Hayley Kiyoko writing a new novel about her song was on the top of my list to pick up.


Girls Like Girls is a story that centers around growing up and finding yourself while falling in love. I didn't want the story to end and wished I could have had more story about the girls together.

Let it be known that I am a huge Hayley Kiyoko fan so I'm obviously a bit biased when it comes to this review. It was so fun to find little easter eggs like Cliff's Edge Drive and lesbian Jesus. The book starts very quickly, dropping you into the middle of a lot of angst and action, but slowly you find your footing in the story. I loved seeing Coley become more vulnerable both with her father and Sonya, but also with herself. Relationships - and especially queer relationships - can be so fast and intense and scary, and there's a confrontation between Coley and Sonya that does a beautiful job of capturing it. While this is a romance, the end wrapped up a bit fast for my taste; I loved seeing Coley stand up for herself and wish we'd gotten to see Sonya grow a little more before they ended up together.

The Girls Like Girls music video is one of those things that genuinely altered my brain chemistry when it came out. So when I found out Hayley Kiyoko was writing it as a novel, I lost my mind.

Girls Like Girls is a story about growing up, finding yourself, and falling in love. It’s a book that will break your heart and mend it all at the same time.

Personally, my favorite part of the book was the way that the book was formatted. It’s mainly Coley’s pov, but every so often we get Sonya’s Livejournal entries (both private and public) that give us her perspective without fully doing a dual pov structure.

The biggest issue for me was that the ending felt rushed. I would’ve liked to see a bit more from the two girls after the final scene.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'd like to start with the fact that this is an entirely biased review. The <i>Girls Like Girls</i> music video quite literally changed the trajectory of my life, as did Hayley Kiyoko. I got this e-ARC on Valentine’s Day and I think I just sat and stared in awe. So, thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this.

That being said, this book is quite amazing. I am a sucker for characters that I fall in love with, and this book had plenty of it. Coley, our main character felt so real, and honestly, so did a lot of the other characters in this book. The setting was perfect for the story and encapsulated the music video in a way I wasn't prepared for.

The only real issue I see with this book is the ending. It was abrupt and sudden, but all said and done, that's exactly how the music video ended, so I'm 100% not complaining about it.

I'd say the music video changed lives-- and more than that, this book has the potential to further the point that the song made. Girls like girls like boys do. Nothing new.

I was so impressed by this debut novel! As a fan of Hayley Kiyoko’s music I was thrilled to even be reading this but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. I’m not a huge fan of angst, but going into this having seen the music video I knew it would be coming. While I still would have appreciated some lighter, sweeter moments, I was overall very intrigued by the story. I did think the ending was a bit rushed, but it did feel so much like the music video it was almost like I could see it happening.

3.5/5 stars

I think this was pretty solid for Kiyoko's debut! As a fan of the song and of Kiyoko in all aspects, I was so excited to get this e-ARC, so thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy!

I felt some things were rushed (notably the ending), and some of the interactions between characters felt stunted and disjointed and unnatural. However, I think the book captures the truth and agony of homophobia, internalized homophobia, suicide, and parental death fairly well. I like how simple yet descriptive the writing style was, and how much attention to Coley's mental stream there was. It made me feel like I was seeing everything and feeling everything she did, establishing a strong connection.

I def recommend everyone should read this at least once.

Live journals, choker necklaces and boomboxes. I'm feeling the nostalgia.

This book instantly time warped me back to the early 2000s and I felt like I was back in high school struggling right along Coley.

While I found myself relating so much to Coley and her journey and struggle I couldn’t help but dislike Sonya. Her heart was in the right place at some points but at other spots in the story I felt she just was too harsh in her reactions and responses and sticking around and tolerating Trenton was a hard ick for me.

Overall I wished this book had been around when I was in highschool because it was raw and vulnerable and emotional.


Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this arc

This is everything I wanted and more. It was exactly like the song. A quick friendship that turns to more, and 1 is afraid to fall and come out. She questions and is scared and eventually is strong enough and hurt enough to be her true self.

This was funny, cute, hit you right in the feels and has a happy ending. I’m really happy Hayley came out with this. Beautiful story

so cute and i like the mid 2000s setting, it's very charming for them to not have smartphones. and the characters felt real

As someone who was an avid listener of the Girls Like Girls music video, this was perfect! I sped through it in a day because I could not put it down!

Considering that this is Kiyoko's debut novel, and she does not have a background in novel writing, the style was impressive. Parts of it were redundant, but I think it added to the reader's experience of what it is like to be inside the mind of someone questioning.

On that note, it was the perfect 'prequel' (to be clear, that is what this is) to the events of the music video. It elaborated on the story we only received pieces of and the end result was compelling. It was not the storyline I was expecting going into this but, after reading it, I do not think any other story timeframe would have had the same effect.

Overall, the book made me feel understood in both Coley's confusion and Sonya's denial. It is a fast and easy read, but that does not make it any less important. After growing up with the music video and now seeing this story come full circle so many years later, I can say that reading this was healing.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the eGalley of this book, in exchange for my honest thoughts!
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I was so intrigued to read this once I found out the premise was based on Hayley's music video for the song of the same title. What a cool concept to expand art from one format to another!

This is a light fun read. It reads for a younger YA audience, and I think it would be perfect for younger queer teens who are finding themselves and coming into their own. The storyline was easy to follow and it had a very sweet ending; however, I at times felt it was lacking some emotional depth in some of the characters. They're dealing with somewhat heavier topics: identity and what it means to love. At times, it felt a little light or glossed over. Some conversational prose felt clunky or forced. I think those are the moments that pulled me out of the story, like, is this really how teens talk? I think with a bit of polishing, it could stand to be a stronger novel overall.

With that said, I'm excited to see if Hayley decides to keep writing more novels. Her instincts for storytelling are great and I'm pleased to see an icon in the queer world on my bookshelf.

Thank you so much to Rivka Holler of St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books, and NetGalley!

🎶Saw your face, heard your name/Gotta get with you🎶

I wasn't perpetually online when Girls Like Girls came out. But I watched the music video, and remember being in awe that Hayley Kiyoko, a former Disney star, did *that*. I remember when I had more time, endlessly watching the video over and over again , unable to pull my eyes from it. I was about nineteen, and already knew I was somewhere on the girl-liking spectrum. The Supreme Court of the United States was in the process of releasing their decision on same-gender marriage when the song came out two days before, and the music video followed in August. It's sort of a question, in my internet circles-- where were you when Girls Like Girls came out? Had you known? Did you expect it to be that gay? How did it hit you?

As soon as I heard there was a book coming out, it went on my to-read list. I knew that book, no matter what, could not hold up to those golden queer memories of the song-- how could it, when Girls Like Girls was such a monumental change? Proudly gay on the radio, with or without music video, or any statement from the singer to explain the queercoding. It was the All The Things She said for those just young enough to have missed the controversy.

Hayley Kiyoko knew the nostalgia she was tapping. Rather than replicate it completely, she went in a different direction: setting her book in 2006. Livejournal, rather than tumblr or other microblogging websites, is the primary source of journaling here, to capture the feeling of the half-lonesomeness and fear. While i knew I was judging Sonya harshly for some of her actions and her behaviors--- it was 2006. Sonya in 2006 would not have the same confidence or hope as Sonya might have even nine years later. Sonya's private entries capture her feelings, confusion, anger, desperation, and are, of course, perfectly matched to the song. It makes Sonya feel all the more real, how much more pain vibrated off the page. It would definitely be an excellent playlist!

Some tropes are unavoidable, particularly in a first book. Coley is the uniquely-named newcomer to the town, with her acquaintances unsure of even what it stands for. She's bold, bright, and insightful in a way that feels pulled directly from the movies of the time. But don't we deserve that too?
Moreover, while there's a bit of Not Like Other Girls directly addressed-- Coley says she's different solely because her mom is dead, and disagrees with the trope itself, Coley is still Special, able to cut through the bullshit and social excuses and patternings that Sonya and her friends have. Still, then again, she's a teen lesbian who is comfortable liking girls in 2006-- in essence, she can't be like most girls.

Trenton of course, is an asshole, and stays worse. I feel that the book becomes a bit too messy? around three-quarters of the way through, in the same way it ended things. It could have been a cut sideplot, but at the same time I wonder-- there's references to some other songs sprinkled in-- was this one too? Whenever I considered doubts for the story, all I had to do was rewatch the music video, and consider Stefanie Scott's cool, level gaze.

In case you're wondering, yes: the boyfriend's an asshole and he's worse. Yes, there's the scene and it matches perfectly. yes, the nostalgia is incredible.

This kind of missed the mark for me.

The story is definitely closer to a coming-of-age contemporary with a romantic side plot and should absolutely be marketed as such to set expectations from the get-go.

One of the big issues with first-person writing is that every awkward sentence becomes so much more tangible and noticeable. A lot of my issues, mainly Coley's voice, would have been a lot better if the writing wasn't in first person and the story was being told through an up-close third person voice. Raw, vulnerable moments were ruined by messy writing, awkward prose & sentiment that felt poorly communicated due to the POV.

It has the potential of a really great story and I know it will definitely speak to some younger queer audiences in a great way, but with some polishing I think it could be great.

I wanted to like this more than I did. It’s definitely more coming of age than romance but I kinda liked that. Much heavier than I was expecting. It’s messy and relatable but the ending was way to abrupt and rushed for me.

Thank you Wednesday book for sending me a digital arc of girls like girls!

Seeing Hayley Kiyoko’s music video for Girls Like Girls for the first time years ago gave me all the feels and now we finally have a backstory!

Seventeen-year-old Coley has moved to a small town in Oregon to live with her father after her mother’s death. Over the course of the summer Coley meets and falls in love with Sonya - a rich girl who is afraid of what her friends and family will think if she’s with Coley. It is only after Sonya pushes Coley away, breaking both of their hearts, that the girls see what they could have together.

While I did not feel a strong connection with Coley, I thought the character was complex and well-developed. I wish that we had gotten a bit more of Sonya’s perspective as her character resonated a bit more with me, but I loved the choice to use blog entries to convey her thoughts.

Overall, I thought this was a great debut from Hayley Kiyoko!

"I don't even know how to breathe or the name of this feeling. All I know is I want to be breathless forever, if it's like this."

When Coley moves out to live with her estranged father after losing her mother, she was just looking to get by. But when she meets Sonya, everything changes. Suddenly she's wondering if she's good enough to be with her. And wondering why Sonya is resisting the feeling between them.

_____________________

I loved the GLG music video, and am a huge Hayley Kiyoko fan! A fun concept turning the music video into its own book.

I wish I enjoyed reading this more. There was a lot of pain and sadness, from both characters, and it felt really heavy, with not enough deep diving into it. The book gave a lot of young, first, instant love energy. I really didn't care for the way Sonya treated Coley, regardless of her struggles. I felt for her, but it wasn't fair to Coley. I wish we got more of Sonya and Coley exploring their feelings, or even just better communication between them in any capacity. I think for the length of this book, and all the issues they both had, there wasn't enough resolution at the end.

This book is definitely something that would have translated better in a novella type story where it could focus on their relationship and they internal struggles of coming out. I think it's a great read though for teens and I always love a LGBQTIA+ story. I recommend readers look for tw/cw before reading because there are a lot of heavier topics.

I am very excited to see if Hayley will continue to write. I would love to see how her writing and story telling improves, because she definitely has stories to share with the world.

Thank you Netgalley, Haley Kiyoko, and St. Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

- 3 stars

This is a a funny and heartwarming coming-of-age novel that is perfect for young adult readers. I loved the premise, but I think that basis on the original music video holds the novel back a bit. I'll also add, the audience this book is intended for probably never watched the original source material. Overall, I enjoyed this.

This is a story of young women finding themselves. Coley is stuck in small town Oregon with a father she does not really know or want to know. Coley is angry at her mother for abandoning her. She knows it was the pain and mental illness that led her mother to make an irreversible decision. However, that does not make the loss any less painful.

After nearly getting run over by a car, Coley meets some of the local teens. It is not the most auspicious start, especially as one of the guys, Trenton, is a jerk and bully. However, Sonya takes her breathe away. She wants to keep spending time with her, and maybe more, but has to keep those feelings hidden, as she is not sure how Sonya feels. Sonya enjoys being with Coley, who challenges her and seems to "see" her for who she is and could be, not just the persona everyone expects. The friendship will progress into possibly something more before Sonya reverses course and potentially ruins everything. "Liking" girls is not something that Sonya ever imagined for herself, and not something she can handle -- the potential costs seem too great.

I did not really care for the ending. I am glad that Sonya was finally able to admit her feelings for Coley, but it came about too suddenly. I also would have liked to see SJ play a more prominent role. The initial impressions of SJ are not the most favorable, but as the book progresses, it seems like SJ might be the most decent person among this group of teens.

Final Rating:: 3 stars
I wanted to love this book SO BAD, But unfortunately, it was just okay. Based around Hayley Kiyoko's "Girls like Girls" music video: this book is about a 17 year old girl (Coley) who has to move in with her estranged. father after her mother's suicide. Her first day wandering about she meets this group of teens that she befriends. Among those teens is Sonya, our LI, who proceeds to treat Coley terribly (at least in my opinion).

Honestly, I didn't jive with the writing style either, this really just felt like a jumbled mess (particularly towards the end) I really think this would make a better movie than it did a book.

To start, thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC! I was so excited for this book and it did not disappoint. Hayley Kiyoko is known for her songwriting and frankly, for being lesbian Jesus (haha). I wasn’t truly sure what to expect going into this, but Kiyoko really knocked it out of the park. This story is the perfect extension of the Girls Like Girls music video. The video itself had a massive impact on me as a bisexual teenager and I think this book will do the same for a new generation of lgbtq people. Kiyoko gives us the perfect mix of softness and tragedy in a coming of age story that gets you hooked. She truly gets across the almost shame and embarrassment of being a closeted lgbt teenager while counteracting that with these tender moments that leave you wanting more. Kiyoko puts forth a taut wire of desire here. The ache that comes from sleeping next to, interacting with, and even just sitting near the person you want more than anything. She so perfectly represents the feeling of being undone by someone, the feeling of never knowing if you’re doing things the right way. I highly recommend this story as well as a music video rewatch!