*I WAS PROVIDED A DIGITAL GALLEY VIA NETGALLEY FOR THE PURPOSE OF A BLOG TOUR. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION*

DNFed at 8%

This book fell way below my expectations. I was prepared to read a fun, exciting teen-centered read with a little bit of romance and lots of focus on the theatre aspects, but all I got was a discombobulated mess that just barely scraped the understanding portion of my brain.

For one, the pacing of this book is all over the place. It starts off fast and then suddenly slows down, then picks back up, then repeats. It was annoying and made the story hard to get into.

To add to that, I wasn't a fan of the dialogue. There were certain points where the characters would almost be monologuing, for no reason. And like, I get that this book is centered around the theatre aspect, but these parts I'm referencing weren't in any way connected to the script of a play, and I almost would've preferred if they were.

Along with that, the writing in this book just felt really immature. I felt like I was reading a badly prepared Wattpad fanfiction that needed major editing and reworking in the setup department. If you're going to go for a fanfic-style appeal, you want to aim for A03 levels, not Wattpad.

And lastly, despite this being about a Shakespearean play, I was consistently being reminded of "The Catcher in the Rye". The main character consistently narrated in circles, almost identical to how Holden did in TCITR. Whereas his made sense to the story, this one didn't and just became annoying after so long.

All in all, I was thoroughly disappointed. I was expecting to like this one, at the very least, but instead found myself not being able to stand it.

We have here a funny story. The cover is so beautiful, but I miss a plus in this story. The characters are great, but just it.
After all, I recommend it.

A nice diversion and a quick read. It seems like other reviewers had a lot of issues with content. The biggest thing I found fault with was that a single student basically had all the responsibility of getting the school play done. I was in the performing arts in high school and we had many more adults involved than just the director. A student would never had to do everything that this MC wound up doing.

Thanks go to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All opinions in this review have been my own.

I'm giving this a 3.5/5 overall! The following has been posted on my blog for a blog tour with TBR and Beyond Book Tours. At the end I will add some more spoilery thoughts in the spoiler tags to give a better idea of why the book is rated this way.

The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life by Dani Jansen brought me straight back to high school drama club in the best way! Limited budgets, trying to perfect the performance, disastrous dress rehearsals, relationship drama behind the scenes, and trying to balance school and extracurriculars. Alison is such a fun character to follow. She is very driven and focused, who goes above and beyond to make things perfect, which can get her in a bit of trouble at times. I loved her relationships with her parents and her sister, Annie. Her friendship with Becca was so supportive and sweet, and even though they fought some, you can tell that they love each other and cherish their relationship. Alison’s friendship with Jack is also really sweet and adorable. Charlotte is the cool girl with gauges and tattoos that Alison has a huge crush on. I love how natural their friendship starts even though Alison becomes a nervous bean around Charlotte. I’m not going to spoil what happens, but there is a good dose of high school drama that I was living for the whole time.

I loved seeing Alison bring together a rag-tag group of people to help her get the production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream up to scratch before opening night. I brought me right back to when I directed a play in my senior year of high school. The stress, the excitement, the ~drama~ of it all before the reward of successfully completing the show is such a roller coaster of emotion.

I give this a solid 3.5/5 stars, if you’re looking for a numerical rating! There was one very minor subplot that didn’t really end up going anywhere, which I think could have been explored a little bit more.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, relatively light contemporary LGBTQIA+ story and also anyone who was a previous Theatre kid. You won’t be disappointed!

Thank you Second Story Press and TBR and Beyond Tours for the advanced copy of this book!

If you were/are a theater kid, this book is going to read pretty familiar!

Alison Green is in her senior year of high school, and determined to be valedictorian. With that in mind, she agrees to produce the school play thinking it would give her an edge over the other candidates. What she doesn't expect to happen is the girl she has a crush on to have a crush on her back, her childhood best friend to made his feelings known, her other best friend refusing to speak with her, and for the play to be an absolute disaster.

This book was a quick and fun read! Alison is already out to the people closest to her and they were all supportive, so this is not a book about a painful coming out experience. Alison is nervous about the relationship with the LI because she's afraid people will look at her, which to her translates to gossip and bringing negative attention to herself which really, had more to do with her standing in the school and becoming valedictorian than anything else.

The relationship aspect was cute, and I felt like the nervousness Alison experienced was so realistic, especially for it being her first time out with a girl. I feel like Jansen did a good job of showing the relationship grow organically with shy smiles and texts. I wish we had been able to glean a little more about Charlotte and her story, but overall I enjoyed reading it.

The entire theater aspect threw me right back to high school and having to deal with costumes and quick changes and an overly enthusiastic director. I loved reading that aspect of the story and felt like it was such a good backdrop to the overall high school feel.

I do wish we'd been able to see a bit more of the side characters! There's an in the closet storyline, a theater mafia storyline, a sister musician storyline, an unrequited love storyline and I feel like I missed out on seeing more of those stories. We see everything through Alison's lens, so I understand why, but I think this book would've been even better with some more layers!

Overall a cute read!

3.5 stars

I never did anything with theater after first grade, but it's always been something that interests me. Even if it's more watching the plays than acting in them, so I was really excited that this book would be focused on a school play. The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life is a lighthearted story at times, but it's also filled with lessons that I think the younger audience of this genre will really learn from.

Our main character Alison wants to be valedictorian and is doing everything she can to make that happen. Even if that means helping to produce a play and never doing that before. This was a really interesting project to read about. It had moments that made me laugh, but I also felt bad for her at times. The teachers just kind of left her to it without really any support. I would've given up pretty quickly. It doesn't go smoothly, but she doesn't give up and let's say it gets messy.

I think at times Alison definitely made things more complicated for herself than they needed to be, but I think that's one of the lessons in this book as well. Communication is so important. If she had just opened her mouth to be honest a few times, things would've have been so much easier for her. But when you're a teenager that can be easier said than done at times. I definitely felt awkward for her at times.

This book is definitely diverse and I loved the side characters. They added some extra elements to this story and if I'm honest, I would love a book for most of them. I also have to mention the romance side of this story. Alison's love story in this book is cute. I loved seeing her explore that side of herself, but that it didn't take over the whole plot. Besides communication and honesty being really important The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life also addresses doing things outside of our comfort zone and what we see as being successful. The essay the Alison writes at the end of the book was really touching and I loved how that was how we ended this story.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I liked that the story moved along pretty fast, it was a quick and fun read.

Though I finished it, the plot was predictable and I times I got a little bored. The characters were likable but I found it hard to form any sort of connection with them.

This was a really fun contemporary novel that was quick and fun, but lacked the kind of substance that I usually enjoy in my books. I think Jansen was able to capture the stresses of high school (aiming high, awkward dating, making friends with people you don't want to), and I really enjoyed that aspect. However, I think the play aspect (the part actually about Shakespeare) was lacklustre at most. For a novel both branded and titled after the playwright, I was definitely expecting way more. The play, which the entire plot of the novel relies on, was almost nonexistent in the last quarter of the story - not to mention the entire ending was so quickly wrapped up, I felt like we read the entire novel for nothing. In addition to this, the main character was really hard to like. She was really annoying and their were many moments that I just wanted to yell at her. Her primary romance in the novel was cute but there was nothing there of substance, which also disappointed me. That being said, I want to reiterate that this was really cute and quick, just lacked the umpf I feel could've made for a really interesting contemporary.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Alison Green desperately wants to be valedictorian, so she agrees to co-produce her high school's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, thinking it will increase her chances. She ropes her best friend, Becca, and little sister, Annie, into helping, but nothing is going right, to the point that they dub it “Ye Olde Shakespearean Disaster”. On top of that, Alison accidentally agreed to go on a date with her oldest friend, Jack, even thought she is crushing on Charlotte and knows that Becca has a huge crush on Jack. Alison needs to get senior year under control so she can claim the valedictorian spot she has dreamed of for years!

This romcom went a bit over the top at times with the comedy parts of the book, though overall it was a cute story. I liked the epilogue essay but would really have liked to know <spoiler>whether, after all that work, Alison made valedictorian or not!</spoiler>

The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life is a perfectly fine book. Mostly, it’s actually rather fun. It’s a little forgettable, but it’s got a solid structure and pacing, interesting ensemble of characters, and more than a few genuinely amusing jokes and one-liners. Protagonist Alison, teen lesbian overachiever, is struggling to balance her first relationship, schoolwork and her quest to become valedictorian, and the shambolic school play that she’s somehow found herself agreeing to produce and stage manage. While I’ve seen a few reviewers calling her pretentious and unrealistic, I have to say I found her pretty relatable and authentic - pretentious, yes, but have you talked to many teenagers lately? Specifically the kind trying to be valedictorians? “Pretentious” is not remotely an unrealistic character trait for a teenager. (Exhibit A: me at 16. Hoo boy.)

So that’s all well and good, and the main final message - that we can’t always be perfect at everything, and that can be fine - is, too. But there’s another ongoing theme throughout the book that I found a little off-putting; namely, the importance of being out as a queer person, to everyone, as publicly as possible. Some characters demand or pressure their friends to come out, or to come out to other groups and in other spaces, when the friends aren’t ready; at other times, it’s suggested that relationships won’t work if both parties aren’t equally, fully, publicly out. I feel like the author was intending to create a message of being true to yourself or something, but it really comes off badly, potentially harmfully.

So other than that - but it’s a pretty big that - a pretty fun, very zippy, book, with quips and quests and just about every possible theatrical shenanigan imaginable.

Cute & soft LGBTQ+ romance that theater-nerds will love! The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life is sweet and funny and the main character Alison is full of anxiety and obsessed with school and making sure everything is perfect. She takes on being producer for the school play even though she’s never done it before and is trying to write essays to get into college and also has a crush on the cool girl Charlotte. She has a lot going on, and the pressure to do everything well and to appear like she’s fine is *so* relatable!

I did end up giving this book only 3 stars (though I would say it’s more like a 3.5/3.75) because the book felt so rushed and everything felt like it was relieved so easily throughout the book. But I did really enjoy the adorable romance between Alison and Charlotte!

Also, how cute is this bright cover?! 😍

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

Alison's goal is to be the valedictorian this year and she doesn't want to stray from her goal. Sadly, she ends up becoming a producer in the school play of A Midsummer Night's Dream and her hands are full. Apart from the play, Alison is getting to know Charlotte and she doesn't know if her interest is mutual or not.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It's a YA contemporary and our heroine is homosexual and out to her friends and family, yet there's a really good question concerning what out means to her and in general. Especially with her concerns regarding her attraction to Charlotte and wondering if she knows she's attracted to girls and not boys or later on if she would be okay to be publicly dating another girl. I enjoyed the variety of characters and I loved all the secondary characters and how some of their stories also gave depth to the story.

I liked the character development of our heroine, but I wish that it would have happened a bit earlier in the story. She could be a better friend, sister, girlfriend. I needed to see more of that. We learn from our mistakes and she's a young one, but I just needed to see more of her better version or at least after the mess she had made to try and make better amends and show that she's learnt from her mistakes somehow. Also, the ending felt slightly rushed, but other than that, it was an amazing read.

It was cute and funny and I definitely recommend it!

The year Shakespeare ruined Alison Green's life was a remarkable year for her, even if she doesn't say so.

I had so much fun reading this book. I laughed out loud at so many places and the romance was really cute and heartwarming. The Shakespearean touch was amazing and i was the happiest nerd while reading all about the work that goes into creating a play. The LGBT rep was so well done and all the relationships, wether romantic or otherwise were deeply and tastefully written. Thank you so mich for providing this e-arc to me. I had a blast reading this. Good Luck to the author.

I was a bit worried about reading this one because of the focus on Shakespeare and knowing how much I am not a fan of him. I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed this book even if I’m unsure if this book resembles the Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night Dream.

Thoughts and Themes: I actually really enjoyed this book and liked the struggle that Alison has with being out but also being closeted. While she is out to her best friend and family, they are the only ones who know about this. I know one of the issues that people may have with this book is the lack of the use of the word lesbian but I felt that this is a choice that was made because of the main character.

I thought it was important that Alison never really referred to herself as a lesbian and just kept saying gay or referencing that she didn’t like men. I think that this really added to the complexity of her figuring out how to let others know and how her being unable to put the label on herself contributes to this.

Characters: In this book you get a range of characters and I thought that was great. I thought it was good to see that you had different races/ethnic groups represented through the different characters. I really like all of the characters that are introduced throughout the book and especially enjoy their interactions with each other. I liked the relationship that Alison has with her friends and how supportive they are of her in the thing that she enjoys.

Something else that I liked is the way that Alison has to deal with the mistakes that she makes with her friends and others. I like reading as she deals with this and grows as a person through these errors that she makes. I like how you get to see the complexity behind some of these characters anger towards Alison and how she doesn’t seem to always understand their anger.

Writing Style: This book is told in the perspective of Alison and you don’t really get to know anything from the others. I thought this was great because you get to see a lot of the things that are happening in her head as it is told in first person.

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review ❣️

”The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life” follows high school teen Alison who is making it their senior year mission to be the school valedictorian. Alison’s determination and perfectionism leads to a reluctant agreement to produce her high school’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Being a former theatre kid myself, I loved reading about the bonds created in the theatre world!

The book boasts a colourful set of secondary characters that makes the story fun to read. I love that each character has a moment to shine and the opportunity to develop as the story goes on. As the main character, Alison doesn’t really appeal to me just because she never seems to take any accountability for her mistakes.

It is refreshing to read a romance blossoming between two female characters, but it is unsettling that Alison’s partner (and straight!! best friend) shames Alison into being more “out.” This highlights a really serious problem within the LGBTQ+ community where if a person chooses not to come “out,” they are not seen as queer enough.

This was an easy, fun read with several moments of humour. I recommend this YA novel to those who are looking for a quick story with a quirky set of characters, and of course, those sweet & awkward stages of young love.

PS: this cover is so bright and colourful, I love!! ✨

A very well written and engaging teen story.


Alison Green dreams of being the valedictorian. Nerdy, socially awkward, a little emotionally clueless, gay (out to her parents, sister and best friend), Alison is really every girl. She harbours a secret crush on Charlotte, a super cool girl but cannot imagine doing anything about it. Her best friend, Becca, has a crush on Alison's friend, Jack, and is always tongue-tied in his presence. 


Without meaning to, Alison finds herself the producer of the school play -- a role she's wildly incapable of handling. 


The story is about Alison's action packed school year.


The writing is just so easy, funny and engaging that reading this is so much fun. Twitterpated -- its been a decade since we've seen an author use this delightful word.


Alison is a real person who makes mistakes, creates messes, hurts people, apologises, has some level of self-awareness -- just a complete human being. We love the whole show-not-tell way the characters, their strengths and failings and their growth is written. 


There is not a single character that we didn't like -- Becca, Annie (Alison's sister), and one really tertiary character, Jenny -- particularly stand out. The romance between Alison and Charlotte has some cute moments, but it's not like there is any major focus on it. 


This is a super-light, breezy, extremely entertaining read.

This book was a fun treat filled with unexpected turns in the story.

What I loved most in the book would be the fact that it is centred around a play in high school which will focus particularly on a set of students. This theme being the forefront brought out the capability of the author to do complete justice to those dorky, fun, superb characters. I expected a little more details on the play that they were producing but sometimes that was a good thing that not much of the play was stressed on and instead the same amount of importance was given to the individual characters. The book on the whole was a humorous treat for me and j think I laughed aloud twice when our lead was unable to control the situation. The fact that life is full of defeats and embarrassment and how we live up to that is so well detailed.

This story of LGBT+ people who have so many varying mentalities and social pressures is seen in this book and this was quite a differently written book. The amount of love, care and acceptance shown in this book is heartwarming and I was engrossed throught the entire read. It was well written and I would recommend it for a light and fun read with a touch of emotion.
Thankyou netgalley for the copy #netgalley #theyearshakespeareruinedmylife

This was a cute read - It's the perfect thing to pick up if you don't want to think too hard about what you're reading and not necessarily something that will stick with you after you're done. The cheesiness was a little much for me at times, but overall I was entertained!

** spoiler alert ** Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For starters, this book made me feel like I was reliving my theater days. I enjoyed the feeling of nostalgia when the characters played the same warm-up games that I had in middle school. I also enjoyed the representation of anxiety and panic attacks. I thought that it was done nicely and accurately depicted how it feels to have an anxiety attack (speaking from experience).

While this story was enjoyable it wasn't anything special. Not a lot happened and the second half became slightly repetitive for me.

However, I really enjoyed Zach and Ben's storyline and felt that all of the characters were well fleshed out. I could see myself picking up a sequel about Zach and Ben's relationship.

As for Charlotte and Ali's relationship, I thought it was cute in the beginning but there wasn't enough focus on it for me to be too invested. I also grew to find the character of Charlotte annoying because she wasn't supportive of Ali's Valedictorian dreams.

Overall it was an enjoyable read and I could see myself picking up another book by this author or a sequel.

I requested this from NetGalley for the cover and the fact that it was a female/female romance. The summary didn't grab me but when I started it, I easily read half of the book in one go.

This book is about Alison, a perfectionist in the worst sense of the word, as she tries to become valedictorian by volunteering to be producer for the school play. She then has to organise the whole thing around people she doesn't normally talk to, people she doesn't really like, her friends, her crush and the very oblivious teacher.

One thing I liked about this book was the writing style. As I mentioned, this is a very easy book to read and I finished it really quickly (great considering I was reading this for a reading challenge). But unlike a very similar book, we're told this main character is socially awkward and we actually see it happening. Not in ways that sparked off my secondhand embarrassment sense but in a way that had you wincing with her because why did she say that? I could see myself saying the same thing in her position and that made it better (and a little worse because mirror). It was quite funny at times but most of all I appreciated how Alison was actually awkward, not just we're told about it and then we see her managing to get off the right things to say at the right times.

The other characters were good as well. I enjoyed all the side characters and how Alison's relationships with her sister and her best friend were just as important, and cause conflict, just as much as her relationship with her love interest. It was a very female centric story, with the main characters nearly all being women, and it was refreshing to get that mix. This would be the kind of story we would have gotten five years ago, but it would have been a girl and boy rather than two girls, and it was really good to see.

dI have never been in a play like this but the plot stemmed from the author's want to look at what happened behind the scenes. It was really good to see a character being the producer of a play, because that isn't a role we normally see in YA books. It was fun to see how everything had to be managed and Alison had to deal with juggling the various personalities of the play. I

would say that there isn't anything that struck deep with this book. If you want a light-hearted YA female/female romance, this is a great book to try.

4 stars!