This book was a hot mess. The writing seemed incomplete and unemotional. The tone of the book felt like it was trying too hard to be current and progressive and funny and sympathetic. The whole idea was nice, but I didn’t care about any of the characters except for Mia. Then the fantasy aspects were all over the place and felt weird with the rest of the story. I couldn’t decide what kind of book this was. There is some romance, fantasy, comedy, and even some graphic novel in the middle. It’s not written as carefully and beautifully as some of Shannon Hale’s other books.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have to be honest, it was hard getting through this book. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It was more like I couldn't get inspired to care for the main character. She pities herself so much, and there isn't really much of a reason to pity her in the beginning. She keeps saying that she used to be a big deal, but that doesn't seem like a strong enough reason for her to act so pathetic. She isn't mean or horrible; she just isn't very interesting. The plot device of her traveling into books is really cool, and I think that's what helps the story move along. It's much more plot-driven than character, so if you love books and fantasy, then maybe this book will be enough for you.

Omg, Shannon Hale, can we be best friends? The plot of this book is basically a dream. Josie Pie is a dream protagonist. When her life is falling apart and her aspirations have landed her nowhere, she literally finds herself in falling into a book over and over again living as the lead in a variety of genres. I absolutely loved the creativity of this book, and Josie Pie’s voice is one I wanted with me far after it was over. It was like a teenage girl version of The Pagemaster with so much more moxie. Something like this could have the likelihood of leaning into hokey territory, but instead it was delightful every step of the way. Thanks so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book I am sure to have students clamoring to read.

I like Shannon Hale because, generally, her characters are sharp and someone tends to have a warm-hearted, somewhat profound, slightly moving revelation before all is said and done. This book had those elements, but didn't come together at all. Also, I didn't like feeling so anxious about Mia.

Characters need further development. Despite being a popular younger readers author, I don’t think it will appeal to Young Adult readers

This was a cute YA contemporary! I enjoyed the foray into different novels and thought the concept was very cool and unique, but I didn’t fully connect with the characters/feel invested in the romance. Still a light, easy read and fun to see Shannon Hale return to YA!

Shannon Hale is all about living one's fantasies in whatever way a person can. In Austenland, this held the book together and the main character comes out stronger for it. In Kind of a Big Deal, the main character lives out her fantasies by falling into various book plots. The teenage angst, fear of becoming an adult, not knowing what the future holds are all believable in Josie, but the resolution of the story is not. This was a disappointing read where I continued until the end in the hopes that it would redeem itself, but sadly, it did not.

In this clever, magical story, Shannon Hale brings to life what could happen if you fall into the world of a book. Josie is a down-on-her-luck nanny who just moved from Broadway aspirations in NYC to Missoula, Montana. When she starts reading the “tawdry romance” she purchased at the quaint local bookstore, she finds herself literally sucked into the book. This is a cute YA novel that is perfect for someone who loves to read!

Advanced readers copy provided courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting reading experience...I wasn't sure what genre I was getting into, but I trusted Shannon Hale for a good story and she (mostly) delivered.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

This was cute and a quick read but I had a bit higher hopes based on the summary. It fell a little short for my expectations but interesting premise. Thank you netgalley.