📚 It Sounded Better In My Head by @ninakenwood
⭐️4.5/5

This novel follows Natalie after the end of the school year, awaiting her final exam results and hopeful university acceptances. Her parents reveal their forthcoming separation, and her two best friends have coupled up. Throughout the story you hear Natalie’s thoughts, anxieties, and insecurities.

I enjoyed hearing the story from Natalie’s point of view, as well as her raw and honest thought processes. It was fun to hear (via her thoughts) and see (via her actions) Natalie navigate her relationships with her friends, parents, and romantic interest.

This was definitely an insightful, yet cute book with many *aww* moments - I definitely recommend it!

A huge thank you to @text_publishing and @netgalley for this e-book. #gifted
#bookmarckreviews #kareenbeanreads

It sounded better in my head is an excellent read, I started it with no expectations and now I think it could well be one of my favourite books of 2020. I love a book that takes you completely by surprise. This book is everything you could want from a YA novel - charming romance, coming of age, trying to feel comfortable in your own skin, interesting friendships/family and plenty of awkward cringeworthy moments.
What I liked most about this book was the main character Natalie, her inner monologue was probably the most relatable of any book I have read at times I felt like the author was in my head. It's anxiety packed, with thoughts we have probably have teenager or not but at the same time absolutely hilarious, it had me laughing out loud a few times. For me that is what really makes this book, the characters are just so likeable and feel so real.
You could easily read this book in one sitting, it's an easy, quick and entertaining read. The whole time I was reading this I was thinking I really want my teenage cousin to read this, it deals with important topics mostly body image, specifically acne and the author handles it so well. The writing is simple and quite cliche but it's hard not to like this book. Great escapism for the current time, we could all do with a good chuckle and this book certainly delivers.
So excited to see what comes next from Nina Kenwood, this is an amazing debut and I would highly recommend It sounded better in my head. Loved it and it's well deserving of 5 stars!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a funny and sweet story about an awkward teenage girl and her first love.

Natalie just graduated high school when her parents announce they are getting divorced. She goes to her two best (and only) friends for support, but Lucy and Zach have been dating for a few months. Hanging out with them means feeling like a third wheel a lot of the time. And while she's happy for her friends, Natalie always saw herself ending up with Zach in the end. With the ground already shifting beneath her feet, sudden attention from Zach's older brother Alex could cause an earthquake from which Natalie might never recover.

What an amazing debut novel! The writing was on point, perfectly capturing the awkwardness of being a teenager and experiencing so much for the first time. The characters felt real and relatable, and the family and friendship dynamics were fantastic. Natalie is shy and lives a lot of her life inside her own head, which really hit home for me.

This was a quick read, but it dealt a few big emotional punches in a short time. I'd recommend it to anyone who was ever an awkward teenager trying to figure out life. So...all of us?

My Rating : 3🌟
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Kindle/ Netgalley/ May2020
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Thank you so much Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
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This book follows our main character Natalie as she navigates her near graduation time to sort her feelings through of her body image issues, a developing crush, self love and friendships.
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First, I absolutely loved the relatable aspect of the storyline. The trio (I love me some trio friendship group always) is about to graduate and the important thing they are worries about is which college would accept them and how would they manage life without each other's familiar company.
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Second, I loved the dynamic of the characters so much!! Especially the friendship tbey shared, the development of the romantic feelings. The familial bondings were discussed in a positive light along with the contrasts in each of the character's different living situations.
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Now coming to the plotline and writing structure, this book takes place over a span of just few weeks. Even though the topics discussed were realistic, with relatable character traits and problems, the scenes felt choppy at times and it didn't gove me the satisfaction of knowing the characters. The cystic acne problems Natalie faces is a real issue and how she learns to love herself was not done to my satisfaction. Maybe if the timeline had been more, or if the issues discussed had better solving approach, I would have loved it even more!
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Overall, this book had a good, simple plotline, and writing style, relatable characters and discussed real-time teen issues and sent out a good message. If you are a hard-core contemporary fan, then pick it up. I wouldn't recommend this to a new-to-the-genre folks !

I absolutely love how this story very much captures the worries, confusion and realities of relationships and body image many of us face when we are teenagers. You’ll be rooting for the MC as she navigates the awkward and cringe-worthy moments of growing up and all the changes that come with it. Plus spin the bottle always makes for an interesting time.

I lover this book a lot. At first, I wasn’t sure, but then I warmed up to Natalie an related to her more than I have ever related to another teenage character in a book. There are so many quotable lines in this that made me go YES. YES. THAT’S ME!!! And don’t get me started on the romance—it was so sweet and adorable.

Thank you to Netgalley for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this book! I read it in one setting because it was fast paced and enjoyable. This is more than a cute book, it discussed serious topics. It opened up at Christmas time and Natalie parents informed her they were divorcing. Which is an awful time to tell any child or teenager. She also suffered years from a bad case of acne. I learned so much about acne and how one can have long lasting effects from it. I loved how her emotional pain was delivered so honestly. Other topics of self esteem issues, first love, friendship, and college plans were discussed beautifully. The side characters were delightful and entertaining. And I loved her romantic relationship!! They were so adorable! It was so honest and real. You won’t regret picking up this gem!

It's the of the High Scholl & what should be a time to celebrate and plan for the future soon turns in an unexpected way.

Put of the blue, parent of announcing separation. It's a huge shock for Natalie, they seem to be a perfect couple and it all looked well. What is the bigger blow, it's that it happened 10 months ago and she had no idea until now. She feels lost and heartbroken. Spending a lot of time with her two best friends Zach and Lucy (who also date), is the way to go. And then Zach's brother starts to joins them quite often. He invited her to a party, and the more time they spend together, the more feeling she delopes for him.

However, the road to HEA is very bumpy.

It's the coming of age story, all about difficulties ad challenges of growing up, finding your way in the chaos.

I have mixed feelings about the lead character. She battles horrible acne all her teens and it left a huge mark on her confidence. Now that her skin is looking better, she tries to get her personality back. I like the way she is trying to get her life back, starting to open up and standing up for herself. But she can also be so frustrating at times.. :)

Regardless o love/hate with Natalie I was engrossed with the story and rooted for the couple. :) It's a lovely, sweet story, that you kind of have to read in one sitting :)

Thank you Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This contemporary follows Natalie's world as it falls apart when her parents tell her that they're getting a divorce. Her two best friends, Zach & Lucy, started dating each other and now she feels more like a third wheel than ever. Until she catches the eye of Zach's big brother, Alex, who's the complete opposite of her.

Natalie's an introvert and her self-esteem suffered a lot because of her struggle with acne. She always felt ugly because of it and now that it's under control, it, unfortunately, left some scars. Her voice, her narration reminded me deeply of my inner struggle when I was a teenager. Her obsession with how she looked and how she's constantly avoiding eye contact because she doesn't want people noticing her pimples. I felt so seen by this character which is why I enjoyed my reading. She's easily relatable to everyone who's always felt insecure about their physique or hated social gatherings.

I loved her friendship with her two best friends and how they've become close. It was quite endearing. However, as much as I really wanted to like the love interest in this story, I just couldn't. I love when two different people are attracted to each other... but I need that deep connection between both characters. It was unfortunately missing and I couldn't ship it. It felt a bit fake because I could only see the attraction and nothing more? No common interest. Also, there's no plot in this book, so if you're looking for a plot-driven story, you should probably not pick this one up.

I truly enjoyed my reading with this story. I've read it in one sitting. You should read this book if you're looking for a quick and fun contemporary!

I read this in one sitting. It was just that cute and relatable.

Natalies world is going to pieces, at least that’s what it feels like, when her parents tell her that they are getting a divorce. And Zach and Lucy, Natalies best friends? Yeah, they started dating each other and now she feels more and more like the third wheel.
But then she and Zachs older brother start talking and shy introvert Natalie is forced out of her save bubble ...

A great YA novel with surprisingly heavy-ish topics..
A young girl trying to find herself and her place in the world, in her new family dynamic and in her friendships. I found the characters very authentic, An introvert myself, I could identify with Natalie a lot of the times, especially when it comes to her fears and doubts in social situations.

The quiet moments between her and the love interest are super cute and I loved Zach’s family’s dynamic.
Towards the end, I missed more of that as well as the friendship-aspect a little.

But I enjoyed the novel a lot and would 100% recommend it.

It Sounded Better In My Head was a breath of fresh air. It was pure YA with real age appropriate issues. There wasn't any one big wow event and it didn't need one. This book succeeded by being a reflection of what it's like to grow up during this social media time with all of the normal issues plus the complication of 24/7 updates. The anxiety produced when your exterior isn't "perfect" is real, regardless of the flaw. It could be acne, weight or some other appearance-related flaw, it doesn't matter because they are all traumatic to a teen. Couple this with the stress of trying to get into the right university or having the right goals for your future and you can have a full on panic attack.

Natalie is our heroine in this book. She's been through a lot with some extreme acne when she was younger and she's very self conscious and insecure. However, she's extremely intelligent. Natalie is best friends with Zack and Lucy - - who are dating. So, she's always the third person in their relationship but she doesn't seem to mind it. Or does she? Then, her parents throw her a curve ball and tell her they're divorcing. She's an only child, so this leaves her to navigate divorcing parents without any sibling support. It's foreign territory and she feels betrayed by both of them for not telling her sooner.

Through all of this, Natalie is trying to figure out who she is and let herself experience life. She does some things that are out of her normal character and finds out some things about herself and others along the way.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it accurately reflected the thoughts and feelings of a young woman on the brink of adulthood and really appreciated that Ms. Kenwood also made the other characters vulnerable as well. Even if it took Natalie a while to see that because she was so caught up in her own imagined shortcomings. I thought it was quite realistic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ms. Kenwood for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book didn't really have a plot, just as a heads up to those who need a plot in a book.

It's about a trio of friends in the downtime between school finishing and starting university. Our main character is insecure due to having awful acne/skin problems during puberty and now lives with the scars, both mental and physical. I related to her so much, I didn't have acne problems but I was definitely uncomfortable in my own skin because of how chubby I was and resonated with this aspect of her mental state. Her inability to trust when someone actually liked her, her anxieties with socialising and overthinking everything? It was so great to read about. This was dealt in a realistic way. Natalie was not the ~quirky~ adorable awkward protagonist that I am so used to reading where they are so over-the-top cringey it is off-putting.

I just loved it.

I couldn’t recall a time when a book genuinely gave me belly laugh. This book was hilariously adorable! I didn’t have high expectation of this book but it turned out to be amazing! This book tells a story about a girl with this massive insecurity which is honestly very, VERY relatable to me. Natalie is such an interesting character to read about, she is not perfect, she is very insecure, but she isn’t weak. She is definitely one of the truest characters i’ve read about.
I absolutely love the family aspects in this book, along with the friendship between Zach and Lucy, and Natalie’s growing relationship with Alex.

This was a really great start for a debut novel.
Thank you Flatiron Books for this review copy!

What a debut novel!!

It Sounded Better In My Head is a fantastic read. Hard to put down, I read it in just a few hours. A few hours of hilarity, cringeworthy moments and secondhand embarrassment.

Oh how I could relate to Natalie’s anxieties and confusion. So many memories of my own tortured teenage years, I couldn’t help but share many, many snippets with my teenage daughter. She in turn couldn’t stop exclaiming “It’s me! It’s me!” with every new snippet I shared.

I never have really great expectations for YA novels but this one was everything I never knew I wanted. Instantly a favourite in the YA genre and one I will be recommending to everyone.

In a sentence: If you haven’t already, READ IT!

ok, I know it is only may but I hereby award this book with the following:
➽ most surprising read of 2020
➽ most underrated read of 2020
➽ most relatable read of 2020
➽ best debut of 2020
➽ one of the best books of 2020

YA contemporary is a genre I really enjoy, but rarely love if that makes sense. I have a really fun time reading them, but very few of them reach 5 stars and even less of those make it to the enigmatic list of All Time Favourites. But now I had better reconsider my life, because this book was stunning and without a doubt deserves a place.

We follow Natalie, just a regular teenager trying to navigate the difficult place of limbo between finishing high school and beginning university, unknowing of what the future holds for her. Suddenly out of the blue, her parents announce their separation and Natalie's life is thrust upside down.

While the general plot of this book may not seem like anything new or special, it was the little moments in between that made me love it so much. The quiet moments, the inner thoughts, the quippy remarks that just popped up in her head.

When I say this book was 'relatable', I mean 'what the hell, did the author get these lines straight out of my head?' Because that is truly the only plausible option here. The similarities between me and Natalie bordered on uncanny at times. I'm not sure if it is just the universal experience of being a teenager, heightened by us both being Australian- but it was like an intense feeling of deja vu.

One of my favourite favourite things about this book was the discussion of body image, and specifically acne. Considering acne is something the majority of teenagers go through, there is a significant lack of discussion of it in young adult titles. Or if there is mention of acne, it will be about one annoying zit that pops up the day before a party. Previously, no book I had ever read had actually talked about the emotional or physical scarring that can come from having acne in a world that pretends it doesn't exist.

"The nose I can live with. Big noses are artistic. But the world has assured me only villains and losers have acne"

in one simple sentence, entire thought spirals I have gone down have been summed up. The less savoury thoughts are not ignored either, but people can be a little selfish, melodramatic and self-absorbed, and that just adds to the reality. Natalie may not be the most likeable protagonist for everyone, but Nina Kenwood did an amazing job at shaping her personality to the point where she feels tangible, like someone you know.

Reading this book was such an immensely personal experience for me that it is hard to consider this book objectively. If I look at this from a purely critical point of view, I can acknowledge that it isn't necessarily the most spectacular work of literature ever created. But if I rated this book any less than 5 stars, it would be ignoring the emotions the story evoked in me and the startling feeling of finally being seen.


Thank you to Text Publishing and Netgalley for this e-copy!

Thank you so much for NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me a review copy! All opinion are mine.

When her parents announce their impending divorce, Natalie can’t understand why no one is fighting, or at least mildly upset. Then Zach and Lucy, her two best friends, hook up, leaving her feeling slightly miffed and decidedly awkward.Now everything has changed, and nothing is quite making sense. Until an unexpected romance comes along and shakes things up even further.

This book was perfect for pulling me out of my reading slump! I adored the writing style, the flow of the story, the accurate moments we all could relate to!
It perfectly describes the edge of stepping into adulthood: a fairly shy teenager everydays. This novel is incredibly touching, insightful, inspirational, filled with some hilarious moments. We've all been there: feeling unsure about our future, awkward with decision making, having romantic interests that does not work out quiet like how we want them...
The book coming from a debut author was well-scripted and created loveable characters!

Original Rating: 3.75
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I received the arc of US edition of this book from NetGalley. This beautiful edition will be published today.
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As the blurb says, It Sounded Better In My Head is a funny and wholesome read about first love, friendship, and all the horrifying awkwardness of navigating young adulthood. It’s very realistic in regards to the young adult worlds, their fears, future plans and their problematic minds.
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“𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣, 𝙖 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙨. 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙚. 𝘼𝙣𝙭𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙚. 𝘽𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙚. 𝙉𝙚𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙚. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢, 𝙣𝙡𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙬 𝙢𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙄 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚“
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I feel like this story spoke to my once awkward-teen self. Natalie’s wry internal voice was very relatable and reminded me of my own insecurities that I used harbour in my teenage years.
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I loved all the characters: their challenges, their questioning minds, how honest, frank and charming they all were. And a special shout-out to Zach's wonderful, supportive family- they're adorable.
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Even though there was absolutely no plot of any kind in this book, it was a total delight. It made me laugh. It made my heart soar.

DNF

Unfortunately, I don't know if I'm just not I'm the mood for this type of story, or if it was just not for me, but I just couldn't get through this.

Of what I read, nothing was bad and it seemed to me like it could be good.
I had no interest while reading it, but maybe it can hold your attention!

I love this book. I was able to relate to Natalie so much. She was the classic teenage girl who is scared of everything that is happening around her, worried about her body's insecurities and her future. The question she asked herself are questions I remember asking myself for sure and are still questions I ask myself every so offend. Nina Kenwood was able to suck me into Natalie's world without any issues and I would totally read more by her! Definitely recommend this to anyone who is applying to colleges, parents are getting a divorce or just have issues in their friend groups due to dating within the group.

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*Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a relay copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

2.5 stars

I have very conflicting feelings about this book but in the end, I don't think I liked it that much.
The book tried so hard to be non-problematic that in the end, it was problematic for me.
For me the biggest culprit in making me dislike the book was the main character, the flow of her thoughts was so confused that it irritated me deeply.
I didn't hate the book, I found it quick to read, the story is very engaging and the topics that the author brought in the book, although not all of them are well done, were very relevant.
But as I have read books with similar premises that were made in a better way, I cannot give a higher rating.
If you are interested in the story give a chance you may like it more than I did.