Reviews

This Time It's Real by Ann Liang

loujeanne's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

"Liar"

imissbookit's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I usually love Liang’s books, but both the plot and the characters felt less well-crafted than others I’ve enjoyed (I Hope This Doesn’t Find You and I Am Not Jessica Chen being my favorites). I suspect this is in part due to the lighter tone of this story than the others, as I feel that more serious stories show off her poetic turns of phrase, artist’s eye, and the deep emotional wells with which she develops her characters. Of course, part of this could also be because I’m not usually a fan of fake dating as a trope, but I find Liang’s writing to be so poetic and emotionally articulate that I had to give this one a try regardless of that preference. I also felt that the pacing was a bit off, with the buildup being too long and the denouement being too short. Without knowing more about the emotional journey of the male MC, the payoff at the climax of the plot isn’t as rich as it could have been.

lovezone's review against another edition

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4.75

i love it SO MUCH at first it was a bit hard bcs .... some characters infuriate me bcs i hate dense and stubborn people but like.... at the end.. i understand why and its like??? oH !! i get u!! totally valid! AND THE ENDING WRAPS UP EVERYTHING SO NICELY I LOVE IT

howltct's review against another edition

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this was such a cute read, although i def would've enjoyed it more if i was younger

user4789's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

yippeeee_meg's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

alexsemihiatus's review against another edition

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adventurous funny informative lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

moonstrucksue's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

It's so cute! Ann Liang knows how to keep up with current pop culture references. I love that the main lead is a C-drama actor.

nicolehalcon's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

alavenderlibrary's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I love everything Ann Liang writes and This Time It's Real is no exception. I love their story so much and Eliza might just be my favorite Ann Liang character. Eliza Lin is the perfect portrayal of a young girl trying to navigate loss and cultural disconnect, while trying to deal with the emotions that come with being young and falling in love. 

Ann Liang does such a phenomenal job at writing about generational trauma, cultural disconnect, loneliness, the fear of inadequacy—and shows the readers through the eyes of a teen protagonist, one of the hardest and most influential times in someone's life. With Eliza, she focuses on the inescapable pain of losing friendships and realizing that not everyone is meant to stay in your life—something everyone goes through at least once. 

Eliza is deeply afraid of giving more of herself away, just for that person to leave in the end. Caz is deeply afraid of being inadequate, of being himself just to be rejected for who he really is. Through their partnership, they realize they might be exact what each other needs to let go and heal. 

I really love that Liang made them friends first; even though they both had feelings for each other and didn't know, we get to see them care for each other as friends first. The closest people in their lives, who get to see the real side before falling in love. Their love was so sweet and I actually really like the trope where they realize they both have feelings before the confrontation.