I recognized Hayley from her lemonade mouth days and had no idea that she is now a singer or that this was based on a music video. Overall it was cute, a little too YA for me but I loved the emotions and the representation that it holds. I think this is going to be inspirational and relatable for a lot of people. I hope she writes more in the future

When I heard that Hayley Kiyoko was coming out with a book based on Girls like Girls, I absolutely lost it. I adore the song and its message. I love the music video. It’s been engrained in my brain for years.

I was expecting the story to be set in the 2020s or at least the 2010s but I love that it’s set in the 2000s. I love that we got to see the AIM chats, emails, and texts.

I just want to give Coley a giant hug. I love how she was complex. She had layers. She’s willing to do anything to protect the people she loves. Sonya was even more complex. There were so many moments where she made me so angry and others where I felt bad for her.

This isn’t just a romance, this is a coming-of-age story. Coley is coming to terms with her sexuality and just simply who she is and wants to be.

I absolutely love the LGBTQ+ representation in this. I’m so happy we’re getting more LGBTQ+ inclusive love stories. Especially ones that are full of depth and tug at your heartstrings.

It’s interesting to see more and more celebrities writing fictional novels. I do believe that Kiyoko has a gift for storytelling. Her writing style is poetic and nuanced.

There were times where I had tears streaming down my face from sadness and happiness.

I did find the first 1/4 of the book to be a little slow but other than that I enjoyed it.

This book reads like it was posted on Wattpad, take that as you will. It was fun and cute, I didn't love it but I didn't dislike it either. I think it was a very interesting take on the music video and I can see how they tie together. I love Hayley Kiyoko as a singer, maybe not as an author. If you are looking for a sapphic read to make you a lil emotional, this is it.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! I love the Girls Like Girls by a music video as it is not only a song but a cinematic masterpiece that played a role in my sapphic awakening. Now lesbian Jesus has given us the pleasure of a book based on the same music video I mentioned moments ago. While this book didn't hit the spot for me (which has nothing to do with Hayley Kiyoko's writing, more so to do with I'm not a huge YA person but I HAD to read this because Hayley Kiyoko) I think it could have great potential to become a piece of iconic sapphic literature for younger queer individuals. If this book had been written when I was 13 it would be a definite 5 stars, but at 23 I'm going to rate it 3.5. I do recommend younger individuals read this book as the premise is relatable for many young queer individuals. Is this the healthiest sapphic relationship? No, but moments of it are very real and very raw and there's so many things in this book that I found myself relating to. I am looking forward to seeing what Hayley does in the future!

4.5 stars rounded up - lovely debut novel by Hayley Kiyoko. I love the "Girls Like Girls" music video and was excited to see she was writing a book expanding on the storyline and thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley I got my hands on the arc!

I didn't expect Coley to have such a big backstory and growth arc, but loved that they both were written to have character growth both together and separately. This wasn't a perfect book by any means, but I feel it will be a really important read for younger people and I still fell in love with it. The pacing was a bit off, some parts were really descriptive and then others breezed through weeks at a time, but the detailed bits were really well written. I would have loved to see more description/development from the side characters, as some were there throughout the whole book but you don't get much more than a name and a small glimpse into their personalities, and I know you can't give every single character as much as the MC's, but it was an odd balance that I noticed. Coley's dad was a really good character, toeing the line of how much of a role Coley was allowing him to have in her life, and I wish we saw some more of that relationship at the end. The end of the story was great but it happened so fast, I wish it weren't so rushed and we got some more, but maybe that just means book two is brewing! We can only hope after that ending. For a YA book, I think this is going to be a really sought after read for the youth, especially queer youth, this year!

Super interested to see if Hayley continues this story or just seeing more from her in this writing world, I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from her!

I was so happy to get an ARC of Girls Like Girls from NetGalley! I love Hayley Kiyoko. I thought this book was so, so sweet and a great read for this time of year! I'm so glad she's dipped her toes into writing books and I wish this book had existed when I was in high school. We are absolutely getting it for our library when it comes out, I think it will mean a lot to its readers.

Hayley Kiyoko can do it all! This book was SO GOOD.

It captured the feeling of being a teen knowing that you are expected to be one way but knowing that you have to follow your heart. How one person can enter your life and have you questioning everything you've ever known about yourself and wake up desires you buried deep inside.

CW - grief, suicide, parent death, emotional/physical abuse

I requested this book because I’m starting to really like contemporary romance and trying to expand myself within the genre, however this one was a huge miss for me.

Now I didn’t know any of this until after I finished the book, but apparently Hayley Kiyoko is an actress and singer, and the book is based off of a music video for her song “Girls Like Girls” which is a super cute concept, but you can tell it is her first book.

Coley is not a super likebale character – she starts off by talking about how she’s not like other girls: but not in the way boys mean it, and then talks how she’s not like other girls because she’s sad and moody and likes girls not boys. *eye roll*

This book is set in the summer of 2006 and it’s very obviously so, Sonya uses a LiveJournal to blog her summer, they speak on AIM everyday, and yet somehow the small town homophobia is set in the early 1990s.

Now I grew up in the suburbs of a major city, so my teenage years in 2006 were way different than those of a small town, but the way characters responded to the lgbtq characters just felt off to me. They just really seemed to ramp up the homophobia for ~plot reasons~ and I was not a fan.

This was also a very character driven story which is fine, not always my thing personally but it helps if the characters are likable. I despised Sonya, almost all her friends except SJ and the side character Faith.

I just felt like neither love interest had much of a personality outside of each other and like one hobby.

Overall this book just wasn’t my vibe, it was predictable and too character focused for my liking, and you can tell it was a first book. I do hope Kiyoko continues to write though and I’m curious to see what she does in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A book based on a music video what more do I need to say this was the perfect book I didn’t know I needed.

The deal: A queer little YA romcom from Hayley Kiyoko. Yes, THAT Hayley Kiyoko. I got an ARC from NetGalley.

Is it worth it?: The tropes are out (obviously), it’s set in a dripping-with-nostalgia-version of 2006 (Kiyoko knew exactly who she was writing this for), but if you detest the kind of queer plot where the main tension is “repetitive back and forth over one of the leads not being out yet,” this is not for you. That being said, either Kiyoko hired a really exceptional ghostwriter, or she could leave music and do this full-time if she ever wanted to. Whole thing felt pretty effortless to me.

Pairs well with: Kiyoko’s songs/videos for “Girls Like Girls” (this book is based on it) and “For The Girls” (just because)

B-

First off, I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this early.

Before I started reading this I didn’t have low expectations but I didn’t have high expectations either. I briefly remembered the music video this book was based off of and in my mind writing music and writing books are different. Both are equally difficult, just in their own way. But excuse my language, holy shit, I was actually blown away.
Coley(17) is one of the main characters who recently moved to a new town where her stranger of a father lives after her mother passed away. There she meets Sonya and her group of friends Alex, Trenton, SJ and Brooke. Coley struggles with self worth/love, living with a father who abandoned both her and her mother, the loss of a parent and lots of other topics that many people experience.
Sonya is the other MC who struggles with accepting her sexuality and dealing her douche of an ex boyfriend Trent.
This book is an absolute delight and will hopefully help people feel seen if they relate to Coley and Sonya. I know I personally did! This book is fantastic and I will definitely be thinking about this book for a while. Wonderful writing and highly recommend reading this!!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the earc.


This was not it for me. I did not care for any of the characters, besides her dad, and the story just felt all over the place and cringe. The only thing i did enjoy were the live journal portions cause the nostalgia always gets me. I had to skim through a bit of it cause i just didn’t care and it felt like i was reading the same things over and over. I don’t have much else to say. I Just upsetting that i didn’t like this as i was hoping for.

This was cute but I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. A really quick read though and not bad for a debut novel.

Girls Like Girls is Hayley Kiyoko's debut novel, it follows Coley who has just moved in with her estranged father after her mother's death. T.W.- suicide.

Coley is in a new town with the father she's never known and meets a group of kids and instantly falls for popular girl Sonya. Sonya is struggling with her new found feelings for Coley and Coley is struggling with pretty much everything.

Girls like Girls is a quick read and any fans of Hayley will probably really enjoy the story. Overall it was a decent read and a good debut effort. 3 stars

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko (debut novel, based on her song/video Girls Like Girls) is a YA coming-of-age novel about Coley, who moves in with her estranged father after her mother dies. She meets Sonya and they're drawn together. They're both dealing with their sexualities. They're both growing and developing. Also, this book takes place in 2006 which really took me back in time. I wonder how the younger teens reading this today will feel? :P

TLDR: This book is likely going to be getting a lot of hype in the coming months. If you're a Hayley Kiyoko fan, you should read this. If you like YA sapphic romance/coming of age novels this will make a fine addition to the genre. Otherwise, you can probably skip this one. (Unless you're really just curious. I won't stop you. I'm not your parent.)

Girls Like Girls was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, which of course meant it was doomed to fail for me. This book was a pretty conflicting ride because there was a lot I liked but there was also a lot missing.

I liked the setting and I found Kiyoko really understood the atmosphere of a small town. I enjoyed the 2006 setting as well. I liked many of the side characters---Curtis, SJ, Alex, Blake, and I even liked our MC Coley. I appreciated the development of Coley's relationships with some of the side characters. As a Hayley Kiyoko fan it was really fun to find the little easter eggs and references to her music she added in. (view spoiler)

One thing that Kiyoko did really well in this novel is describe the experience of finding first love and the confusing feelings that go along with it. Coley and Sonya don't really seem to make much sense together from an outside perspective. There are sparks flying from the moment they meet each other. That aspect worked for me because in real life first love doesn't really make sense most of the time and it can make you do stupid things.

Unfortunately, that was really the only aspect of the romance I did get because otherwise I don't really understand why either of them like each other. Part of the problem is Sonya felt underdeveloped. She does all this gushing about how Coley makes her feel like herself, but I never really got a sense of who Sonya really is. I could sympathize with the fact that she was letting go of the repression she was holding on to and still figuring herself out, but I think we needed something more of Sonya's "true" self, other than being closeted. This likely could've been helped by having more private AOL entries in the middle of the book. There was a large portion (view spoiler) that was missing her perspective and I believe more understanding could've been generated if we could get inside her head during her hard moments as well. I could sympathize with her struggle but I didn't love her or understand her enough to really root for her.

This isn't a bad book, especially for a debut, but that being said I could definitely tell it's a debut. The beginning felt stilted and some of the dialogue (especially the sarcastic bickering between Coley and Sonya) didn't really work for me. There's still a lot of room for improvement for Kiyoko but if she's interesting in continuing to write I do think she has potential.

Overall it was a fine book. Part of its downfall is that I went in with high expectations as a long-time lover of the music video. I know Kiyoko has said she wanted to make a movie based on the music video, and I honestly think I would've preferred a movie to this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve loved Hayley Kiyoko and this song/music video forever and the book absolutely does it justice. I loved the characters of Coley and Curtis and could really feel their emotions through the book. So glad I got to read this and am excited for it to come out later this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book. This book was beautiful. The portrayal of grief shown in this book blew me away. Absolute prose. The writing was so moving and emotional, and watching Coley grow and navigate her new life was a joy. For me, the romance in this book felt very secondary. Which I don’t believe was intentional, but I truly struggled at times to root for Sonya. Perhaps she was too real of a character for me, and others will not have the same problem with her I did. Regardless though, it was a wonderful story and by the end I was happy I had read it.

I liked this book, it was simple and cute. I did find the plot to be nothing special - not surprises and I’m sure there are many ya books with a similar plot. But overall cute.

**Disclaimer: I received a free advanced readers copy of Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko is a young adult coming of age novel about a girl named Coley who moves in with her estranged father after her mother dies.  In her new town, she meets a girl named Sonya and they find themselves drawn together.  The novel is set to be published on May 30th, 2023.  I rated it 5 stars on Goodreads.


Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Trailblazing pop star, actor, and director, Hayley Kiyoko debuts her first novel, a coming-of-age romance based on her breakthrough hit song and viral video, GIRLS LIKE GIRLS.
It’s summertime and 17-year-old Coley has found herself alone, again. Forced to move to rural Oregon after just losing her mother, she is in no position to risk her already fragile heart. But when she meets Sonya, the attraction is immediate.
Coley worries she isn't worthy of love. Up until now, everyone she's loved has left her. And Sonya's never been with a girl before. What if she's too afraid to show up for Coley? What if by opening her heart, Coley's risking it all?
They both realize that when things are pushed down, and feelings are forced to shrivel away, Coley and Sonya will be the ones to shrink. It’s not until they accept the love they fear and deserve most, that suddenly the song makes sense.
Based on the billboard-charting smash hit song and viral music video GIRLS LIKE GIRLS, Hayley Kiyoko's debut novel is about embracing your truth and realizing we are all worthy of being loved back.

I fully admit that I requested this because I really loved the song and music video, and I was curious about what it would be like in novel form.  I was also curious to see what Hayley Kiyoko would be like as a writer, and I was not disappointed.  I absolutely loved this book.

I really enjoyed all the layers of the novel.  It dealt with these two girls coming to terms with their sexualities but it was more than that.  It was about Coley coming to understand that she deserves love and that she deserves to be treated well, and I really enjoyed reading about her growth and development over the course of the novel.  She was a really interesting character, and I really did feel for her as she made her every day choices.

I found the dynamic between Coley and Sonya interesting as well.  There were definitely some questionable moments but it was understandable where the toxicity in their dynamic might have come from, and I definitely think that they had more growing to do by the end of the novel but I felt good about where things were left.

I also enjoyed the nostalgia of the vibes of being in high school in 2006.  There were aspects that were very relatable to me, like going home to instant message your friends though I used MSN not AIM like the characters in this book.  I can't say a lot of the rest of it was relatable to me, but I enjoyed the novelty of those parts.  

The side characters were interesting as well, though some could have used more development.  I wish we had gotten to see a little bit more of Sonya's friends because some of them seemed to have a lot of potential and I wanted to learn more about them.

The story was well constructed, and I highly recommend that you check it out when it publishes in May.