This was quite an interesting read. I loved the road trip idea was fun and it really demonstrated how much Cas' character needed this in order to bond with his mom. I absolutely loved his mom's old bandmates, the Darlas, and I honestly wish we spent more time with them! I think this might be one of my main gripes with the novel - there was just so much we could have learned and the novel flew by really quickly and I think we could have spent a bit more time developing the characters and their side plots. I liked the banter between Cas and Syd; I think they had an interesting relationship but the arguments felt very cyclical and I just wished they spoke more about their issues earlier into the novel. This was a quick read and I think if you're looking for a fun, meaningful contemporary YA romance you will find it here.

After graduation Cass and Syd, are excited to have their future in sight. The former best friends team up and head out on a cross-country journey of even more self discovery.

I really loved the character development between the two main characters. The plot was a little rough at times for me and just missing the “bam.” I loved the self discovery and rediscovering that the story holds.

All in all, it’s a quick one day read for all those who love a story of friendship and family.

I would love to interview Kate on my podcast. This One’s for You touched on friendship breakups which isn’t often discussed in YA but should be discussed more often.

I love a book about music and people pursuing their passions. Throw in a little teenage angst and complicated relationships, I’m all in!

In THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, Cass and Syd follow the band The Darlas on their reunion tour while putting off their responsibilities and the decisions they must make about what to do with their lives now that they’ve graduated.

Shifting back and forth between each of their view points, the reader becomes acquainted with each character and what they’re going through on this journey. For Cass it’s about dealing with the grief he’s carried about the loss of his mother at a young age and what it means to share the same passion and talent as her. For Syd it’s about carving her own path, while dealing with reoccurring panic attacks.

This was a great read that really captured the struggles of being 18 on the cusp of adulthood and how difficult it can be to make big life decisions while balancing the expectations of others. I loved the musical aspects included in this one, but also thought that the way the author approached the themes of grief and mental health were really well done.

This was a quick read that I definitely recommend for fans of Almost Famous or Daisy Jones & the Six.

This One’s for You by Kate Sweeney centers around two teens trying to find themselves through an unplanned cross country road trip while also trying to find their way back to each other. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book. We get dual pov through Caspian and Sydney, both of which captured me from the very beginning. Cass feels like life is empty. Syd fills her life with bad decisions. I love them!

Some details about the story:
Childhood friends to ex-friends to reconnecting
Music is a big theme in the book
Graduating high school
Road-trip

TW:
Depression, anxiety, loss of parent, therapy

I am a sucker for a good music book, and this was so good! Cas and Syd haven’t been friends for a while and Cas’ moms band reunion tour is right in the cusp of everything, I loved seeing their reconnection and the way these characters cared for each other!

This one was not a good fit for me at all. I thought the premise was promising but overall I just could not into it and the lack of communication was just frustrating.

aw, man. i really hate to give books that deal with topics like these (grief, loss of a parent, finding your identity) low ratings because these are important stories to have. but uh... i really did not vibe with this story. so i guess, a rant incoming???

cass and syd are estranged friends who go on a roadtrip to follow cass's mother's (who passed when he was a baby) band on a reunion tour. and, the concept seems great. it really does. but these two characters do such a terrible job conversing with each other the entire story that i really didn't feel their relationship rekindle well. nor, did i really believe their platonic (and secret romantic) love for each other before they had their friendship break-up. they just. could. not. explain. their. feelings. not once. it was truly infuriating. to have three-hundred-ish pages of poor communication and then believing that they've sorted out their issues in the end. it's just far-fetched for me.

and let's not talk about how syd (very unfortunately) felt like the next door neighbor manic-pixie dream girl that we all so love (no, we don't). every time they brought up their past, it's always syd pushing cass to do some wild dare. because she's so weird and quirky and not normal! please. let's move on from that. and for that to literally be the source of how they became estranged in the first place. (with a hint of jealousy when cass had a crush on another person, what??) i don't know, maybe i am too far removed from my high school days but like, it feels so immature. but not that cass was much better. he was genuinely a hollow of a human. and i get that's the point by my gosh was it a struggle to read the same thoughts constantly.

basically, both of these teens should have been in therapy for years. and not just for brief times. and also, both of their parents need to do better. everyone in this book is terrible at listening. or talking. or both. i genuinely cannot fathom that a grown adult could not even listen to their name of deceased partner and physically shut down and walk away from a conversation 16 years later. i mean?? trust me, i understand grief is not easy. but like, i guess i see where his son gets it from. my god.

but uh, okay. i guess i have a lot of strong thoughts on this book (more than i expected) and i don't want to sit here writing my own novel all night. but tldr, this was not it for me. i really struggled to make my way through a book that had a promising concept. and that's all down to the extreme lack of communication by any of the characters in this story.

This was such a great YA romance. I loved how intriguing the plot was, and the depths to both Cass’ and Syd’s characters. It was so great to watch them slowly reconnect and realize they need each other while finding their own paths and futures. Definitely a worth while read. Plus I loved the music aspect of this book too! So many fun and heartwarming elements. 3.5 stars, as some parts felt a little slower.

Another it’s not you it’s me situations. This book was cute and I bet the ending would have been okay if I would have finished. It just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book to read and review. I liked the idea of this book. The spontaneous, estranged road trip was fun and I liked that it brought Cass closure with his mom. I thought both Syd and Cass were complex and definitely both needed therapy, but at times I felt like they were stagnant rather than dynamic. Their behavior was a cycle and it didn't feel like they had monumentally developed throughout the story. It was a quick read and I loved the Darlas and the different stops along the tour were cute. I thought this was fine, but I isn't one that stands out to me.

I loved that this book was romance but it was mainly a background plot. I loved learning more of their past friendship and what's changed. I don't know what it was about it but I felt like there was something... missing from it. It was good, but I needed a little more, I think. I have a couple friends that I know will LOVE this book so I'll definitely be recommending it to them when it comes out.

Reviews posted; January 20, 2023
Goodreads
Storygraph


This was an amazing heartfelt coming-of-age story. Right from the start, I knew I was going to fall in love with this book. I loved both of the main characters, and the journey they went on was exciting to see.

While there is a romance in the book, it definitely felt like it existed more in the background. I was totally okay with it because ignorer for the characters to come together in a healthy way, they need to go on their own journey of self-discovery. In the end, it made me like the romance more because it wasn’t rushed and, by the end, felt natural.

I love a good road trip book. There is just something about them that is comforting to me, even though road trips can be incredibly uncomfortable at times. And in books, there are one of my favorite tools for a person to find themselves.

The only real problem I had with the book was that I wanted the two main characters to talk more about their problems. They are constantly always on the cusp of sharing how they feel, and even when they get together, I feel there is a lot left unsaid.

Overall a solid coming-of-age story, with a spontaneous road trip and some great music references.

This book wasn't something I'd typically pick up, but I'm happy I did. childhood friends Syd and Cass have grown apart and are feeling stifled by their parent's pressures about their futures so they embark on a road trip following the band who Cass's mom was in reunion tour. This book follows the effects of grief, parental pressure, and rekindling a friendship. Cass and Syd's relationship was so sweet watching them become friends again and seeing how Syd pushed Cass to get out of his comfort zone and to take risks. We all need friends like Syd

Thank you penguin teen for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! all opinions are my own

The summary of This One’s For You first caught my eye. It sounded like a very heartfelt tale, and even though I’m not too into friends-to-lovers, estranged-friends-to-lovers is definitely more my speed. This One’s For You is a poignant tale of of two estranged best friends who haven’t spoken in two years and reunite for a spontaneous road trip, where they must learn to bridge the gap between them.

Cass and Sydney were once attached at the hip, but they haven’t spoken to each other in two years. Soon after their graduation, they’re both facing their futures: Cass, at college for engineering, and Syd, at a sound engineering internship. When she discovers that he’s been busking at the subway station, something starts between them again. Cass recently found out that his deceased mother’s band, the Darlas, is going on a reunion tour, and the two of them spontaneously decide to road trip and follow them.

I really enjoyed how Cass and Sydney were juxtaposed throughout the story. They simultaneously understand each other the most in each other’s lives yet are so fundamentally different. Cass is reserved and anxious to break any rules, while Syd is all about being impulsive and doing what she wants. The main reason they stopped being friends was that she felt that he abandoned her for “normal” friends while he was tired of her wanting to be the only person he could be friends with. Yet, at their core, it’s clear that both are lost and can help each other find themselves again.

Their differences are also reflected in the writing itself. This is a dual point-of-view book, and I liked how it was very easy to differentiate between the two characters’ chapters. It’s clear that their relationship has suffered from so much miscommunication, mainly because Cass is emotionally closed off while Syd is angry that he never shares as much of himself as she does herself. I do think it got a bit frustrating that they never really talk to each other for much of the book, but it did feel realistic.

I also liked Cass’s and Sydney’s individual character arcs. Cass has never really known his mother, who died when he was one due to driving while she was drunk; besides this loss at a young age, his father has also kept everything about her from him, including music and her band. Cass is unable to stay away from her guitar though, busking at the subway station as an escape. Following the Darlas on tour is partially his search for his mother and partially the beginning of letting himself pursue his own dreams.

Meanwhile, Sydney is tired of feeling out-of-place in her large family. Her parents are pushing her to accept a medical internship—without knowing that she has the sound engineering one lined up—or be kicked out of the house. She’s the one to urge Cass on this road trip, but she’s also running away from her own problems while getting to do what she loves in a more professional setting.

The members of the Darlas turn out to be something like mentors to both of them, helping them see unencumbered happiness and joy. It was great to see them be supportive of both Cass and Sydney. I thought both of their relationships with their parents was also interesting. You can obviously see the love between Cass and his father, but there’s a grief lying underneath their relationship that’s redefined them. Sydney’s relationship with her parents, I feel like, was a typical teenager attitude of “no one understands me!” but I did like her mother trying to reach out and meeting at the end and vice versa.

The romance was so well done. Again, Cass and Syd haven’t spoken in two years, so there’s bound to be tension between them as they set out on this journey. However, it’s clear that they had feelings for each other even while being just friends—even if they didn’t consciously know it—and being in such close proximity brings those underlying feelings rushing up again, although Sydney is still upset with Cass. I liked how they gradually gravitated toward each other, despite all the hurt between them, and how they both helped each other without even thinking about it.

Overall, This One’s For You struck me emotionally; I was almost tearing up at the end. I really liked the characters and the writing; I’ll definitely check out this author’s other works soon. If you’re a fan of Jandy Nelson or are intrigued by a road trip book between two estranged best friends, you should pick up This One’s For You!

This book was a bit more serious than I thought it would be, but not bad by any means. This was a coming-of-age, friends-to-lovers novel with hints of reconciliation.

This book had a lot of relatable aspects for teens and adults alike. We've all felt the need to fit in and make our parents or friends or family proud of us. We see a lot of that throughout the book. As well, there is mental health rep (TW: panic attack), which is relatable to many people now as well. It was well-written and represented, in my opinion, so props to Sweeney for that.

I would have preferred more mushy-gushy-ness. I am a hopeless romantic so it's no surprise that I ask for more romance truly. It was ex-friends to lovers so there was a lot of background to cover and old feelings to overcome. It wasn't my favorite ex-bffs story, and ex-bffs is one of my favorite tropes, but it was nice.

Overall, this was a good book. I wouldn't rave about it, but I did enjoy it.

I really loved Catch the Light, so I was super excited for Kate's sophomore novel! I also love a good coming of age story, and I 100% saw myself and some of my former friendships in this one. The way that she writes about drifting apart and growing up really gets to you because it's just so relatable and realistic, all while trying to hold onto those things that have been with us for so long. The background of the music/band played into it really nicely and the way this turned into a romance after best friends for so long was the icing on top.

I loved THIS ONE'S FOR YOU by Kate Sweeney. The characters of Cass and Syd are richly drawn with distinct voices and well-developed back stories that make an impact on them in their day-to-day lives. I could not put the book down because I wanted to know where the characters were going (physically and emotionally) and how their actions would play out with their families. I intend to re-read it again because I raced through my first read!

One of the reasons I loved THIS ONE'S FOR YOU is the character development. Another big reason I loved it is because of the music. All of the musicians on the page feel real: their love of the music, their skill, and their experiences, whether new or decades old. Even the older band members are well-rounded and avoid stereotypes. I especially appreciated the reveal of Syd's skill with sound and sound boards. What a fantastic way to learn more about the technical side of performing and better understand a character.

Sweeney's use of the dual POV in first person is impressive because the two characters' voices remain distinct. I didn't need the chapter headings to know which character was telling the story. That's rare and I often struggle to find good examples for my writing students who want to write stories using first-person dual POVs.

I look forward to buying this book and recommending it to my students as well as everyone I know.

Two childhood friends who have grown apart and are feeling stifled by their parent’s expectations and the changes coming with high school graduation, embark on a spontaneous road trip to follow a band on tour. Along the way they each are fighting their own battles and wondering where they got lost along the way.

Cass and Syd used to be best friends and happy to be together in their neediness. All Cass wants is to be normal and fit in and Syd wants to be free and herself. On the eve of graduation both their secrets won’t be able to stay secret for long. Syd has lined up an internship doing sound and knows that won’t live up to her parents’ expectations or change their opinion of her not having her life together. Cass has been secretly playing music at the Bart without his father’s knowledge and when he is discovered he has to decide if the risk is worth giving up his plans. When Cass sees that The Darlas-the band his mother was in at the time of her death-is doing a reunion tour, there is something that compels him to go see them. With Syd as his willing accomplice, they both escape in secret and end up following them on tour and learning more about themselves in the process.

A coming of age story which deals with loss of a parent at a young age, the need to fit in, panic attacks and more.

Cass decides he wants to see his dead mom’s band play on their cross-country tour. His dad doesn’t know he’s been secretly playing the guitar at the BART station. Syd, his next door neighbor, has a sound internship her mom doesn’t know about. After running into each other, they decide to go to California to see mom’s band, the Darlas. After California, they decide to keep going never telling their parents what they’re doing. Syd and Cass have many honest conversations about what happened between them years ago. Syd is afraid Cass will leave again. Will they get together? At the last show, big surprises await.