DNF.

Tried many times to start the book and the keep on reading, but I couldn't keep on going. I rate this 3 stars because I don't want to put out a bad rating on a book I didn't read!

I listened to the audiobook and had to DNF at 44%. I still often enjoy YA books but this just felt very young to me. The main character wasn't likeable at all, there was too much focus on social media for my taste, and after a while it just became exhausting to keep listening.

Leaving 3 stars as a neutral rating since I didn't finish the book.

Adam Sass continues to stretch his legs as a writer by branching into fairy tale retellings with The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers!

If you read Sass’ debut, Surrender Your Sons, you’ll know what a departure 99 is from that initial novel, which only speaks to the author’s ability to represent the queer experience in multiple mediums.

Highly recommend adding all of his novels to your personal and classroom libraries!

I had read another book by Adam Sass so I did really want to read this. This was another one where I pushed myself to carry on reading. This was in First Person pov and I didn’t like it. The main character was very annoying – since it’s in first person, it’s more difficult to ignore. It was also quite predictable and I could see what was going to happen before well before the half-way mark.

This .... was certainly YA. Some YA reads as really interesting and the narrative is smart and mature. This is not that. The writing was juvenile, the narrative was clearly that of a 15-ish y.o. Which is fine. There's something to be said for writing that's true to who the character is and how the character thinks and speaks. But in this case, how the character thinks and speaks just isn't.... interesting. Honestly, it's a little aggravating. You want to shake the main character here at certain points, like obviously your best friend who makes you lattes all the time is super crushing on you, dude. Get your head out of your ass and maybe.... idk, take a look around?

This is the YA that everyone thinks I'm reading when people ask me how I can read YA, it's so juvenile, they can't relate to the characters at all, etc.

This was the sweetest book I've read in a long time, it was such a good vibe and I could not put it down! The story was great, the plot was great and the characters were just mid :( Micah was enraging and Elliot was the SWEETEST! This is a queer rom-com that was whimsy and an easy read. I enjoyed the twist on a modern day Cinderella story!


•eARC provided by NetGalley, and Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great read!! I really enjoyed Micah and his adventures throughout the book. The writing was fun, the relationships were meaningful and this was a great read!

The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers is a delightful read that mixes lightness and depth that leaves readers feeling hopeful.

It's a charming read with an artsy protagonist in Micah that readers will be cheering for as he navigates his art, portraits, and IG in search of "the one."

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This is fun read for students in middle school. Enjoyed this little novel it will be a good read for students at the middle level.

ARC. I couldn’t put it down. It’s sweet, it’s whimsical, it’s a breath of fresh air. I’m so excited for people to get this book in their hands. I devoured this in 4 days and I never read that fast. Excited to see what Adam Sass churns out next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

As a disclaimer, I only read the except for this one.

I see the appeal for a YA audience -- I see some of my teens really resonating with this one. But for me, it read as really cringey and I'm not really a fan of specific pop culture references in writing, as I think it will end up dating the book down the line.

I was a bit on the line with this one. Like all books there were aspects I enjoyed like the story itself was cute but again like all books there were aspects I didn't enjoy for example I wasn't Micahs biggest fan.

99 boyfriends may seem like a lot but when every single one of those relationships only exists in your imagination, suddenly it idea feels pretty relatable.

Micah Summers is the 'Prince of Chicago'. His family is famous and rich. He doesn’t have a lot of problems really, except where love is concerned. Although he has never been in a relationship, his current tally of imaginary boyfriends and hypothetical relationships has reached ninety-nine. As an artist and a well-intentioned hopeless romantic, he expresses his unrequited feelings for strangers by posting his fairy-tale inspired portraits of his crushes online. The boys Micah falls for and the fantasy drawings he makes of them are an internet sensation, but Micah keeps his identity as the artist a secret. Only family and his best know the truth. But when boy number 100 comes along, the meet-cute that ensues sweeps him off his feet and dares him to finally take action. Micah need to find the mystery boy that vanished before he could ask him out. He’s determined to finally take the plunge into a relationship, to put his heart on the line for the perfect fairy-tale come true! With the help of an old friend and a new one, Micah will have to decide what he’s willing to risk, to sacrifice, and if picture-perfect is really what he wants. Is true love made of flirtatious moments and knights in shining armor, or does it bloom over time in the places he leasts expects it?

Adam Sass’ "The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers" is a charming and light-hearted young adult, queer romcom. It felt happy, whimsical, and frustrating as I experienced all of Micah’s tender moments, wacky hijinks, dumb mistakes, and sincere growth. It’s a sweet and camp re-imagining of Cinderella from the point of view of one prince in search of his own. Micah is not a perfect person, boyfriend, or fairy-tale prince. In this contemporary version of the fairytale, it’s clear that there’s far more for a prince to do than just show up to the ball and find a glass slipper. This privileged prince had to learn a few lessons and step on a few toes before finally finding, and being worthy of his Cinderella.

"The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers" is perfect for anyone looking for a bubbly whimsical romance. This is the book for those of us who never let go of fairytales and never stop hoping for happily ever after.

I didn’t really like this story. While I think the idea of this book was to create a sweet LQBTQA+ story it fell short for me personally.
I didn’t enjoy Micah’s character, but give this book a shot for yourself!

2.5

When I first requested this book on Netgalley, I had no idea it was a contemporary retelling of Cinderella. Had I known it before, I surely would have picked this book up way sooner. The retelling aspect, in fact, was my favourite part of an otherwise pretty forgettable book.
I liked how over the top the plot was, and initially I was sucked in. The book had those perfect early 2000s romcom vibes and I was totally there for it. Sadly, from a certain point on, the plot took a turn that lead to not one but two of my least favourite tropes and Adam Sass completely lost me. I am not going to tell which tropes they are, but I was sad to find them.
I also didn’t particularly like Micah as a main character, there was something off about him which made it hard for me to care about his love life. Maybe it was that I am too different from him when it comes to romantic love, but I have read other books with which this was the case and it never bothered me too much. So, I honestly don’t know what it was.
The secondary characters were the most forgettable thing about this book, because Micah was so self centered. I hardly can remember a single thing about any of them, I have no idea what their personalities were and I am even starting to forget their names. Not good.
The writing style was okay. As I said, I liked how over the top this book was, and the writing did kinda reflect that, so I had fun (until that happened) while reading. It surely was a quick and easy read, and I’d be interested in reading more by this author, because I think there was a lot of unexplored potential there. I think he has a new YA horror thriller out later this year, and that one sounds like something I could really enjoy a lot more.
Overall, I would still recommend The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers, because it is a cute and easy queer contemporary romance and if you are not bothered by the same tropes that bother me, you might enjoy this a lot more than I personally did. Also! There are some pretty cool illustrations inside the book, since Micah’s whole deal is that he posts his drawings on his Instagram profile. I always love when book have any type of media inside of them, so that is definitely a plus for this book. I am going to buy myself a physical copy just for this.

This was an adorable LGBTQ+ YA romance! I feel like many teens could definitely relate to the issues that are happening in this book. Micah is a gay teenage boy, who just wants a boyfriend and someone to share all his firsts with. We have all been there. He copes by drawing his crushes as fairy tale characters and sharing them on Instagram through his very successful and anonymous account. He finally meets his Prince Charming and shares his identity on his Instagram, which ends up flipping his life upside down! His relationship is everywhere, and his new boyfriend seems to be taking advantage of that. And worst of all, his Prince Charming doesn’t seem to be The One anymore. Oh yea, and he starts to fall for one of his best friends…who already has a boyfriend. Overall, I thought the story was cute, it does a really good job of showing how difficult life is as a teenager trying to find love and how confusing feelings can be. It was a very cute story, with a happy ending for Micah. I also loved the inclusion of actual drawings that Mica describes in the book, that made it all the better!

Set in Chicago, The 99 Boyfriends Of Micah Summers by Adam Sass is such an excellent read. I really enjoyed this story about Micah who absolutely comes into his own. Micah runs a popular instagram account where he draws pictures of his unrequited crushes but fantasy style -- called InstaLoves. He has no experience with boys whatsoever though. This changes when he sees a cute boy on the subway and decides to start his firsts and to pursue Grant. It seems like a real life Meet Cute and the two eventually connect. It seems like Instalove, but is it? After all, Grant is an art student and about to put on a really cool show. He has a lot in common with Micah. As the relationship with Grant is unfolding, Micah is also forming a friendship with Elliott who is friends with his best friend.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. Micah is just so earnest and I love that about his character. I wanted Micah to find love and happiness and joy. When it came to his love interest I for sure had feelings- but I am also an adult and can see through some things quite easily. This was well written and engaging and the characterization was perfect. Also, the narration was perfect too. The 99 Boyfriends Of Micah Summers is narrated by Max Meyers and is 10 hours 24 minutes unabridged.

Unfortunately I don't think YA is for me anymore, and this brings me a lot of grief. Even then, I think the expectations that came with the amazing premise were not met, with a lacking execution.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you publisher for sending me an ARC!
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This was one of my highly anticipated reads and I’m glad to say that it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed this and I need to purchase a finished copy for myself!