A fun quick read. Pretty typical YA romance, but I liked Natalie's honest self-consciousness. It was a nice break from the heavier reading I've done lately

Whenever I see an Australian author I just have to read their book (need to support a fellow Aussie). I love Aussie books and I admit I never read enough of them. And I’m glad I picked up this book.



In ‘It’s Sounded Better In My Head’, we follow the protagonist, Natalie, as she navigates through her life upon discovering that life isn’t going the way she imagined it to be. Her parents? Divorcing. Her two best friends? Dating. Herself? Awkward and sometimes the borderline third-wheeler.

There were many aspects I liked about this book. I loved how the narration is engaging and very distinctive. The tone is humorous throughout the story yet it can be serious when covering topics such as divorce, self-acceptance, and so on. I actually laughed aloud on several occasions whilst reading this book.



I like how Natalie is such an authentic character with relatable fears and real insecurities (regarding her skin—and the effects it had on her both psychologically and emotionally). I also appreciate how the love interest allows Natalie to set what she’s comfortable within the relationship. I also love how this book depicts genuine friendships. I loved the dynamics between the trio.

This was such a charming and heart-warming coming-of-age book. With only 272 pages, this was an easy and fast-paced read. I’d recommend this book to fans of YA contemporary and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It was so cute. I loved it really. I liked the representation of the main charater. Natalie was struggling with very bad skin, and I just felt that. While my bad skin wasn't as bad as Natalies, I did feel the insecurity that came with it. And the fact that she wanted to hide her back while swimming, and her face in school, afraid people would judge her for her skin. I also felt that PCOS rep, because me.

Anyways, cute story, love the romance, and I like how it's set in Australia, instead of the US. I have been reading a lot of American fiction, so this was nice, and I'd like to read more. I can understand how the romance in this book would be awkward for some of the characters, but on the other hand, it's great, and I felt it. I wanted more of it though! I liked that we got a whole lot of backstory for our main character and why she behaved certain ways.

I would definitely recommend it. It's short, and it's a nice and quick read. I mean I read it before I went to sleep, and started reading again after I woke up. Yay for this book! Probably like 4,5 stars even!

3.5
Natalie has just finished high school, she has 2 best friends, Zach and Lucy who are dating, making Natalie kinda the third wheel. And her parents are getting separated. Then there is Alex, Zach's older brother.

This is a cute coming of age story, covering issues which I find quite relatable to my teens.

This is not a love story as I didn't feel the romance (though it was cute) was the main focus here, I felt the friendships and family were what held the story together. That and Natalie's overriding complexes about her supposed short-comings, aka bad skin. Natalie is smart, funny, "interesting", but she was blind to all of these because of one shortcoming.

I liked reading this story. I have just a small complaint though. Up until 40% of the story, Natalie was constantly whining about her acne/backne situation. It's understandable, but it got to be too much. Even till almost the end I felt Natalie had not come to accept her body as is, though in all other aspects she seemed to have matured. It's just my opinion though.
I liked the writing and would recommend this book.

A funny, accurate portrayal of a teenage girl trying to figure out what she wants and who she wants to be.

It sounded better in my head is about eighteen year old Natalie, newly graduated from high school when her parents drop a bombshell on her that they are splitting up. Juggling her feelings for this, a new love interest and trying to avoid feeling like the spare part to her best friends relationship, Natalie finds that maybe some things are better said inside her head.

First of all, this book was hilarious. I chuckled a lot and Natalie was so relatable. She was a well developed character with realistic decisions and thoughts and she reminded me exactly of the type of girl I used to be (or probably still am).
I think Alex was a great love interest. I was invested in their romance and I liked that they had this thing between them for a while before it was ever labelled.
Zachary and Lucy were good secondary characters and added a lot of substance to the story. I think the dynamic between Alex and Zach’s relationship was interesting and I liked that the Zach/Lucy/Natalie trio was a topic of discussion.

This is definitely the type of book I would read around a book, on a summers day or when I need a pick me up. It’s a feel good story with a good ending and a relatable storyline!

5 stars!!
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this e-book!

It Sounded Better in My Head is about Natalie and her struggles while going through the ringer with puberty, self-image issues and juggling friendships/relationships.
This discussed topics that can seem dark to some people but the author was able to deliver it in more of a light-hearted way. It was effective and I can see many adolescents really enjoy this story because they can find great representation within it. I did feel like the whole story needed more substance - I needed more details with certain scenes but overall, it was a great read!

It Sounded Better In My Head is a sweet YA/NA story from Nina Kenwood that follows the adventures of Natalie, an eighteen year old young woman whose parents choose Christmas Day to announce their divorce. Aside from the domestic issues at home ,Natalie is hugely lacking in self esteem and self confidence because of her severe acne, so when she goes to a party and gets some attention from an unexpected source she struggles to believe it is genuine. To further complicate matters, she is starting to feel like a third wheel since her two best friends hooked up and became a couple. This is a very real and honest coming of age story, not afraid to dwell on what it is like to be awkward and unsure of yourself, or to be out of step with the rest of the crowd. I also liked the way that Natalie's acne was incorporated into the story, it is something that commonly affects teens, and when it is as severe and painful as described here, the psychological damage should not be underestimated, so I am glad that the author included it in the story. Although I described the book as sweet, it is not overly sugary, there are plenty of less than glamorous moments, including an alcohol induced vomiting session in the back of a car, and issues like virginity, consent and betrayal are also touched on. There is a lot of humour, most notably from Natalie, who has a great sarcastic and witty tone throughout the book., Despite the age of the main characters, there is nothing here that I would consider unsuitable for a teen. I am very impressed to note that this is a debut book, and I look forward to reading more of the author's work.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This was an easy read about love, friendship and the struggles people have in everyday life. The book covered self doubt very well, showing how scarring and acne can affect the way a person sees themselves and how they can overcome some of those struggles when they have positive people around them. Throughout this book you could relate to all characters in ways such as getting into university, first love and falling out with friends. Something we have all ben through and it made the characters so much more relatable. Overall this book was an enjoyable read and i gave it 4 stars.

"It Sounded Better In My Head" is an honest, relatable book. I really found Natalie so real and I caught myself smiling while reading, sometimes nodding and sometimes living through the sadness of the characters. I think many teens and adults can see many resemblances to their own life and experiences.
I liked how this book concentrated on more than just Natalie's relationship with her parents and how she is dealing with their divorce. It was about friendships, first boyfriends and her struggles to like and accept herself for who she is.
Great book! Will be recommending to my teen patrons!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

It Sounded Better In My Head is so easy to connect with, the main protagonist is slightly dramatic but as the story unfolds you see why and she becomes very relatable to.

It's a story we've all been through in form so it was easy to put yourself in her shoes.

A great read about growing up. finding yourself and first loves.

Rating: 4/4,5 stars!
"It Sounded Better In My Head" is an honest, relatable book. I caught myself smiling while reading, sometimes nodding and sometimes living through the sadness of the characters. Especially with Natalie, she felt so real and I could see many resemblances to my own life and experience.
Although I expected that the storyline would be more about Natalie's relationship with her parents and how she is dealing with their divorce, however, it was more about friendships, first boyfriend and, her struggles to like and accept herself for who she is.

Natalie's parents have just announced they are separating, her best friends are dating, and she's waiting to hear whether she's gotten into her top choice university. She has a lot of uncertainty to deal with — plus, there's a new romantic interest in her life and she's not sure how to handle it.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought Natalie's voice was so honest and cringey, in the best way. She felt so real. I appreciate that the author didn't shy away from the messy parts — the parts where the MC is acting selfishly, or is overreacting, or can't just rationalize herself out of insecurities. All of these feelings are so real and so true, especially for young women faced with expectations set by airbrushed models on media, and it was so refreshing to have such a wonderfully true and flawed main character. Especially because in other moments she was delightfully clever, compassionate, and introspective. I loved the balance. I also loved her relationships; I'm always here for strong friendships, and for giving people the benefit of the doubt, only to find out that they're wonderful.

I'm rooting for things to work out for all of these characters, but I appreciated that the story ended with some uncertainty, that it didn't tie up all the bows but instead assured the reader that it's good to hope for the best, but it'll still be okay no matter what.

This book didn't click with me. I found Natalie rather annoying and overly dramatic (although she is a teenager so I shouldn't be surprised!).
I lost interest in the story and had to put it down, it wasn't for me. I'd recommend it still as other readers seem to enjoy it but it just wasn't my cup of tea.
It is refreshing to see a protagonist with my name though!

I really appreciated how the theme of Natalie's insecurities was dealt with. Bad acne has obviously left her with physical and psychological scars and I think it's important to talk about that.
But what I didn't like was how annoying she was and I also could not take her asking lots of questions to Alex like it was an interrogation instead of a normal conversation. Also, if you don't like something it's okay, but that's not a reason to storm out and to say that you hate everyone at a party.
Something that left me a bit lukewarm was the relationship between Natalie and Alex. My problem wasn't the fact that they have not much in common, but how abruptly their attraction for each other started, especially on Natalie's part.
Overall for me it was just an okay read, nothing more.

The most important part of this book is the representation of people who have acne problems. I have never read a book where acne problems shaped the main character’s personality. It felt real to me and even when her insecurities bothered me, it made sense and I was sympathetic to what she was going through. Good read.

I'm obsessed with this story! I read it in one single day and if it wasn't because I had to get up early I could have easily finished it in one night. That's how good it was! I loved Natalie as our main character, and how relatable she made it all seem. Insecurities, first love, uncertainty, we've all been there at some point. I hope everyone reads this book, and falls in love with Natalie and Alex's love story, how Natalie navigates a worl of firsts times and how she embraces all the changes that are happening in her life.

I would highly recommend this book! Definitely in my top 5 of the year.

This is a new genre of books for me. I haven't ever read a Young Adult (YA) book before so I wasn't sure what to expect.
I enjoyed reading this, it had bit that made me laugh and parts that made me think back to my teenage years too! I liked all the characters and the friendships. Young love and excitement and a little heartbreak... What most teenagers lives are full of! Overall I would give this a 5 star rating.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read this early release book
This is my honest review

I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I could relate to the main character of "It Sounded Better in My Head" by Nina Kenwood, Natalie, quite a lot. Though I don't claim to have as bad a case of acne as she did, I did have my days in college where I roamed around hallways with painful pus-filled boils, wondering whether 16-17 year old testosterone-raging boys would ever be interested in an ugly elf like me. Natalie has the same concerns too. Her best friends Lucy and Zach have started dating each other, leaving her to wonder whether things could have ever sparked for Zach and her as well? But putting it all down to her "ugly"looks, she's okay with being the third-wheeler for the couple.

However, when her parents tell her that they are considering divorce (and that they had been considering the same for almost the entire year), Natalie feels betrayed. An entire year went by and she never even guessed it? Sparks flew between her bestest friends and she remained clueless? To add to this mess, their university admission results would be out soon. Would the three of them remain together forever without a change, as Natalie had hoped?

Natalie decides to go for a party hosted by one of Zach's older brother, Alex's friends. And her life surely takes a turn after that! Whether it is a pleasant surprise or not, you'll have to read the book to find out.

This book does cover a lot of themes which are pertinent to the YA genre - body positivity, or the lack of it, bullying from peers for having an acne-ridden face, your parents' impending divorce, the whole razzmatazz of popping your cherry, the lame fun at boozy-jell-o-shot high school parties. The language in the book is pretty simple and colloquial. The characters are likeable and friendly.

Saying that, it's my personal opinion about not quite enjoying the book as much as I should have. (Spoiler Alert)I did not like the toxic nature of the relationship that Natalie had with Alex (I thought it was toxic for a multitude of triggering reasons. (Spoiler Alert End)

All in all, I would give this book a 3.5 star rating and recommend it to young adults looking for a frilly romance.

I thought "It Sounded Better in My Head" was utterly delightful.

I read this whole book in one day and my only complaint is that I wish it had been longer so that I could have gotten to meet and connect with the characters more because in the end, I felt like I had connected with Natalie, but sadly not so much with Zach, Lucy and Alex.

Natalie is a completely relatable character who is very insecure in her body due to her acne scars and her issues with acne in her early teens. I have read so many books in which the main characters were supposed to be insecure and introverts but actually really weren't so it was incredibly refreshing to read a character who is really, definitely uncomfortable at parties and who does hide her face and back from people - even her best friends.

The fact that she has had to deal with - in her eyes - "perfect" girls all her life, didn't help her cause and she is constantly overthinking every step she takes.

I immediately felt very much in love with Natalie and loved following her narrative. I wished that there had been more depth or explanation to her and Alex' budding romance - especially because the two of them have known each other for several years and Natalie does hang out a lot at their house, but as a reader, I got the feeling that her and Alex' communication starts exactly when it does in the book. I would've wished that the two of them have had some kind of a casual relationship because he is her best friend's brother, especially because that would've meant that the reader gets to know him more than I ultimately did.

However, my complaints are honestly minor because I absolutely loved this book and now wish I would have taken my time reading it instead of finishing it in one day. I don't want to let Natalie go yet... :)

It Sounded Better in my Head, a sweet story about a girl and her two best friends, trying to navigate the ins and outs of life after Graduation. What they thought their futures would look like and relationships, not just romantically, but the hard truths in their friendships as well. Also difficulties when it comes to parents divorcing, how ones appearance looks to their peers, anxiety and an obsessive amount of self sabotage! (High-key me!)

I found this story unbelievably relevant to my own life. The main character suffers from polycystic ovarian syndrome, really bad acne and anxiety. I felt everything she felt growing up. The difficulties with hiding things you don’t like about yourself, trying to figure out if you’re worthy of being desired by a crush—who is way out of your league—and going to parties where you lock yourself in the bathroom because you don’t know anyone and your anxiety is getting the better of you—been there don’t that!

I enjoyed the love interest for Natalie. I liked the storyline and I liked that it didn’t feel forced. It felt natural and something that would happen in real life. The inner monologue parts were pretty interesting, sometimes a little long, but I did enjoy the ramblings. It felt like I was getting to know Natalie on a very personal level and I got really attached to her character. I was rooting for her happy ending!

I honestly enjoyed this book, I highly recommend! It reminded me of a Freeform type tv show, I’d totally watch that! If this sounds like something you’d be interested in reading, this book will be available on Tuesday, April 7th!

I was sent a copy of “It Sounded Better in my Head” by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.