Everything I wanted and more. This is a book that will make girls and women of all ages bond over the special connected we have to Girls Like Girls.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Publishing Grp for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hayley Kiyoko you have done it again!! When I saw that Hayley announced the book, my inner teenage self came back lol. My heart was overflowing while reading this debut book.

Coley and Sonya, truly what a beautiful pair. Coley’s backstory was heartbreaking to read. The struggles and heavy conversations that Coley had, made her character develop well. The angst, the back and forth expected with new feelings they’ve never experienced before.

I thought that the pacing/timelines could’ve been better with certain parts of the book. It was inconsistent at times. A bit repetitive in my opinion.

Overall I’m glad that there’s a story behind these two. A story that is shared to the world about two people navigating their feelings and being in love.

i absolutely adored this

i’ve been obsessed with hayley kiyoko and this music video for as long as i can remember, so to have this immortalized as a BOOK is one of my favorite things ever and im so happy it’s getting shared with more people <3

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Girls Like Girls releases May 30, 2023

This debut novel is based on the song + music video by the singer/songwriter/author Hayley Kiyoko.

The short version:
This was a really frustrating one-sitting read.

The long version:
This story is told from the perspective of Coley, a 17 year old girl who recently moved from San Diego to a small suburb in Oregon. In the midst of grieving her mothers apparent suicide/drug overdose, she now must navigate living with her estranged and “deadbeat” father whom she really has no emotional ties to.
During the summer before senior year, Coley grows close with a group of established friends who have known each other their whole lives, but has a particular fondness for one girl named Sonya (I would call it an insta-lust attraction).

Nearly every single character presented was unlikeable, and Coley deserved SO much better.

I found some relatability within the father/parent dynamics, but at times the writing was just too cheesy and teenaged-angst for me — saying “Olive Juice” instead of I love you, and venting through Live Journal entries with accompanying moods and songs.

Sonya… where do I start. She is someone who gets by in life with the assumption of things always going her way. The constant denial was so frustrating to read, but the worst part of it all was how she kept treating Coley so poorly. The hot and cold behaviour, the calculated “away” status, saying that Coley is a lot of drama the day after they first kissed, making out with other people, etc.
Towards the end, I really thought she might have some redemption or realization, but then Sonya goes on to say “maybe its just you, you’re an exception. I mean, I know you’re wrong” — being queer isn’t “wrong” and that’s the furthest thing from an apology. She kept trying to have it both ways but it was so selfish.
The smugness and clique mentality when Sonya wanted it to her advantage to avoid dealing with Coley was so gross, which leads me to Trenton, who was another character I absolutely hated.
A bully, jerk, and manipulative ex-boyfriend who just wouldn’t go away.
I didn’t like how characters would just brush off his actions and defend him by saying “oh you just have to get to know him” and “that’s just the way he is; guys don’t change”.

Coley coming into this small town definitely gave some people a wake up call and ruffled feathers a bit. This group of teens were so used to their comfortable bubble, and Coley brought some unpredictability.

It was refreshing to see Coley call Sonya out on her bullshit multiple times, and thank god she wasn’t a doormat character who got completely walked over.
She had immediate comebacks without hesitation and it was hilarious to see Sonya caught mid-stride, especially during that conversation involving summer dance camp and being “overwhelmed”.

I really didn’t think the addition of Blake’s character was all that necessary, and would have almost liked it better if it had been Alex instead.

The ending was very rushed and felt unfinished. There was no need for that level of violence at such a late stage in the book (though it was an accurate portrayal from the MV) But how could you just let the main character ride off into the figurative sunset with a literal head wound and call it day??

What I wished most of all though was to have had more depth and exploration in terms of being biracial instead of the ONE line we got that said “I’m never white enough. Never Asian enough. Never… enough.” Without this, there's zero indication of having a ethnically diverse character.
The main character, the author, and myself are all biracial (specifically half White, half Asian) — I understand that this is a queer centered coming-of-age book, but further developing the ethnicities would have been appreciated.

Read if you like:
- sapphic coming-of-age
- grief subplot
- poison ivy that leads to the one bed trope
- set in 2006 aka AIM profiles, flip phones, and choker necklaces
- easter eggs

CW: suicide/drug overdose, shoplifting, lots of underage drinking and smoking weed, mentions of an abortion (side character), mentions of depression

I really appreciate that Kiyoko brought elements of her personal experience and stories she has told through music to this novel. I also really appreciated the characters or Coley and her struggles with her family. However I felt that the plot of this book could have been reworked slightly to tie each scene together better and I wish the ending had felt like rushed. Additionally while I appreciated the aim user name references and live journal, I wonder if the audience will understand these elements and if it would have changed the story at all if they were drafts on tiktok/insta and DMs

2.5 stars rounded up

i didn’t have particularly high hopes for this but 14 year old me would’ve killed me if i hadn’t at least requested an arc of this book.
it surprised me in a lot of ways. the main love story wasn’t one i ended up rooting for as much as i was for the tenuous relationship forming between the main character and her father. i feel like this would’ve been a more impactful tale if it had focused on the complex familial relationships of both girls, rather than just being an endless cycle of sonya using coley as an emotional punching bag.

3.5 stars! As a high school counselor, I really enjoyed the writing and the accurate dialogue amongst the characters, both with each other and parents. This novel explored some heavy themes, and I encourage everyone to look at trigger warnings before reading. My only qualm with this one was the ending felt a bit rushed, and I felt certain questions should have been better answered toward the end. Overall, I think this one will resonate a lot with today’s teenagers and even some parents/adults (after all there were fantastic throwbacks to livejournal and music from the early 00’s). Great job with this one, and I hope Hayley decides to write more novels!

Thank you, Wednesday Books and Netgalley, for the arc!

Being a big fan of the “Girls Like Girls” music video by Hayley Kiyoko, I was super excited to see that she had written a book expanding on that storyline. She did a great job of showing how two different people work their way to figuring out who they are, what is acceptable, and what they can handle. She also does a magnificent job of handling grief, which I didn’t expect to be such an important factor in the story, but it was so well done.

I didn’t expect Coley to have such a big growth arc in the book. I thought it would be Coley helping Sonya. It impressed me that they grew equally, separately together, and apart.

This wasn’t a perfect book by any means, but it was a book I fell in love with and will be important reading material for younger people. I had high expectations, and while I cannot wait to buy my copy, I did have to give it a little grace throughout. The pacing was a little off, but this could have been intentional to get the hot/cold vibes that Coley was feeling from Sonya and her friends. Some side characters were fully developed, while others were there in pretty much name only. I know you can’t flesh out everyone and give them a side story, but it was a weird balance.

Speaking of characters, I loved Coley’s dad. I wish we had spent more time with him and her and how their relationship developed.

Finally, the ending was epic, yet it happened so fast, and then it was over. I liked the end. I was happy but sad it happened so fast. I wish it weren’t so rushed, or we got a few more chapters to see what happens - or maybe book two is coming??

I think GIRLS LIKE GIRLS will be an important book to come out this year and for years to come. Kiyoko expanded the story of the music video really well and made it a tangible thing to read and experience. I can’t wait to see what she does musically and as an author next!

CW: drug use, underage drinking, homophobia, mentions of suicide and abandonment

I don't read a lot of YA anymore, and I was a little worried I'd be bored by this, but I actually really liked it! It's not perfect, and it starts out a little slow/clichéd for me, but I just read the last 80% of the book all in one day, so I definitely found it engaging. I'm not sure I'd recommend it to older readers but it's a great coming-of-age book for queer teenagers. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read and review this ARC.

2.5 stars
The music video was such a big part of my childhood. I remember signing a petition to try and make it a movie. That was the first time I had ever seen that in a music video. I will always have that music video in my heart.
Only reason I didn’t dnf this book is because it got through it so quickly. The only characters I liked were SJ and Alex. I didn’t expect it to be good because I understand Kiyoko is a singer but I hoped my history with the music video would make it so I enjoyed the book. Unfortunately that was not the case. There is nothing special or interesting about this story. It is very standard. You have read it and seen it in every gay media you have consumed but with no depth.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It's 2006 and Coley has just lost her mom to suicide. She's sent to live with her dad, who she hasn't seen or heard from since she was three. In an effort to make friends, she meets Sonya, and she swears they have a connection that's different... if she could just get Sonya to admit it out loud.

This story is very much a "coming into your own" tale, and I respect that. I requested this book because of the author, and though I enjoyed the core of what the story was, I felt like it could have been written a bit better. However, I will say that the topic of suicide was handled delicately and in a way that was realistic without being gruesome, and I really appreciated that.

CW: suicide, grief, mental illness, homophobia, violence

The story of a first queer love and coming to terms with your identity, while also revolving around themes of grief and loss, depression, and navigating difficult relationships.

Coley’s life is uprooted after her mom’s death, and she’s moved in with her absent father who she has very little connection to. She quickly stumbles upon a colourful friend group in this small town, immediately forming a connection with the quiet girl, Sonya.

There was a lot I liked about this story - although it started off slower, it quickly developed to a pace that kept me reading until the end in almost one sitting. The story was sweet at times, heartbreaking others.

As an adult reader, I felt the writing style to be too young and simple for me - even compared to other YA books. I regret to say it read more like fanfic.

My main issue, after finishing the book, is the pacing. It starts slower, speeds up towards the middle, and ends very abruptly.

<spoiler>
I would’ve appreciated some time for Coley and Sonya to talk more, find their footing, and deal with the aftermath of all the drama in the friend group. I was left with some unnecessary questions: do her friends know now? Is the group split up? Will they be safe?
I’m not sure if there’s going to be a sequel - there’s certainly a lot of room for one - but regardless I would have liked a day or two to cool down and figure things out after the fight and Sonya’s big decision.
</spoiler>

Overall I enjoyed this and would recommend it to younger readers who are struggling with similar things!

'Girls Like Girls' feels like an honest slice of life into a teenage summer that is sometimes fun and often heavy for our main character Coley. Coley is going through a lot. She's managing grief, blaming herself for things beyond her control, navigating a relationship with a previously absent parent, and exploring her identity all at the same time. I appreciated the nuanced depictions of how complicated and weighty this could all be for Coley, while still including the day-in-the-life perspective of how she was passing her time and the spark of joy caused by her possible relationship as she worked through these emotions.

Throughout the romantic arc in the novel, I loved how we got to see the highs and lows for each character and for their relationship together. Each of the characters is on their own unique journey towards self-acceptance and the wrenches these journeys threw in their relationship and how they worked through them felt true to character, while their palpable connection and the spark we see between the two from the meetcute drives the story onwards. Overall, I appreciated that we got to see into the whole worlds of what was going on with each character and I loved the overarching message of learning you are deserving of love.

**Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review**

The plot is mostly vibes, but the characters are so cute and sweet. This absolutely reads as someone who isn’t usually an author, but again, it was heartwarming! The book feels like a love letter to my young bisexual self and even though it was written to be during the early 2000s, I still think it covered a range of topics. The book caters to its audience and is something I think most people will enjoy.

The plot lines aren't great but the overall story is good.

I have a very strong love/hate relationship with the characters of this book. I also feel like there are multiple starts of storylines that aren't resolved very well or at all. However, the story itself was an easy read and the primary storyline was well developed. I just think there were parts that too much time was spent on and parts where there wasn't enough time. I would have liked to see more of the after, which we didn't get, but overall this was a pretty good book, regardless of the status of a celebrity author.

As a long time fan of Hayley Kiyoko as an artist, I was very excited for this book. I agree with other readers that some of the transitions between scenes felt a bit disjointed, but overall I was pleased with the quality of the writing. The editor in me struggled when it flip flopped between numerals and written out numbers in one paragraph, and there was a typo earlier on that caught my eye as well.

The build up was somewhat slower than I was anticipating, but by the halfway mark I was invested and could not put it down. I appreciated how Kiyoko set up the time period, and though I was only three/four in 2006 the setting felt natural to me. The characters were my favorite part- not necessarily that I liked all of them, but they are well written and the reader gets a strong sense of who they are, even the side characters.

Coley deals with some heavy emotions throughout the story but she really pulls through and I love her character growth. I have mixed feelings about Sonya, but I do feel she is very realistic. For a side character, I absolutely fell in love with Alex. He definitely pulled his weight as a supporting character and his humor and probably-baked wisdom balanced some of the more grating characters (Brooke and Trenton).

This is a story that teenage me could have used, and I hope it gets to the people who need it now.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Publishing Group, and Hayley Kiyoko for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a longtime Hayley Kiyoko fan I absolutely LOVED this book! The Girls Like Girls music video has always been a favorite, and this novel effortlessly captured the story. The relationship between Coley and Sonya was so raw and real, and I loved how each girl's point of view was explored. This is absolutely an excellent debut novel that I will be recommending to everyone!

I had never read a book based on a music video before, and I thought that was such a cool and creative format for a novel! This story follows Coley, a rising high school senior who moves to Oregon soon after losing her mother, to live with her estranged father. Shortly after she arrives, Coley meets a group of local teens, including Sonya, who she is immediately drawn to. Could Sonya feel the same way—and how will they overcome the obstacles surrounding them in order to be together?

Overall, I think this is a great book! The writing style draws you in right away, and it tells a compelling love story while also touching on some other serious topics. Beyond the connection between Coley and Sonya, I also liked reading about Coley's relationship with her dad and how Coley grew as an individual, becoming more vulnerable and learning more about herself. She is definitely a character you can't help but root for. Additionally, this book is set in the 2000s, but it does feel timeless in some ways, while also capturing the feeling of a specific moment in time. However, I wish that certain things had been fleshed out a little more. I think the ending could have been drawn out a bit, and I would also have liked to know even more about Sonya as a character. I enjoyed how we got snapshots of her perspective throughout from her LiveJournal entries, but I found her a really complex, fascinating character, and I would have wanted to see more of her POV and backstory too. I'm excited to see what Hayley Kiyoko might write next! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really liked parts of this but struggled with some other parts. I thought Sonya hurt Coley a lot and was kind of toxic to her and I didn't like how everything was forgiven too quickly and they jumped to confessing love to each other. I thought they just needed a bit more time to work through some of their issues and make sure that Sonya was ready for the relationship. There are some parts that are really sweet and enjoyable to read and I did read the book very quickly!

I was so excited when I saw Hayley Kiyoko wrote a book! She’s a great performer and I like a lot of her songs. I didn’t love the book though. The writing wasn’t great and I disliked a lot of the characters.