"Even the everyday stuff is a lot more colorful with you around."

BIGGG thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Romance for this arc in exchange for an honest review!!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought this was super cute, definitely 4 stars, until around the middle of the book. My biggest issue is that between the cover, title, and first sentence of the synopsis, this book is being marketing like a YA romance when in reality it reads more like a coming-of-age novel. I found myself expecting a lot more from the romance and was a little confused when we spent about 70% of the book with Lynda and her family. However, the story overall was fun and I enjoyed a lot of the characters!

THE PLOT

Our FMC Lynda loves art and really wants to get into the Rhode Island School of Design, but she doesn't have the money. Her dad and new stepmom don't care enough about her interests, deciding to focus more on her stepsister’s violin lessons. Fustrated, Lynda is worried she'll have to find a way to pay for RISD all on her own, when her classmate, Angela Wu, offers to hire Lynda as a character designer for an otome she's developing game. Between school and working on the game, Lynda and Angela grow closer, and Lynda begins to wonder if there's more to life than just art.

I absolutely LOVEDDDDDDD every aspect of the otome game. I ate up every scene where they talking about the development of the game. I would 100% play it lol.

The first half of the story was fun and fast-paced, but towards the middle it started to drag a bit. I'm also not a fan of Lynda's behavior towards the end, and I think things wrapped up way to quickly considering how she acted.

THE WRITING

Because I read an e-arc, I won't put anymore direct quotes. However, I thought Lin's writing style was easy to follow and flowed well. A lot of the book was Lynda's inner monologue, which did get a little annoying once she started blowing up at everyone, but all in all I enjoyed the writing.

THE CHARACTERS

LYNDA: I've got mixed feelings on Lynda. I couldn't truly connect with her, even in the beginning, and she comes off as very self-centered and close-minded as the book goes on. Like, relax girlie, the world doesn't revolve around you. Lynda spends basically the entire book being jealous of her stepsister Josie, and she slowly continues this huge negative downward spiral until she explodes. Towards the end when she blew up on her parents, sister, best friend, aunt, AND girlfriend, I had to put my kindle down for a second and take a breath.

I did, however, enjoy the tiny crumbs we got off her creation Buncleaver. I would absolutely buy a Buncleaver sticker pack.

ANGELA: I don't dislike Angela, but I also didn't learn much about her or see her as much as I would've hoped. She felt like a side character, as the love interest, was definitely disappointing. We never get a true conclusion on Angela's future with the game or even the next steps in the process, and I felt like she forgave Lynda way too quickly after her harsh words.

One thing that was absolutely iconic was her revenge plot against all those guys. I support that completely.

BORA: Probably my favorite character. If Bora and Lynda hadn't supposedly grown up together, I wonder a bit more why they were friends. Bora was such a delight! She was funny and supportive of Lynda while still keeping it real with her, and she wasn't afraid to tell Lynda when she was doing too much. I also think she should've gotten a better apology. I'd 100% read a Bora spin-off.

JOSIE: I felt so bad for Josie the entire book! It seemed like every single family member, INCLUDING Lynda, was stressing her out 24/7. I hated Lynda's reaction to Josie finally admitting that she didn't want to play the violin anymore, because frankly, fuck you, Lynda. Not everything people do is a hate crime against you and your life. I loved seeing Josie just glide through life during the last 20% off the book with no more violin lessons, because it was honestly the least stressed we saw her all book. I do wish she'd been able to get back with her boyfriend.

LYNDA'S DAD: I don't like this man, and I don't care that they started working on their issues towards the end. The whole reveal at the end for him didn't really strike me as anything spectacular, unfortunately. There's a certain age where it’s a bit too late for parents to try and start being interested in what their kids like, and 16 is way past that age. I have no sympathy for absent parents, but I can admit that I like that he's trying now.

AMY: I honestly didn't like Amy either. She comes off as a helicopter parent, and it started to feel like Josie's lessons were less about what Josie likes and more about what her mom wanted from her. I wish that shoe Josie threw had hit her.

CONCLUSION

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I do think it was a little unrealistic, solely because why does Angela just have $10,000 to give?? That honestly made my jaw drop. I did enjoy the ace rep, but I wish the ending hadn't been so abrupt.

I love a good sapphic romance in my life! This book was a cute and easy read for someone needing something light. The characters have a beautiful depth and complexity to them that helps the reader really connect with their story. If you’re looking for a romance with LGBTQIA+ representation, this book is for you!

I loved the way the story revolves around Lynda and Angela’s growth as humans. I think this is very much a story about accepting your imperfections and embracing your sense of self no matter how it has changed from what you originally thought.

In terms of romance I was disappointed we didn’t get more of it and it definitely wasn’t the main focus of the plot but it was still very cute when we did get bits.

I did go into this book knowing that it was a YA f/f romance but I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that both the MC’s are asexual! We don’t get nearly enough ace rep in books and I was very happy to see it here.

The plot of the book was easy to follow and fun. It was a lot of fun to just get lost in and all the descriptions! I was definitely craving some good bubble tea by the end.

The characters were well developed and grounded. You knew exactly what they wanted and over the course of the book, you get to know them even better and were able to connect with them on an emotional level. They felt like real people which is always good in a contemporary book.

I enjoyed the writing style of this book very much. The language was sophisticated and nerdy in a way that I relate to personally (I have been told I talk like I’m out of a classical novel before). It gives the characters an extra dimension and really cemented their personalities for me.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my thoughts and review of my very first ARC!

Rating 4.4 ⭐️ out of 5⭐️

Amazing book . Love the character development and plot line will definitely reccomend to friends and gamily

This book was very cute and sweet. I think it was great Lynda got to experience so character growth in many ways. I felt bad for Josie and thinks she deserves so much better. This book is great for younger reader to be introduced to a sweet sapphic story line. Would definitely recommend to younger teenagers who are trying to figure things out in their own way.

I received a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley.

I thought Love Points to You by Alice Lin was a cute YA romance. I really liked the frenemies to friendship to dating arc and the chemistry between Lynda and Angela. Also I appreciated that Lynda is not perfect and acts out like a teenager. It was a little hard to read some of the family interactions but I thought they were well done. And I love the cute illustrations at the top of each chapter, especially Buncleaver. Really the only downside of the book and the reason I am giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that I thought the ending was rather rushed, and I wish there had been maybe 1-2 more chapters and things there were developed more.

As long as you’re up for a YA book, I’d recommend Love Points To You. The book kept me engaged with unique story and world elements I haven’t read about before. I also really enjoyed a new and unique version of a love story (ace rep!) that I haven’t seen much before. I did get a little frustrated with the main character’s behavior and extreme emotional reactions, but that often happens to me in when I read young adult books, and the MC’s learning is satisfying. Cute and fun! Would recommend.

Giving this one a neutral three stars, I didn't love and I didn't hate it. The author is great with their words and story telling, however this one just wasn't quite right for me, I couldn't personally relate to any of the characters and it took me out of the story.

"Love Points to You" by Alice Lin is a charming romance novel that weaves together heartfelt moments with engaging characters. The story follows a dynamic protagonist navigating the complexities of love and relationships, offering readers a mix of emotional depth and lighthearted humor. Lin's writing is both witty and poignant, making it an enjoyable read for fans of contemporary romance. The book stands out for its relatable characters and well-crafted dialogue, though it occasionally leans on familiar tropes. Overall, it's a delightful addition to the genre, perfect for a cozy escape.

This was super cute and fun! I really enjoyed the characters and their dynamic. It could've used more depth but for a YA romance I have no complaints.

Such a fun and loving read! I was reminded of the TV show babysitters club. How does a family recover after losing someone? What about two families struggling to find their ways blending together? An emotional read you don't want to miss.

This is a hard review for me to write because I feel like there was a pretty equal amount of things that I liked and disliked about this book.

Let's start with what I liked!

1. I am a 30 year old and I love smut as much as the next person, that being said it low key gives me the ick when YA books start merging into smutty territory. I LOVE that this was a YA novel that actually felt age appropriate, while still being able to enjoy it as an adult. The romance was tasteful and something that I would let a younger teen read, but it still didn't feel juvenile to read as an adult.

2. I was so happy to see asexual representation in this, and I think it was written quite well. As someone who identifies as Demisexual, it was nice to read a story with Ace characters that still wanted the romance, just not the sex.

3. I think there are some really great characters in this book. I think my favorite were Bora and Josie. Bora showed true friendship, even when it came time to give Lynda some tough love. I also appreciated how she NEVER treated Josie like her "best friends stepsister" and was a friend to her as well. Josie was my favorite character though. By the end of the book, we learn of her internal battles and how it took so much courage to stand up for herself, despite all of her uncertainties. She felt realistic and relatable.

Now, let me address the things I didn't love!

1. For being a romance novel, I felt like there wasn't an awful lot of romance. The story focused on Lynda and her family issues more than the romance in my opinion. Which is fine, but it was more coming-of-age with a side plot of romance than an actual romance to me.

2. Don't get me wrong, I like Angela, but I feel like for being the love interest to Lynda, we actually really didn't get to know that much about her, or her past as a popular girl. I would have liked to explore her character more. For being the romantic inter of a romance novel, I feel like we know very little about her at all. I feel like I know more about Bora and Josie to be honest.

3. The story had me really invested at the beginning, then it felt like it started to drag a bit around half way through. It started picking up and bit and then ultimately the ending conflict felt like a let down. Lynda got upset because she felt she was treated unfairly, lashed out at her family, best friend, and girlfriend, said some truly terrible things out of anger, and then just apologized and everything was fine. We got no closure on the fate of the game or Lynda's future at RISD and it just felt a little disappointing.

Overall, I did enjoy the story, it was cute, I liked a lot of the characters, I just wish the ending would have tied up more loose ends and left us knowing a bit more of what happens in the future. I'm giving this 3 stars, but I would really give this more like 3.5 stars. I did really enjoy it, I was just left wanting more.

I received an arc from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte for the eARC.

This book is such a fresh and unique take on YA. There are so many YA books nowadays that are so filled with sexual content and swearing and big flamboyant personalities that overwhelm the reader and so much crude humor that you roll your eyes.

This book, on the other hand, is subtle. We have two protagonists who are asexual and they aren’t defined solely by their sexuality. It is a piece of their larger selves and combined they are both beautiful. What I love about the two is that they’re messy and imperfect. Especially our MC. Lynda is definitely an unlikeable protagonist: she is arrogant and stubborn. She butts heads with people: but she also chooses her battles. There are moments when she tries taking the mature approach and it backfires on her. She’s trying so hard to be responsible for herself that she forgets she’s still a kid.

What I also really love about this book is the focus on friendship and relationships with peers. I adore that Lynda and her stepsister, Josie, have a very good relationship. It’s so lovely to see that in a YA. And Bora, Lynda’s best friend, is a GEM. She was my favorite character 💕 I loved that she was loyal to Lynda but also called her out on her crap. 👏 Just like a good best friend should.

I did feel that this book lost a little bit of luster near the end. The overall conflict and resolution felt a bit underwhelming but it worked here. That’s why I went with a straight 4 instead of a 4.5. I do also think the middle was a tad slow.

Overall though, I ADORE seeing two normal teens going through their lives and trying to figure out their dreams and discovering more about themselves and each other. This was precious and I hope people aren’t turned off by the unlikeable protagonist because underneath… don’t we all have the same feelings sometimes? It’s our choice whether or not to voice them and Lynda works hard to figure out when that’s true for her..

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the arc and the opportunity to give my review. And without further ado, let's get into it.

Love Points to You starts with Lynda, a young teen artist with an ambitious spirit to get into her dream school but not the financial support. Her father, absent for a large part of her life, marries into a new family, turning her from a only child to sharing a room with her new stepsister. If that wasn't enough, all her parent's time and money goes into her stepsister's violin lessons, making sure she gets into one of the top music schools, but leaving Lynda to fend for herself.

Lynda, determined to make it on her own with her art skills, puts out a cute little comic series and commissions until an unfortune accident leaves her iPad, Henry, useless. Now unable to draw, she has to find a way to get a new tablet and continue making money for school.

In comes Angela. Beautiful, rich and stuck up classmate who offers her a chance to make some money, and a new iPad, by drawing characters for an otome game she is creating.

I was immediately drawn into the book with the cover and the premise of the story. Cute writer/drawing duo creating a game and make it gay?? I'm in. But as the story went on, I started to have some ehh feelings. I struggled to stay interested in the story. The book reads more for younger teen, almost middle school age. The saying "Holy hot dog on a bun" still haunts me. Not that I think there should've been more cursing or abrasive actions, but I definitely didn't feel like I was reading about juniors in high school but a version that a grandma thinks her teenage grandkids act like.

The ending felt rushed and unsatisfying, a rush string of apologizes after a massive blow up. And Lynda, honey, you were doing so well but the massive tantrum at the end doesn't look good. Like, I get it, you're upset for your parents favoring your stepsister, but my god, the world doesn't revolve around you. I felt like there wasn't any real resolution with Angela and Lynda, with Angela seeming to have already forgiven Lynda when they met again. (Because, let's face it, Lynda was being an asshole.)

Anyways, overall, it wasn't a terrible read. The premise was cute idea, but it felt a bit far fetch. Teenagers that just have money to throw around, buying other kids iPads and tossing them a ton of money, and say things like holy hot dog on a bun??? I'm sorry, but how many teenagers have you actually been around that say that unironically?

Wrapping it up with a "it was cute, but definitely not buying it for my shelves".

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC!  

I was immediately drawn by this book. It follows Lynda, a 16 year old artist trying to get into an art college she doesn’t have the funds for. It doesn’t help that she had her iPad broken, which was the source of all her art and funds. Along the way she bumps into Angela, a smart yet enigmatic girl, who helps Lynda replace her iPad and hires her for a game she’s creating. The story only escalates, highlighting Lynda’s struggles, worries and challenges.

I found it a bit cheesy, in the way romcoms often are, but it’s extremely easy to read. Lynda’s character is so vivid, I could easily resonate with her despite being in the wrong. I liked how her flaws were recognised without making her unlikable. The other characters were really developed as well, despite often being in the background. I especially liked how they helped Lynda grow as a person while also achieving the same result themselves.

However I had to stop reading multiple times because I found it a bit underwhelming. Everything was built around the main character’s desire to get into her dream college, but in the end it felt forgotten, despite being a major plot point. The third act felt a little rushed and I wish it was a bit more even paced like the rest of the book.

In conclusion, Love point to you is a good read for those who are interested in lighthearted romances. While it had its ups and downs, I’d definitely recommend it!

Such a fun premise, but I was unfortunately disappointed. The pacing felt a little too fast, so the romance was rushed, although the cute moments were very cute.
Angela was a fine love interest, but I did not like Lynda. She was so self-centered and rude to others, that I disliked her more as the plot progressed. Yes, she was kind of self aware, but still.
Idk, I'm rating this three stars mostly for the concept and the otome game references.

┈ 🎐 3.75 stars ༊*·˚

「spoiler free review, rounded up」

✩°｡⋆⸜ “‘Even the everyday stuff is a lot more colorful with you around.’"

➳ thank you to netgalley and delacorte romance for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

➳ this was my third arc ever, and im delighted to say that this one did not disappoint!! my first two were pretty bad and i gave them both around two/five stars 😞. i had fun reading this one, and loved the concept :)

✧˖*°࿐ plot

➳ love points to you begins at a pivotal part of lynda(our fmc)’s life, her father’s second marriage. lynda’s mother had died years prior, and her dad was ready to remarry, to lynda’s stepmother amy. lynda and her father move into amy and her daughter’s (lynda’s stepsister), josie’s, house.

➳ lynda loves art and to draw digitally on her ipad, henry. she posts her art online and makes money from her social media. one day, josie’s aunt and younger cousin visit lynda and josie at their house, and her younger cousin, luke, “accidentally” <s>bro fs knew what he was doing</s> destroys henry. distraught over the loss of her treasured drawing ipad, lynda appeals to her family to buy her a new one, which they don’t. as she’s venting about the situation to her best friend, bora, their schoolmate angela overhears and offers to buy lynda a new ipad and pay her if she’ll draw the characters for an otome game she’s creating (from what i gathered, it’s somewhat like episode).

➳ lynda agrees, and the start of a new partnership (and something more) begins between her and angela.. 🤭

✧˖*°࿐ characters

➳ lynda: a very artsy person and determined to achieve her goals of going to RISD for college and making art her career, i liked her at the beginning of the book, but my opinion of her changed over time. how she acted during the largest conflict in the book really aggravated me, and i’m not sure if that was the author’s intent. if it was, it worked, and if she was supposed to garner sympathy from the readers, it definitely did not..

➳ angela: a hardworking, closed off (at the start), and smart classmate of lynda’s, i didn’t really have any strong feelings for angela. she was a good character, but i didn’t love her.

➳ josie: lynda’s stepsister, also another classmate in their year level. i felt so bad for josie. all the pressure she received from her family, and herself, to be perfect at playing the violin so she could be accepted into curtis, a prestigious musical school impacted her so heavily. i don’t know if i would’ve been able to go through all of that, and i did respect her decision in the end, just maybe not how she did it. i liked her personality, and i thought she was funny and nice.

➳ bora: i think she was a super supportive and funny friend. she offered lynda much needed advice multiple times through the story, and i liked her!

✧˖*°࿐ angelalynda

➳ i really liked this lesbian couple, it was so adorable 🥹🥹💓. i don’t read many sapphic books, so that just makes the ones i do sm better! that being said, i do think their attraction for each other felt a little forced at first. and because of the book’s title and cover, i was expecting a bit more romance, but i did enjoy what i got!

✧˖*°࿐ final thoughts

➳ although i didn’t love this one, i did really enjoy it! i do recommend reading it when it comes out, and maybe by then some of the critiques i mentioned will have been changed? i hope yall will give it a shot ☺️

i wanna be your girlfriend – girl in red
𓆩♡𓆪 “I don't wanna be your friend, I wanna kiss your lips
I wanna kiss you until I lose my breath”

#LovePointstoYou by Alice Lin is a very sweet book about two teen girls from very different worlds. Each girl goes through their own difficulties, however, we mainly know of Lynda and her struggles. Living in a new home with a new family is a lot to deal with for any teen, but it’s important to remember things aren’t always as they seem. I absolutely loved this book!

Thank you #netgalley and #RandomHouse for this ARC

ੈ♡˳ rating: four of five
ੈ♡˳ thoughts:
essentially, i enjoyed this book. when i first began reading it, it was a five out of five for me. however, reading more into the main character began to annoy me more and more. i understand the teenage, coming of age aspect that every YA romance book seems to have, but coming from someone who looks back on that time of my life and cringes, the main character did that for me.

the climax of the book was just the main character being blatantly rude to everyone in her life: her father, her step mother, her step sister, her best friend, her aunt, and her girlfriend; essentially because she wasn’t getting what she wanted and she threw a temper tantrum because everyone in her life believed she was wrong in her thinking. instead of listening to them and trying to be understanding, for about 20 pages she completely isolated herself from everyone in her life. her father, after his scare, we learn was essentially not telling her the things that drove him to be sick because he was scared of how she would react. that’s not coming of age; that’s just being an asshole.

overall, this is a cute and sweet read. it is extremely fast paced, and while marketed as an enemies to lovers that’s not the case. they’re more “i’ve read about you through the grape vine” to lovers than anything else.

also me and the author got the same degree from the same university, which is so cool!

ੈ♡˳ tropes
ꕥ “enemies” to lovers
ꕥ asian american rep.
ꕥ ya romance.

ੈ♡˳ fave quotes
“ೃ⁀➷ no quotes because it’s an arc and everything is subject to change! 💓

◡̈ ◡̈ ◡̈

Wow. Where to start.

1. This book has extremely dynamic characters. Every character was unique and seemed to jump off the page with their own personality. The main character was deeply flawed (much like all 16 year olds) and while it made it hard to like her at times, she was also someone you were rooting for. I wanted her to see her errors and change. Her feelings were so raw and realistic, if a bit cringy at time, but it's what made them REAL. I love it when characters come alive like this.

2. The ACE REP. The BI REP. I was so excited to see it in a book.

3. It's a quick and easy read. I would have finished in one sitting if I hadn't been interrupted.

4. There are some big questions left unanswered for the audience, like RISD and the game they were developing, but I still feel that it wrapped up in a satisfying way. Like I'm not craving answers to those questions, but if the author added an epilogue that was 5 years later, I would love to read that.

Thank you to NetGally for this EArc.