This was quite a fun read, and I really enjoyed the fact that things don't get nicely wrapped up for all involved. While the book has wacky elements, much of the story still felt grounded and real.

The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life has a very fun and interesting premise - uptight valedictorian hopeful Allison gets coerced into producing the school play (alone? A high schooler with complete control over the school play without even one single teacher advisor?), which happens to be Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Lots of things go wrong, causing Allison to rethink her perfectionist ways and learn how to go with the flow.

This young adult story is light and easy to read. That being said, most of the characterizations were pretty shallow, and while some of the plotting was interesting, the lack of much depth led to a surface-level understanding of most character's motivations and personalities. Allison's sexuality (she's gay) plays into the story without becoming the entire story, which was nice to see. There is probably a lot left on the table with this book, with more of the themes begging to be explored. Overall, a fun idea with a bit of lackluster execution.

you enjoyed reading love simon and books alike? you'll probably like this book as well.

it's alison's last year of high school and she desperately wants to be valedictorian and thus agrees to be the producer of this year's theatre production of 'a midsummer night's dream'. throw in a lovesick best friend, a younger, but helpful sister and charlotte, the pretty girl, who alison gets to know more and more throughout the course of the production.

i would have absolutely adored this book at 16, but i'm not so sure about it now. it was sweet and easy to read and of course, it was amazing to read a love story set in high school about female queer characters for once, but i still had a few issues with it: the love stories were predictable, i could tell who was going to end up with whom from the beginning on, even for the side characters. moreover, jenny, a girl who designs the art projects for their production, is described as 'goth', which would have been fine on its own, but it's done in a very stereotypical way. she doesn't take any criticism to her work, even when alison is being really nice about it and just suggests to brighten up the colours, jenny stays stubborn and it just makes her very unlikeable, which was very disappointing. at last, the queer representation felt kind of off, as a queer person myself, i couldn't really relate to the characters, since they were pretty focused on binary views still.

if you're looking for an easy, romantic read though, why don't you give it a try yourself once it's out? at least the cover is absolutely gorgeous, isn't it?

I have been in a reading slump and on the search for something light, cute and full of love. The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life definitely ticked all three of those boxes.

This book tells the story of Alison whose main driver in life is to become a valedictorian. In an effort to build up her application she agreed to produce her school's theater play based on A Midsummer Night's Dream. As any normal high school girl, she also blackmails her little sister and best friend to help out. Ultimately, she gets wrapped up into working alongside a band of wonderful weirdos. From
her nemesis and competitor for the valedictorian position Ben, to the effortlessly cool dream girl Charlotte and the ever-serious Jenny, the side characters were so very funny and full of life.
In some way, the synopsis is a bit misleading because agreeing to a date with her friend Jack is really not that big of a deal in the book. So if that special aspect of the story is what drew you in, you will be up for a disappointment. However, if you are looking for some amateur theater producing action definitely pick this one up.

The plot is not complicated at all. There is no drawn out angst in the way I associate with YA romance nor are there any long lasting conflicts. personally, I really enjoyed how quickly everything is resolved. Alison did something wrong, people called her out on it, she reflected and apologized, we moved on. I do not know if it is representative of the traditional teen (I remember my teenage years were quite angsty), but it did suit the tone and mood of the book.

A huge aspect in this book is sexuality and mostly Alison pursing a relationship with her dream girl Charlotte. Perhaps I am a minority in this, but I actually really enjoyed how unproblematic was the coming out experience. If this was a hetero ya romance no one would even think twice about why did the main couple got together so quickly. I do believe that young people that are part of the lgbtq+ spectrum deserve to be represented in stories that are cute, light and fluffy.

I started this book a sceptic, but I was thoroughly delighted and ended up reading it at one sitting.

The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life is a very easy enjoyable read. The plot isn't that original but it's written in a way that makes it very cute and likeable, the wonderfully diverse cast of characters are all appealing and each adds their own zest to the story.

This novel was super cute! Anything with Shakespeare in the title captures my attention, and seeing it in the context of a YA novel makes my heart soar! Navigating along with Alison as she treks through her senior year, attempting to produce a play while dealing with the drama of high school was a fun experience. The text is accessible, which make sit a great addition to any classroom library.
I wish there was a little more of a connection to Shakespearean literature. The school is putting on a production of A Midsummer's Night Dream, and by connecting the narratives, the story could have had an entirely new level of meaning. The characters and their emotions were also a bit underdeveloped. I wanted to know so much more about the characters; however, at the same time, this allowed me as the reader to create my own story. When in high school, we often do not have answers to many of our questions, which is mirrored in this story.
Lastly, the diversity in the novel was great. I wish I had characters like this to read about when I was a young adult.

Good narration
• Easy and lucid language
• Simple vocabulary
• Relatable content
• Good representation of LGBTQIA, African American people, Asian American heritage
• Sometimes it became monotonous but overall it was fun
• It was cute
• The plot was predictable but cute
• The epilogue was the best
• It was a fun read but i expected the Shakespeare aspect more because it did not justify the titleor my expectations from the book

Alison Green is a wannabe valedictorian and by somewhat accident, the producer of her high school's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. It's a job that is hectic, stressful and somehow rewarding, though Alison spends most of her time just hoping this show will happen at all. As a former high school theater kid, I loved the premise of this story. I also appreciated the backstage perspective of it, since many books focus on the actors and always forget all the crazy hard work that the behind-the-scenes crew puts in. I loved the lgbt+ representation, the cute romantic side-plots, and the complicated nature of high school relationships. Alison was an endearing protagonist, full of flaws but with a very clear eye on what she wants and how to get it (even if that didn't always go as planned). Ultimately though, I just wasn't a huge fan of this book. I found the writing style to be overly simplistic and I also just found the plot to be kind of boring. The story just felt super compressed where I think it could have been stretched out and developed way more. Also, while there was constantly an allusion towards Alison's character development, I never really felt like she changed very much in her narration or her behavior in a way that felt genuine. In general, there was nothing overtly wrong with the story, but it just felt rushed in all the wrong places. That being said, if you're looking for an easy read with lgbt+ rep and a cute storyline, this book fits the bill.

This was a cute LGBTQ YA story. Alison is a perfectionist and senior in High school. She has to balance school work, producing this years play, relationships with family and friends and her first dating experiences. I enjoyed this book. For me the story was a bit too predictable and I did not care for the personification of the RED BINDER. But I am still very happy I read it and if you are looking for a cute teenage angst filled coming into your own story this is what you have been looking for.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free digital copy of this book for exchange for an honest review.

Alison Green, a perfectionist and runner for her school's valedictorian agrees to help a teacher "co-produce" the school's production of A Midsummer's Night Dream. Alison quickly realizes that she must take on the sole role of producing the play and ropes in her best friend and sister to help her. However, as time goes on and the play nears opening night, Alison finds that producing a play is not as easy as she thought it would be. The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life is full of heartache, laughter, and rewarding outcomes.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. I've found that I absolutely love stories that are either inspired by or involve Shakespeare in some way or another. The plot and characters made this story great to read and I'm glad to have read this novel. Alison was a very relatable character, a high schooler who does not know how to balance school and her first love. She is also supportive of her friends and makes sure to fix her mistakes even when that means she has to accept she screwed up. The plot mainly revolved around the production of the play but there are smaller subplots revolving around her and her friends' lives.

The story and characters were a little simple but it did not necessarily take away from the novel. At some points, the characters were a little flat and cookie-cutter-esque but at other times, they were unique to themselves. There was great representation in this novel and would be relatable those in high school, especially fellow theatre nerds. A strong debut!

Alison Green's dream is becoming her year's valedictorian. So when one of her teacher asks her to co-produce this year's school play, she immediately agrees. But when auditions start she realises the absolute mess this production is, and how much time and effort pulling this play off will take. And then there is Charlotte, the most beautiful girl in her class that surely could never like her back, right? But when Alison's thought-through plans and machinations start driving her friends away, she starts to realise that high school may not just be all about good grades and top achievements...

This is such a cute, fun book! Full of jokes, misunderstanding and awkwardness, it is a fun journey through the final year of high school, with all its ups and downs. The pages just slipped by as disaster after disaster strikes the upcoming show, forcing all crew members to improvise and work together to make it happen after all. Alison's character development is so great to read. Pick this one up for a light and funny read full of interesting characters and a Shakespeare play that starts to feel way more relatable than anyone thought.

Thanks to NetGalley and Second Story Press for providing me with an e-arc!

I loved the title to begin with, so I was very excited to read this book. Meet Alison, a teenage girl in her senior year. To add a little extra to her university applications, she volunteers / gets tricked into becoming the producer of the school play, which happens to be A midsummer nights dream by Shakespeare.

I loved the outline of the story and the general idea of it. At some points the story is a little flimsy but it holds up. It portrays the life of teenagers in high school very well. It shows how busy and stressful it can be, as well as the importance of friendship. I loved that that was the main focus of this story, and not just the fact the main character was gay. It did play a role, of course, as it would in a young girls life, but it felt like just another fact about Alison. Like it's normal. Which, obviously, it is!

Alison learns a lot about leadership and friendship in this story. I would have liked to see a little more character development in the other characters too, though. The story didn't delve all too deep into their feelings.

Overall this is a cute story with a nice bit of sarcastic humor!

rep: lesbian main character, asian side character, wlw main relationship, mlm side relationship, pansexual side character

it would have been 3 stars if jenny hadn’t done that thing at the end to show her loyalty to her newfound family. this should have been a short read but it got tiring pretty fast.
also, the way every single teacher excused ben’s blatant misogyny was really annoying. and the quick way the main couple made up at the end was so weird i barely had time to understand it and suddenly it was over.
overall a cute read but with many flaws

Shakespeare can bring people together, and break them apart and he continues his streak with this book. Allison is strung as tight as a rubber band and Billy Wigglestick is just the name to help her finally snap. I really liked this book because I was also involved in theatre, specifically stage managing and I identified with many of Allison's problems though I'm glad I never had to work with teachers like hers! The LGBTQI themes reminded me a bit of "Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda." This is a fun YA book and Ms. Jansen is someone I'd read again. But dang it, I need to know did she make valedictorian or not!?

Our main character in this high school drama (who also happens to be producing the high school drama, or comedy in this case) is named Alison Green. Alison, Al for short to her friends is a textbook perfectionist vying for the coveted Valedictorian title. She recently came out to her family and best friend and has the full support of both. Alison gets pressured by one of her teachers to co-produce the school play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, hence the title of this book. It soon consumes her life but it brings her in contact with her crush Charlotte and the two begin dating. Meanwhile, the drama of the play begins to strain Al and her friendships, but she learns that honesty is the best route to take in leadership and through her endless internal dialogue, the reader sees her grow as a person.. This book is an easy read and includes a diverse cast of characters that I wish we had known better, many of them are not incredibly developed. However, in spite of all the high school stereotypes, the awkwardness of being a teen is captured in all its pain and glory. I recommend reading this book in August in honor of the start of a new school year.

actual rating: 2.5 stars

This book follows the story of our main character, Alison. She is really fixed on getting to be valedictorian at graduation and, to make it happen, she agrees to co-produce the school play. Little does she know she will end up pretty much directing the whole thing almost by herself and getting to hang out with her long term crush during rehersals.

THE PLOT

This is a typical Young Adult book, from the plot to its characters and everything in between. I've been feeling a little distant from YA books for a while now, so I will try not to be too harsh on the typical things of the genre, since the things that bothered me related to that are my problem, not technical problems.

That being said, I did find parts of the plot to be underdeveloped. The 300 pages or so go by mostly on Alison's inner monologue worrying about everything. We should get less talking and more doing. Let the actions and the images speak for themselves. I feel like the book as a whole would have gained a lot from this.

For example, the whole story leads us to opening night, but there are so few scenes where we get to see the cast actually interacting. This makes some scenes feel forced, like one moment where one of the actors comes out to the rest of the cast. It should be a really emotional, moving moment but, sadly, it's not.

Also, there was an attempt at introducing a theatre mafia? And this ends up being forgotten without further explanation. It was a way of explaining why Alsion couldn't get any budget money from local stores, but it was kind of ridiculous.

THE CHARACTERS

I will keep this short. So. Many. Stereotypes. We have:

- The Gay Guy
- The Jerk Guy (who turns out to be not so bad)
- The Goth Girl
- The Best Friend
- The Good Guy
- The Theatre Freak
- The Cool Girl (also known as The Crush who you've never talked to in your whole short life but still is the love of your life)

It was too much. I really think I would have enjoyed the book much more if the author would have stepped out of these common places a little bit. The only attempt I saw at achieving this was making the love interest pansexual instead of gay, in spite of her being seen as "the stereotype of a lesbian" (based on her haircut) (this is actually adressed at one point in the book) but it still wasn't enough.

About our main character. Alison is such a dull character. What we know about her: she is gay, she wants to be valedictorian and she is a good student. Oh, and she cleans her room when she gets overwhelmed. That's it. I really wanted to emphatize with her and her motivations, but I never got to feel like I knew her. She doesn't like visual arts or sports or theatre. She has no real interes, no depth. Also, I found her to be a little infurating at times. She's not exactly easy going. I was really let down by her as a character, I felt she could have been better developed. She goes through some character developments by the end of the book, but it wasn't enough for me to care about the rest.

THE RELATIONSHIP

I got so little of it. I had similar problems with Charlotte as I did with Alison. We see Charlotte through Alison's eyes, and Alison ideolizes Charlotte a lot. Charlotte is this really cool, exotic girl with a tattoo and expanders. In the first descrpition we get about her, I got the "not like other girls" vibe and I really disliked that. I was kinda hoping the idealization would fade once Alison got to meet Charlotte, talk to her and hang out for a while but, unfortunately, it didn't.

Their relationship, much like their characters, also fell flat. They go on one (1) date, they interact so little and most of it is texting. At one point in the story they have a fight and it all feels so forced because of the little build-up. I did find myself rooting for them at the beginning, but by the end I didn't really care anymore.

SOME SILVER LININGS

- cute family dynamics !!! alison's parents are so nice and open-minded
- there's a male corgi named "princess sunshine"
- multiple lgbt+ characters
- a really nice teacher
- the importance of friendship <3<3<3

FINAL THOUGHTS

I can't say I liked this, but I didn't hate it. I enjoyed it at times. This isn't an amazing read but if the synopsis calls your attention, by all means give it a go. Maybe I became a sour person who doesn't experience joy anymore. You might find it more charming than I did. I really hope you do, because LGBT+ stories are always important, even when they're not exactly our cup of tea.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

This was a really wholesome easy read and it was definitely something to cheer you up during these uncertain times. I found Alison's character incredibly relatable - a perfectionist here, myself! - and the struggles she encounters are both absurd and so realistic. I like the relationships in the book. While many of them are predictable, they're still really well-written and there's a comfort in knowing how things are going to pan out.

SPOILER AHEAD: I particularly like that we don't know if Alison gets valedictorian or not, whether or not she gets the scholarship, because it leaves the book open to interpretation.

SPOILER AHEAD: I enjoyed the fact that the play wasn't a massive success or that the Otters won the semi-finals. In a lot of fiction, you see everything working out in the end but this book did the exact opposite and let us know that things don't always work out the way you think or hope they will.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life is about a senior in high school, Alison. Her only dreams in life are to become the valedictorian and possibly woo her crush, Charlotte. She agrees to producing the school's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. From there, her senior year is a downward spiral of teenage angst and bad decisions.

This is a really cute novel and a nice coming of age story. It features a lesbian MC who knows who she is. This is definitely something I can get behind. It was also a very quick read and definitely something you could finish in a day or two. The lightheartedness was a nice change of pace after I've read a few heavy things as well as the current state of the world. It did make me wish that my own high school had a drama club or a school play.

Unfortunately, the writing seemed a little more middle-grade rather than YA. Because of this, I had some trouble connecting with the characters as they seemed a bit childish for me. There was nothing surprising in this story. I adored Becca and Annie, but I felt like Charlotte (the MC's love interest) was written as a bit one-dimensional.

I think a younger audience would really enjoy this book and I would recommend it to those.

I was really surprised by how much I liked this book. I was interested in the YA themes and thought it'd be light and fluffy. But it had a diverse group of kids and talked about some serious issues. The ending doesn't give you the success you want for it but instead it gives a truthful view of how everything unfolds in the real world. I think that this book is a really positive ones for kids to read and I'd definitely recommend to kids in high school or to anyone who wants a YA that's easy and light but filled with good themes and messages. There use to not be a lot of LGTBQ+ books that had "happy" endings but I'm very pleased to be able to read and review one.

Oh my god, this book was so cute ! Just a little fun read with a lot of humour and a bit of representation since our character, Alison is a lesbian, anxious girl who want to produce her high school production, a midsummer night's dream (it's my absolute favorite play by shakespeare).

It was a little cheesy but not too much, just the perfect amount of cheesy.
What I liked a lot about it, it's such a fast read with a fast placed history. You don't have to wait 200 pages to become interresting.
And can we talk about the writing style ? I loved it, it's was really fun.
There"s a High School Musical vibes so... Now that I just finish it, I have to watch the movie haha
Just read it, perfect read for summer or back to school period :)