2.5 stars
This started off pretty weak, but slowly got better. I felt like the inciting incident that pushed our main characters together—a video of them dancing in the street—seemed like a small stakes issues. The school completely went crazy over such a lame video.

I really loved how Alice and Teddy's relationship developed across the novel and I honestly could have just followed them throughout the book and left Alice's awful best friend behind. I do wish we got more on Alice's relationship with her parents because I could tell there was so much more to unpack with their high expectations for Alice.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A cute, fluffy story that is preferable to teens. Alice and Teddy are in high school - the plot follows their school life and new love. Their characters, finding inner self, the emotions, the reflections can be clearly understood in the story. A teen love story full at its potential.

This is a YA contemporary and Alice is the main protagonist of this book. She's a girl focused on her studies, to the point where she rarely gets any fun with her friends. There's pressure at home, but she also has her own goals. However, her life is about to change when a rumor starts and she gets closer to Teddy, the notorious bad boy of school.

This book took me by surprise. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Admittedly, at first I was hesitant, because it was slow and nothing exciting seemed to be happening. However, things changed as the plotline progressed and I loved it. Also, the heroine gave me the impression from her thoughts and mannerisms, that she was in the spectrum, but that's just something I thought about and wasn't mentioned anywhere in the book, so I may be wrong.

I have to admit that the least likeable character here was her best friend - at least to me. I really wanted for our heroine to stand up to herself, because she didn't deserve that kind of treatment, but I also loved how true to herself was, no matter what and seemed eager to change, only at certain aspects, that she felt ready for this change. I also liked Teddy from the get go, but I also loved reading his storyline and how his relationship with Alice evolved.

It was a refreshing read with just the right amount of angst, sweet, funny and emotional moments. If you're looking for a YA contemporary, I would definitely recommend picking this one. This may pleasantly surprise you as well :)

**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for a chance to read & review an E-ARC of this novel!**

For me, this was a heavy contemporary read tackling topics such as representation as well as family discord, grief, bullying, double standards in society, friendships, the pressure of planning for the future as a adolescent, & also being honest with ourself & others about our true thoughts & feeling. Please find my extended feedback below...along with some spoilers (beware).
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Things I Liked:
-the descriptive writing...I felt like I could picture the settings, see the expressions on character's faces...it felt like I was connected through the descriptions
-that Teddy didn't really care what others were saying about him & that Alice stood up for him anyway (to people at school & to her mom)
-Teddy's grandmother was pretty much amazing & so sweet
-the ending...so sweet...I'm glad that Teddy got to go with Alice on her adventure :)

Things That Didn't Sit Quite Right With Me:
-May was a crappy friend & she really irritated me throughout the story
-Alice's parents...absent & judgmental much?
-Teddy's response to Alice's plans to abroad for a year. I mean...she made these plans way before Teddy & her became a thing. I felt like he was blaming her for not dropping everything she had planned to stay with him. His lack of understanding was not helpful at all
-it felt slow paced at times...for me it picked up about halfway through, but the first half was a challenge to keep reading
-the story sort of jumps right in...there isn't any real character/story development or introduction...you sort of just enter the story...that made it hard to get my bearings as a reader...and then later in the novel a random chapter is focused on the beginning part of the story that we didn't get at the beginning of the book...it was a strange writing style in my opinion. I like to feel connected to the character & for me, the choice to jump right in made it a challenge

Overall, I gave this novel 3 stars. It was a heavy read for me (just due to my connection with some of the main plot points/issues)...but I still enjoyed seeing the characters develop & learn life lessons through there mistakes & errors in judgement. I think it would be a great read for those who enjoy themes like coming of age concerns, friendship, first love, & planning for the future.

Alice had a plan. She just needed to finish her last year of school, continue to get good grades, and get into the university of her parents' choice. Then she could finally be free. Her plan didn't include Teddy Taualai, but it seems Teddy didn't get the memo, and maybe that's a good thing.

Poppy Nwosu annihilated me with this book. This book quietly came and hit me right in the feels, and I absolutely welcomed every second of it.

So what's this book about?

It's about friendship. I mean, it is mentioned right there in the title, and this theme of friendship was explored from multiple sides. Alice's life was changing in many ways. She was forming a new friendship with Teddy, which was no easy task for her. At the same time, she was trying to save her lifelong friendship with her bestie, May. I really like that Nwosu included this relationship which was going through some growing pains, because many people share this experience. It gave Alice a reason to explore what makes a friendship and how to be a friend. Some really touching moments arose from these introspections, and I welcomed it all with open arms.

It's about looking beyond the labels. Many rumors followed Teddy to his new school, and after three years, he was still unable to dispel any of them. He was fairly isolated because people believed these tales about him. Alice, however, made the effort to get to know him. She saw past the stories to the sweet, slightly wounded, but rather big hearted boy underneath. She took the time to peel back the armor Teddy used for self-preservation, and what she found was someone really special. Teddy was the primary focus of this theme, but it came up in other ways and was definitely a theme worthy of exploration.

It's about being true to yourself. There were so many people who thought Alice should steer clear of Teddy. Their commentary ranged from "he's a bad influence" to "you'll never be popular hanging around with him" type comments. She didn't care. She followed her heart. There were also these lovely moments where Alice would perform these small acts of kindness. Sometimes it was just saying something nice to someone, but other times, she had to dig in and be brave as she defended others. I admired her for going against the mob mentality, not giving into the "cancel culture", and applauded her for doing things I know she found difficult.

It's about falling in love. Watching Alice's feelings for Teddy evolve was nothing short of wonderful. I think she struggle with what he saw in her, first as a friend and then as more. I felt like Alice suffered from never feeling like she was enough, because of the way her mother treated her and because she was unpopular. But Teddy saw into Alice's heart, and she eventually saw into his, and it made my heart explode.

Nwosu told a beautiful and moving story of friendship and love. She crafted two remarkable characters, who I am overjoyed to have met and adored rooting for.

I REALLY, REALLY WANTED TO LIKE THIS.. I JUST COULDN'T

I tried, I really tried to get into this book. But right from the beginning I was annoyed and uncertain of the outcome. Over the course of the rest of the book, more and more faults popped up and it dragged the book down further. If you find the beginning (the first two chapters) difficult to get into, here's my advice to you - don't read the rest.

👎 WHAT I DISLIKED 👎

Beginning: Okay, the beginning was really rough. It starts right in the middle of a scandal, that our MC Alice is somehow in the middle of. Usually I am all for in medias res - but they have to be done right. Here' it definitely didn't work, mainly because the characters are blank slates so it's hard to sympathize with Alice or even understand the scandal at all because we know nothing of her or Teddy, the male MC. It just falls flat right from the beginning.

Juvenile: The events of this book takes place during the characters' senior year of high school but if you didn't know that, you'd more likely think that it was their freshman year. They seem juvenile at times, the way they talk, their motivations, their arguments, everything.

Flashbacks: There are a couple of very weird flashbacks scattered throughout this book that doesn't really do it any favours. As readers, we aren't given any idea that these are flashbacks and I understand why the author did it like this - she wants to shock us later on with the sudden realisation that what happened earlier in the book was actually also earlier in the story (sort of like a Westworld kind of thing). Only, it didn't have that effect because it wasn't consistent in any way. It just felt... strange.

Alice's parents: Alice is a girl I could have liked in a different story. She is a nerdy girl who studies hard because her parents pressure her to always achieve and strive for better. It's an inhuman pressure for a girl of 17. But the thing I don't get is - if her parents are such big parts of Alice's life and her motivation for doing pretty much anything she does - why are they hardly even in the story? Alice's mom only makes a handful of appearances in small, inconsequential scenes where she hardly has any dialogue. Alice's father makes no appearances whatsoever. Their lack of presence again made it hard to sympathize with Alice and to make her seem like a well-rounded, full character who had a life outside of her friends.

Bizarre event: The blurb for this book talks of a 'bizarre' event - the one that led to the scandal involving Alice and Teddy - and I found that turn of phrase strange until I read this book. It really is totally bizarre! And so not scandal worthy! I actually laughed because it just seemed so far fetched, unrealistic and ridiculous.

This books was the absolute best!
The story was great and the characters specifically alice were so well written. Overall loved the book
Thank you netgalley for the e-copy in exchange of an honest review.

I just didn't connect with this story at all. At the beginning, it was hard for me to really get into the writing, I thought it was kinda all over the place and not very well structured or developed. The biggest flaw was that we don't really get to see Alice and Teddy's first interaction and there's a lot of small time jumps in the beginning that pass over relationship development. None of the characters really clicked with me either, I thought the story was just okay and just wasn't pulling me in.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun! I loved every second so much and was able to get through it very quickly. I found Amy to be a very relatable character, and how this book very clearly and realistically captured the struggle that many teens face. Which is being shy and or having trouble making friends. This book really tugged at my heartstrings and I just loved Alice so so much. I also loved how nerdy Alice was because I love books with a kind of nerdy character because I find them to be very funny and entertaining and Alice was the same way. She reminded me of Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series but Australian.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be picking up more books from this author. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A story that follows the quiet, and somewhat socially awkward girl, named Alice Dyson after a viral video of her dancing with the school's reputed troublemaker Teddy Taualai leaked online. Making Friends with Alice Dyson is all about the slice-of-life vibes of highschool and how these characters come out from the shells, to discover what it means to be a friend and more.

Before I give my thoughts on the book, I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Truthfully Making Friends with Alice Dyson was a very light read for me. The story falls on a more wholesome yet very realistic side of how highschool teenagers go through their teenage years. Alice reminds me a lot of how I used to deal with high school, to be honest, I know the feeling of wanting to put some distance from the suffocation of living in a stressful routine without doing anything fun or of your own choices. While my parents weren't as grade conscious as Alice's mom, I really related with her character a lot with not knowing how to deal with social cues in school. Teddy Taualai was one of my favorite characters. He's very frank and didn't go with the flow unlike how teenagers usually are. I personally think, the book, as much as it was a bit cliche for my taste, really did tackle important factors about cherishing real friendships, dealing with bullying, and just being comfortable enough to be yourself even when others laugh at you.

I have rated this a three out of five stars, mostly because its an okay read, and I think a lot more younger readers would like the story more. Its sweet, and the story wraps up perfectly in the end.

A sweet, awkward and wonderfully authentic, Alice begins to have many new experiences in her last year of High School - when all she wants to be doing is study.
The tale of an awkwardly shy book nerd breaking slowly out of her comfort zone is utterly endearing, but what makes Alice even more charming is that she battles through her naivety in expression her dreams and feelings to connect with those she cares for. May I also add that Teddy Taualai is a complete babe, I loved how open and expressive he was.
Such a nostalgic read, it definitely is in the realm of a Melina Marchetta teen novel.

Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu is a contemporary YA story set during Alice's last year of high school. As a dedicated student she is determined to study hard and do well, but she also harbours a secret ambition to see more of the world. Her plans for the year are thrown into disarray however when a video of her and new boy Teddy becomes the talk of the school. Teddy has something of a reputation, apparently he was expelled from his last school for violent behaviour- the rumour mill is not sure if it was a fellow student he hit, or possibly a teacher, and it takes the whole school by surprise when he and the quiet and studious Alice become friends. Its a complicated relationship, not least because Alice knows her parents would not approve. and when her best friend May tries to set her up with another guy, and becomes increasingly distant , Alice begins to question who she truly is , and who her real friends are.
This is a sweet story, and a competent debut and overall I did enjoy it. I liked the pacing immensely, the way the Alice -Teddy relationship developed over the course of the book felt very believable. What was less believable was that these characters were about to leave high school and start college, they seemed so much younger and much more naive, more like fourteen year- olds than school leavers. I also found the insertion of a random chapter set in the past a little jarring, especially since it was not clear that it was a flashback until almost the end of the chapter.
Overall a sweet story and one that I am sure many readers will enjoy.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

honestly, this book was so bad. the writing style wasn’t that good, and it was more of a tell not show style of writing. and i honestly feel like alice is that kinda girl that would banish you if your skirt was above the ankle. she was also so stuck up, and complained whenever may was trying to do something or spread her wings even a little bit.

3.75/5 Stars

This sweet book explores the friendship that blossoms between Alice and Teddy, two completely different people who become friends after an impromptu dance off near their school. The two of them have basically never even glanced at the other before, but this little shared moment is the start of what later becomes a beautiful friendship, in spite of Alice trying to be opposed to it. Alice is a very diligent high schooler who spends all her time studying hard to meet her parents' expectations. She's also very shy and making friends is no easy task for her. That's why she's happy with just having one, her long-time bestie May.
But Teddy, a mischievous and outgoing boy, has other plans and he enters Alice's life and makes her change her mind about friendship. Their lovely relationship develops into something more in the most organic way ever and it was so nice to read such a realistic depiction of the friends-to-lovers trope.
I also really appreciated how May and Alice's friendship was discussed throughout the whole novel.

I totally recommend this one if you're in the mood for a cute friends-to-lovers YA romance.

*I received a free digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review*

This book was a good read. I felt like something was missing. Hopefully a second book will detail what happens to Alice and her friends.

This was a sweet contemporary. Just the book you would want to snuggle up with on a rainy day. Alice was much like me in a lot of ways and I liked that she accepted herself the way she was and tried make better of her situation rationally.
I liked Teddy and Alice's friendship more than their relationship. They were both accepting, helpful and kind to each other. Also a cute couple even if that wasn't given much page time. It captured shyness, awkwardness of characters so beautifully and realistically.

The reason it didn't get 5 stars is because the story offered nothing new. The characters were new but I feel like I've read so many stories like this.

What a cute, authentic story!

<i>Making Friends with Alice Dyson</i> will be incredibly relatable for anyone who is, or was, a shy, awkward, book nerd type kid. Alice, quiet and relatively innocent, is the complete opposite of Teddy Taualai, the mysterious bad-boy transfer student, yet they still manage to form an unlikely, adorable relationship. I really appreciated the characters in this story--everyone had such a distinct, interesting personality. I also loved that themes of friendship and self-discovery were woven within the central romance.

However, this book was not without flaws. My first issue was that these characters felt incredibly young. This is a story about teenagers in their last year of high school, about to go off to university next year, yet their dialogue felt like that of young children. There were many scenes that involving partying, drinking, touching, hooking up, etc., which did feel like the activities of older teenagers, but something about the conversations felt incredibly juvenile. The constant mentioning of popularity and status, along with the rumors and the way the characters fought with each others, just felt too young for people who are nearly adults.

My other issues revolved around the lack of conversation around certain subjects. For example, there was some blatant slut shaming, specifically slut shaming of Alice's best friend. Alice doesn't really stand up for her friend May when she is called a slut and there is no conversation counteracting the slut shaming. I know it's not realistic to assume all teenagers are actively fighting slut shaming, but I just was not comfortable with how casually the word slut was tossed around. Furthermore, I wanted more conversation about boundaries. I really liked Teddy but he did get quite pushy at some points. <b>I strongly disliked this.</b> Especially with Alice being a shy, "innocent" girl, I think it would have been extremely beneficial for the author to include a discussion on why girls should not let boundaries be pushed, even if they do like someone. It just felt like a huge red flag to me.

Overall, <i>Making Friends with Alice Dyson</i> is a quick, adorable read about first loves and high school life. I would recommend this to someone looking for a cute high school romance with contrasting characters, but I think it is important to mention that some crucial conversations were left out of this story.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Right. This book was not what I expected for a few reasons...

1) The voice. Alice is described as 17/in her last year before heading off to uni but her voice sounds almost like she's fourteen. The way she and her friends speak is on the lower end of YA than the upper end which feels at odds with the age we're actually presented.

2) The 'incident'. The incident that sparks everything is tame in comparison to what the blurb makes it out to be and is actually quite misleading.

3) Chapters. Sometimes they do flashbacks and it's difficult to tell until you're halfway through the chapter.

All in all, I did not connect with this book as it turned out to be a story about something other than what I thought it would be about.

This book is SO good. Sweet but not saccharine. Smart. The kind of main characters who are flawed but you can also root for. Teddy Taualai is a dreamboat and a more alive love interest that I have seen in YA in a long time. The emotions in this book feel so real, so even if you're an adult, you feel like you're taken back to your teenage years and first love. If you have ever been a shy person, or a booklover, this is the book for you.

Making Friends with Alice Dyson is the debut novel by Poppy Nwosu and it's a brilliant read. All the characters have depth and add something unique to the story being told. This is one of those books you pick up expecting to read it over a few sittings but end up reading in one entire sitting.