t like that, at some point it felt like an ad. Liz was very .. annoying but then again they are young, wes was adorable.

Liz Buxbaum has stolen my brain cells and my will to live. Send help.

I kind of loved everything about this. The man is top tier in a way only a guy in a YA romance can be, the parents are all hilarious in a very “haha I'm Gen X and I’m dead inside let’s talk about it” kind of way, and the settings, THE VIBES, were TOP TEIR. It was the set up for a CUTE LITTLE COMFORT NOVEL. But the main character made me want to put myself into a paper shredder. I know a lot of her behaviors and bad habits are heavily centered around the death of her mother, and that is obviously valid, but her delusions, weird hate of other women just because a guy liked them, and insistence on being quirky, just DID NOT do it for me. I know that there are some pretty extreme Liz fans out there, but for me personally, she just kind …

Review of 'Better Than the Movies' on 'Goodreads'

I thought I was going to love this one. I love movies. I love quoting them. I love soundtracks. There was only one likeable character in the book. It was far less relatable and enjoyable than predicted. I try not to expect much. This is an example of why I don't have expectations.

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Subjects

  • Teen & Young Adult Fiction
  • Teen & Young Adult Romantic Comedy