It cannot be underestimated how important this series is in the history of YA. As a teen (and now adult) who happens to be fat - this sensitive, frank and thoughtful depiction is important. Life isn't simple, and I deeply respect that Mackler isn't afraid to deal with the grey and the difficult.

Thank you to the publisher for my eARC copy of this book. Unfortunately I didn’t love this book and therefore didn’t finish, I just didn’t connect with this one. Not for me, sorry.

Read Nov 18

Virginia is a fat character! She is fat and proud and confident when he family would make it so easy for her not to be. Heck none of the people around her seem to be particularly there for her over a difficult summer. Byron’s rape situation is handled fairly sensitively but there is a ‘money can fix anything’ kind of vibe around it.

I loved Anais and her “love is love is love” attitude, I wish her character could have been explored more. I loved Sebastian though! He was small and sweet, and he loved Virginia for who she was, curves and all! They had a great relationship. Overall sweet but short and there didn’t seem to be a clear ending.

4 surprised stars!

Full disclosure: I requested this for review unaware that it was a sequel. I did not read „The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things” by Carolyn Mackler, nevertheless I ended up enjoying „The Universe Is Expanding and So Am I” quite a bit. A lot more, in fact, than the initial couple of chapters led me to believe.

However, to start at the beginning, the book continues with a now 16-year-old Virginia (nicknamed ‘Gin’ by her family which I found adorable) who has finally accepted who she is inside and out. Sadly though, not all is well as her older brother Byron has been charged with a date-rape which shattered their once great relationship. She needs to learn how to navigate that new reality, even more so when her relationship with boyfriend Froggy starts dissolving and she meets Nate. And Nate… let me tell you! Haha. Actually, no, I won’t because you’ll read about it and it’ll be even better than me telling you.

I went into this mildly annoyed with the narration style. Or rather I was annoyed with Virginia’s POV. Not to name drop but there is a certain holier-than-thou attitiude certain characters in certain YA contemporary novels exhibit which I find very irritating. Unfortunately for me, Virginia’s attitiude read like that for the first couple of chapters. Then it got better (or I got used to it) and I ended up rooting for her, finding that she could learn from her mistakes and improve upon her past judgmental self (I just can’t stand black-or-white judgmental characters, call it my personal flaw in character or whatever but I cannot, my skin crawls). I was also a fan of her newly blossoming romantic relationship and wanted, more than anything, for Byron and hers brother/sister dynamic to be salvaged.

I never read the first book so I’m missing information here but from what I gathered from this one, I could tell that the sibling relationship between Virginia and Byron used to be pretty great. He was an older brother who could be a dick sometimes but they were close and it was overall good. Reading about Virginia’s life post rape accusation made against her older brother was therefore absolutely heartbreaking. My heart was wrenching for her because it was an impossible situation. How can one choose sides? A girl was hurt. Badly. Irrevocably. But then again he says he was drunk and doesn’t remember a thing. And he IS your brother! The latter first and foremost could send any reason packing. I felt the emotional turmoil and I found myself sympathizing with Virginia’s difficult family life A LOT. Despite my initial reservations at the beginning of this book which I see as victory because sometimes first impressions are impossible to surpass.

I liked where this book went family life wise, heart feels what heart will wise, too. Some of the conslusions were very mature and I loved what I was reading. I wasn’t that invested in the romance part itself but I also don’t think it was intended as primary focus of this book. Sure, it influenced a major part of the plot and how things concluded but it wasn’t made into something dramatic. It was important but its importance wasn’t blown out of proportion which happens a lot in contemporary YA. I was grateful for that and I strongly believe that „The Universe Is Expanding and So Am I” benfited from not expanding on drama in an unnecessary way.

All in all this book really took me aback. I expected to breeze through it but not for the subject matter to land so well and in such a profound way. As I read it having never read the first book and still enjoyed it a lot I don’t think it is necessary to start with the first. Although I’m pretty sure one can only benefit from getting to know the origins of this story better.

**massive thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

This book unfortunately just wasn't for me. I really couldn't connect with the characters, and never quite found myself itching to pick it up. However thank you for the opportunity to read it.

"I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review"

Virginia Shreves’ world implodes again in this long-awaited follow-up to Printz Honoree The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.
Sixteen-year-old Virginia Shreves’ life is finally back on course: she’s accepted who she is inside and out and is rebuilding her relationship with brother Byron, whose date-rape charge shattered everything.
But just as she adjusts to her new normal, her world turns upside down again. Sparks with boyfriend Froggy fade, her best friend bombshells bad news, and then the police arrest Byron. As Virginia struggles to cope, she meets Nate, an artist with his own baggage. The pair vow not to share personal drama. But secrets have a way of coming out, and theirs could ruin everything.

I am glad I only read the first book last week other wise waiting 15 years for a book is way to long and I would of forgotten everything I had read.

The first thing I will say is I have never hated a family as much Virginias family. I was so frustrated throughout the first and the second book and the idea of them being more upset with their imagine and not what Byron did. These two books covers some really heavy topics and I think it is important that they are talked about, but in saying that I don't think that these topics where wrapped up at all. The family didn't get that Virginia was feeling fat shamed by them and it wasn't something they took ownership of or apologised for and they never seemed upset or angry that their own son raped a girl. It came across that they felt sorry for him and yet again the reputation aspect. This book also showed that the victim in this situation was blamed and it just didn't sit well with me. I know this happens a lot in real life and I am glad to have a book that covers that I just wish that the family was pulled up on it and took some accountability for their actions and comments.

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars because I did enjoy reading the story and I did get invested in the story (maybe a little too much). I am hoping there will be one more book so the issues I did have with the family wraps up in a way I think it needs to be so the audience is aware what these things happen and it is not okay.

This is such a fun and entertaining book- you can't help but fall in love. It's such an easy read and the pages just turn themselves. It was so fulfilling to read in the perspective of such a relatable character and I had such a great time reading this.

At the start Virginia was down on herself and I wasn't here for it. I loved her growth and acceptance of herself. I'm glad she is now eating in front of boys.
Sebastian is so adorable. He is such a big nerd and I hope they work out!
I'm glad that things escalated with Byron from the last book. I felt he got it too good but with everything that is happening it feels right that he should be punished more.
I gave this book 4 stars.

Okay, so I must admit I haven’t actually read book one, so I was slightly worried that some of the events and context of this second instalment of the Virginia Shreves books would have been lost on me, but….

I feel like this one stood as it’s own novel, and Carolyn Mackler definitely fills the reader in regarding what’s happened to Virginia in the past, as well as her sister Anais and brother Byron. And her overbearing and controlling mother, who ridicules every aspect of her youngest daughter, Virginia’s life.

For me, the fact that this book is far more character orientated than plot, Virginia was such a treasure to read about, I loved her personal lists which were dotted throughout the book, where she makes notes such as how girls like herself should not be fat shamed and how she’s finding things about her inner self more and more, and how she doesn’t have to comply with her parents’ demands or follow their oblivious ways. She’s a Shreves, but she’ll be one on her own terms! Huzzah!

I love how Virginia is perfectly happy with her curves, and not afraid to indulge in a treat or two, even though she knows her mother will belittle or silently judge her eating habits. And when Gin’s brother does something insanely ridiculous, that Virginia doesn’t turn a blind eye and choose his side! I was cheering big time!

Whilst I wasn’t Anais’s biggest fan, I appreciate that she chose to follow her heart with her girlfriend, I love the love is love is love mantra and it’s always refreshing having even a glimpse of an f/f relationship in novels! Especially reading about both their parents reactions.

Whilst I didn’t love Phyllis, Virginia’s mother, I had to love that she named her three children after Anais Nin, Lord Byron and Virginia Woolf, respectively. And I utterly adored Virginia and Sebastian’s scenes, he made her swoon by weaving book titles in their chats and they nicknamed themselves Fry and Leela from Futurama, it was just too precious!

All in all, such a delight to read! Thank you again Bloomsbury Books and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC to review!

The Universe Is Expanding and So Am I is a very complicated book. I don't think I've ever come across any YA book as complicated as this one - and I mean it in a good way.

Although Virginia looks like she has her life together, she actually doesn't. Virginia as a character is extremely likeable for me. She's honest and raw. I love seeing her growth in confidence in the book. I'm not a big fan of her parents and I don't think much change in them throughout the book.

One of my favourite part of the book is Virginia and Nate's story. You have to read the book to know what I mean. It's just extremely cute and they have chemistry!

Overall, it was a great story!

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: Virginia's world in The Universe is Expanding and So Am I is complicated, dramatic and unorthodox. She has a boyfriend she's not sure about, a brother who she can't forgive and life she doesn't really fit into.

Virginia is difficult to describe. She's confident even against the odds, but comes across as difficult and a little critical at times - hmm I wonder where she gets that from?! I appreciated her POV and the insight into her often conflicted opinions. Like many people out there, she finds herself judged and downtrodden but isn't above doing so herself. I'd like to have seen the coming of age part of her story developed a little more but appreciated how difficult the script is and how strained the family dynamics were.

The story wades into some pretty heavy topics including sexual assault and bullying, which are covered with sensitivity and empathy. I haven't read book one so I'm not sure how much is covered there in terms of back story.

Virginia is both likeable and dislikable to the point where I'm still not sure how I feel about her, which I actually kinda like in a weird way.

4 Stars in my Sky!

This book reminded me of 'Wing Jones' and that awfully sticky situation of having idolised someone for all your life until you realise they're only human and make mistakes too. Which in this case was an awful mistake. I loved the New York backdrop of this book and all the different places that Gin takes Nate to (all the Chiantown references!) It made me want to go back there again! I also loved the character development and how throughout the book Gin just grows more and more confident, pushing those boundaries in front of her. One of the biggest things about this book is the different topics it covers. From parental pressures, self-confidence to looking at things from both perspectives (and quite literally too). Albeit they were only lightly touched upon but I guess that adds to the realness of this book. I kind of wanted more from that ending but you know what? I sense there may be another book coming my way.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It made me think a lot about both sides to the story and the effect the case was having on both families. It reminded me of all those teen pressures but other than that a very good book!

At the beginning of this book Virginia finally feels like she is getting her life together, she is finally starting to accept herself as she is and learning how to cope with what her brother did and how it affected the relationship she had with her brother. That is until she breaks up with her boyfriend Foggy, finds out her best friend will not be coming home for the summer and her brother is arrested for date rape. She also meets Nate who she has an instant connection with but their lives are intertwined in ways neither of them could have guessed.

My love for Virginia continued to grow in this book. I like the fact that though she is much more confident in this book she still has her moments of self doubt which I felt was really realistic as the journey to self love isn’t a straight line and everyone has their bad days.

Virginia’s parents annoyed me just as much in this books as the last I don’t feel like they have grown at all throughout the series. I loved seeing more from Virginia’s older sister who is back from her two year long volunteer job with the peace corps, and has brought her girlfriend with her. I loved this representation and that fact that it emphasis the fact that you don’t have to put a label on yourself just because the rest of the world wants to put you in neat little boxes.

The romance in this was ten times better than the previous one. You could see the chemistry between Virginia and Nate and they fit together really well.

Overall, I really loved this book and felt is was a great squeal and gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Reminiscent of the brilliant Big Bones by Laura Dockrill, this is another great book about feeling comfortable in your own skin.

I was so surprised by this book! I absolutely loved it! I have not yet read the earth, my butt, and other big round things (book 1), and I’m really excited to read that one!
See the rest of my review on my blog! (http://evelynreads.com/review-the-universe-is-expanding-and-so-am-i/)

The first book in this series originally came out in 2003, and barely six months have gone by when we start this one. I haven't read The Earth, My Butt and Big, Other Round Things, but I don't think I needed to. All the important highlights are given a short explanation, and away we go. I believe that the first book (such long titles) has been re-vamped to cater for this millennial generation and then re-released in June to pre-empt  the new title, but I am still happy to enjoy Virginia's new story without having to go back to the first one.

Part of this is because we don't get far into the novel and Virginia is ready to cast aside her boyfriend, Froggy. I suspect it took all of book one for her to win him over, and just like that he's gone. So yeah, no need to read THAT story. Ha. I am sure there are teenagers who will disagree, and fair enough too. Poor Froggy. Mostly I worry about his name.

The story centres around Byron (did the first one? Oh gosh, do I have to read it after all?) and his alleged rape against a college friend. We agonise alongside Virginia as she struggles with Bryon’s return to court, and his drain on their parents emotions and finances. Virginia is also about to see her sister again who has been in Africa for a year. These turbulent times are exacerbated by meeting a boy who seems to return her attraction.

It’s clear early on that Virginia is a plus size young person. She constantly refers to her body, and although she is okay with how she looks, there are a number of people around her, most especially her parents, who seem determined to bring her down and demean her. I found this aspect of the story most distressing. I wanted her parents to do better, but with all their attention firmly focused on her older siblings, Virginia is free to move around NYC with a freedom of which she takes excellent advantage.

What is shown all the way through the story, but never commented on, is that Virginia walks everywhere. She is active, and eats well, so there’s a disconnect between the way others in the book view her, and the way readers do (if they are observant). She loves her weekly kick boxing class, and feels empowered and part of a group. Of course, her mother spoils that for her, and it’s up to Virginia to take charge of her life and refuse to allow her parents to dictate to her.

While the Bryon storyline is serious and challenging, there’s a light and bright sense of humour and strength that runs parallel. Virginia’s new romantic interest is a decent and caring boy, and the secrets they keep and hide from force Virginia to take some steps forward in maturity level, and it suits her.

Thanks to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for advancing me this copy. It’s out tomorrow here in Australia. Recommended to readers who love a realistic love story that is impacted by other people’s problems. Its tone is a mixture of funny and serious, and the setting of New York plays a major role. Virginia is a brave and proactive protagonist who still needs and takes the time to sort through issues. She’s a great role model.

When I got this book I was so, so excited to be reading it, and it didn’t disappoint. The previous book, The Earth, My Butt and Other Big, Round Things, was a favorite of mine when I was a teenager, and honestly I still love it. Virginia is such a cool character who really learns how to become herself and do what she loves to do, not what her family wants her to do. To me it’s especially great because there are so few fat girls in YA literature who do not solve all their problems by losing weight, but decide to live their lives anyway even though the whole world seems against them sometimes. At fifteen it was an amazing role model to have and I wish that there were more of them.
I really love that Virginia gets another book develop as a person. Because the previous book always felt a little bit ‘unresolved’ to me. Her family never really got the chance to develop as people, but they do in The Universe! I especially liked how her parents (especially her mom) finally showed some actual character growth, and actually seemed to learn something new themselves this time. Especially concerning Byron and his ‘ordeal’.
Besides a lovely continuation of a wonderful story, it’s also just a really lovely book about (forbidden) romance, friendship, family and overcoming your own fears and prejudices. It’s a fast read, full of lovely details and I finished it within a day! The only thing that annoyed me was Mackler was ‘telling’ too much instead of showing, especially the background info, which was basically a summery of what happened int he previous book, spread throughout the first few chapters.
If you loved the previous book, you should definitely read this one too, and if you love contemporary YA you should definitely read both of them.

"For some girls it's sexy when a guy bench-presses or throws a football, but he's slaying me with the book references."

After The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things Virginia Shreves' life seemed like it was back on track. She's happier with who she is, she's got a stellar boyfriend, and her family are starting to accept her for her. But then Byron gets in even more trouble, and things start to take a turn for the worse.



After the events of the last book, things were finally starting to look good for Virginia, but, set 6 months after TEMYaOBRT, this one throws everything under the bus again. It's like the girl can't catch a break...

Her new relationship just doesn't have that spark she thought it'd have, and her best friend isn't coming back for the summer like she'd hoped. And then the police show up, and everything is thrown into turmoil.

Just like the last book, this tackles the implications of such a serious action, and how it affects other people. Mackler did such a good job of this with the last book, and her new book is no exception. There's just something about the way in which Mackler talks about difficult things, and the voice she gives Virginia, that I like about these books, as we see things from not just an outsider perspective (as Virginia's parents try to shield her from the truth) but from a perspective already dealing with other problems.

However, although the focus was primarily on the on-going charges, and their implications, I found myself liking this less than her debut. Instead of dealing with difficult topics first and foremost, this is threaded with teenage love, and forbidden love at that. This wasn't something I really expected after reading the first book, and there's a small part of me that thinks there's still more to the story. I want to know what happens with Byron, I want to see more of Shannon, and Annie, and Virginia's life afterwards, but that won't happen unless another book comes out.

I still loved the writing, and the characters, but I felt the plot just lacked something. Forbidden love just wasn't enough for me, and I think my expectations were just a little high. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. If the plot had been split, I'd have rated this much higher, and I would definitely pick up a sequel, but for now, my rating is just that little bit lower because I felt like the plot wasn't as poignant as the first book.

I'd still recommend picking up this series if you haven't, and it's a perfect read if you're looking for something quick and contemporary. At the end of the day, this just didn't quite live up to what I was expecting, but it hasn't stopped me wanting to read more.