I never really read widely in the YA contemporary genre but boy did this suck me straight away.

Drop the first page I loved Beatrice, the author has a great way of introducing her voice from the get go it's impossible to believe they're not real characters. The love interest Nik was far from the caricature some YA authors try to pass off as good love interests he was a well-rounded lovable dude and his and Beatrice relationship melted my heart

This is a stellar debut from Serena and I can't wait to read whatever comes next

Nothing beats a smart and witty main character. Beatrice rocks all the boxes we want in our heroines. Long story short really bright me back to my teen years in a waxing nostalgia way.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Long Story Short in exchange for an honest review.

This was so cute! A tad (okay maybe a lot) cheesy, but as both a former nerdy kid AND theatre kid I wholeheartedly enjoyed this.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was so cute! I'm a sucker for a good Shakespeare-themed love story and Long Story Short did not disappoint. This book has all the cliche tropes: the quiet/nerdy/Type-A girl paired with the charming/cocky popular guy combined with the jealousy trope, makeover trope, bucket list trope, and excellent banter. Some of the tropes did feel a little overdone + outdated and I did wish that Serena Kaylor had moved on from them, but some of them were really cute! I loved the Shakespeare quote competition that Nikhil and Beatrice had and how Nikhil chose quotes that so clearly conveyed how he felt about Beatrice --it was probably one of the highlights of the book for me. There were so many charming moments in this book, like the laundry room scene, the TP-prank scene, and of course Nikhil & Beatrice's final performance as Romeo and Mercutio.

One of my main issues with this book is Nikhil's line about Beatrice not being hot enough to play Rosaline at the beginning of the book. I know that he apologizes for the comment later on in the novel, but it still made me really uncomfortable. (Also why did it take him so long to apologize??) I don't think I would even remotely entertain the possibility of getting together with a guy who said something like that. I would have been way more comfortable with Beatrice and Nikhil getting together if there was a miscommunication trope instead, i.e. if Nikhil hadn't actually been the one to say that comment even though Beatrice thought he did. I also wasn't really a fan of how Nikhil never outwardly condemned Shelby for being so awful to Beatrice. I know that Beatrice was able to stand up for herself and that she didn't need anyone to defend her, but the fact that he would just stand to the side and observe his ex treating her so horribly without saying a word was kind of appalling.

Regardless, it was really cool to see Nikhil as a South Asian love interest instead of another mediocre white boy. As a South Asian reader, I thought it would've been nice if there was a little more exploration or discussion of his identity, but regardless Serena Kaylor handled his ethnicity with respect and care, which I really appreciate. I also thought it would have been nice if there was more clarity on Beatrice identity. She's clearly neurodivergent, so I personally would have liked to see more explicit descriptors for her instead of just brushing her off as a "gifted kid." I'm open to hear what other neurodivergent readers think!

If you're looking for a fun, summer romance with tons of Shakespeare and theatre references, be sure to pick up Long Story Short when it releases next summer!

I loved this book so much! Bea is such a complicated and relatable character. I love her friendship with Mia and Nolan, and her teen angst over Nik's mixed signals is just *chef's kiss* YA perfection. The Shakespeare camp element is a charming backdrop and the quote battles between Bea and Nik had me swooning.

This is a quintessential YA story and I enjoyed every minute. Such a fantastic debut. Definitely add this to your TBR!

Thank you to Netgalley, Wednesday, and the author for the eARC in exchange for my review.

To say I enjoyed this book is an understatement. From the beginning I knew I liked Bea. She's smart, blunt, and puts her ambitions first ALWAYS. Her parents forced her to go to summer camp to see if she can be a normal kid for once in her life instead of an academic scholar 24/7 and her character development during it was DELIGHTFUL. Serena Kaylor wrote Bea so well. Her attitude and anti-socialness doesn't come off as too negative and is the perfect amount of sass. I really enjoyed the supporting characters who had SO much life and helped Bea so much. Really looking forward to new books from Serena Kaylor!

~Long Story Short Review~
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4/5
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I went a bit crazy and requested a ton of books from Netgalley as soon as my fall semester was over and this was one of them! I’m excited to dive right in and see what chaos awaits me! I know that St. Martins Press will not disappoint me
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Pros:
+good for her for getting into oxford! but also college is scary so i def get her parents concerns
+love a good to-do challenge checklist
+i like mia and nolan and how confident they are and how good of friends they are ugh they’re the best characters
+british accent(;
+silly silly shakespeare nerds
+makes me so nostalgic for summer camps and awkward high school shenanigans
+we love getting out of our comfort zone!! great entertainment!
+nik. a shameless flirt with a flair for the dramatics <3
+i go absolutely feral for a bit of a flirty competition. like this whole who knows Shakespeare plays better bit is 10/10
+awkward banter>>>
+bea grew on me. at first i thought she was a little annoying but then i realized she’s just trying her best and is confused
+let’s go therapy!! we love therapy!!
+so proud of the little actress!!!
+such a fun ending im satisfied with it
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Cons:
-sooooo awkward. like i get home schooled nerdy is a thing but like is it this bad irl? she literally rattled off scientific elements to calm her nerves. it just seems a bit cliche
-enemies too lovers is not as fun when them being “enemies” is from a miscommunication when they first met like wdym??? they’re just being silly. specifically bea who is sometimes just nasty to him because she’s scared and confused (tho it is relatable LMAO)
-the token mean girl is alive and well in this for no reason
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This book was a bit silly at times but it was so much fun especially for giant nerds like me. i literally stayed up until 4 am reading it because i couldn’t put down all the chaos and shenanigans! definitely a good ya romance with a relatable main character that grows on you and a love interest that loves to tease and challenge her. makes me jealous that i never had a summer camp coming of age experience!!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved to see the subtle development in Bea’s character and the blossoming emotions and experiences she’s had. Each character was wonderfully detailed and left me loving them all! The development between Bea and Nik left me in anticipation throughout the entire book, wondering what was going to happen between them next, and i was pleasantly satisfied with the ending, but of course, this book left me wanting more of Bea and Nik! I loved the game between Nik and Bea, and loved even more the way the author emphasizes that friendships aren’t always built on agreements and support, sometimes it has to be built on support, honesty, and sometimes arguing, something th author highlights perfectly. Cannot wait to have a physical copy of this eventually!!

This book slips into the category of “mind-opening but still fun” reads. It was very interesting to see things from the perspective of someone who doesn’t quite agree with the mainstream way of doing things, and see how differences are bridged. It was also interesting to read a book from the perspective of someone whose thought process in general is different from the usual more mainstream kind of thought process. I also quite like that the main character doesn’t just accept everything at face value; when told that certain things are just part of “the teenage experience”, she questions why more often than not. I do have issue with the concept of “the teenage experience”, as if one experience is the true teenage experience. I kind of wish the main character had said something about that more clearly, although the thoughts interspersed here and there were quite insightful and could make for great book club conversations.

Loveddd Beatrice and her growth through the book. I did think some parts were a bit unrealistic - if someone was so “antisocial” in a sense for so long, I find it difficult to believe that she would make friends and loosen up among other people so quickly. But nonetheless it was a fun book to read!

I loved this novel, cover to cover! What a great read!!
💚
As a HUGE lover of all things Shakespeare, I absolutely loved reading the lines from the plays as the characters rehearsed and through their "games". All I kept thinking was how much I wished my parents would have sent me to Shakespeare camp when I was that age.
💙
I also love the characters in this novel. Our protagonist is beautifully crafted and developed, as are each of her friends she meets along the way.
💜
I highly recommend this one!

I know nothing about theater but I do enjoy Shakespeare and for that, I’m glad I gave this book a shot! It was just the right amount of funny and had the added bonus of being more than just a rom-com as Beatrice learns what it means to actually live.

The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Beatrice Quinn. Fun fact, we find out her middle name is Joanna which is my first name so I love it. Haha! She is quirky and highly smart. She also prefers studying and books over people. I mean, who can blame her? I don’t know about the studying but I would much prefer to read a book than socialize! Beatrice is a relatable teen who has a hard time with the task of socializing/understanding people. I liked seeing her growth throughout the book and understanding what it means to have a life outside of her usual routine. It’s a big part of the book and I loved every minute of it!

Since Beatrice was homeschooled, she doesn’t have a friend. From a past experience, it hasn’t been easy to trust others either. She does find two close friends at camp, Nolan and Mia, and they are great! They help get Beatrice out of her shell and push her to try new things. I did like that even though they wanted her to try having a new wardrobe they also didn’t want her to change who she was. I honestly think that would be hard to do with how stubborn she is, ha.

This is a rom-com after all and with that comes a blossoming relationship. If you like enemies-to-lovers then this one is for you! There banter is laugh-out-loud which is something I actually did. I also made the shocked faced more than once as I couldn’t believe what Beatrice was saying! She is a firecracker. The relationship is slow to bloom but I liked that. It showed them getting to know each other and trying to understand the other person, which is especially hard for Beatrice to do.

Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable read! I liked seeing Beatrice grow and learn what it means to have friends and try new experiences. If you don’t have this one on your radar, I’d highly recommend it!

I can’t remember the last time I was able to—or made time to—finish a book in one day. I couldn’t put this one down. There was something about Bea that was so adorably disarming, and Nik was a heartstopper from the jump. The ending was just *mwah* chef’s kiss!

Let’s back up to the writing: I’m not going to say one of those, “Oh my gosh—I can’t believe this is a debut!” sort of comments. (And can we normalize not expecting debuts to be subpar, please? At least for a budding and hopeful author like me?) But, I will say, the author’s ability to make tangible the insecurities and observations and feelings of our beloved MC was seemingly the work of a seasoned author. There was so much imagery and so much humor—I LOLed through this entire book.

I loved it. I loved Mia and Nolan, and eventually, I loved Shelby. But mostly I loved the lesson this book teaches that sometimes, it’s ok to go a little off book or to admit that you don’t have everything fully figured out yet.

I’m looking forward to more from this author.

Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor was an absolute joy to read. The secondary characters were so confident and excited to be experiencing life in a place where their passion was centered. It made quite a contrast to our protagonist, Bea, who definitely had some social and anxiety issues to work through. I loved all the characters, except maybe for the twin sister who took out her frustration on the person least able to deal with her.
I would definitely recommend this book to all my students, but especially those who struggle with social situations and like to hide behind constant familiarity. The anxiety was so authentic, I just wanted to hug the little protagonist and give her courage to keep moving forward, even when it was so difficult.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Wow! When I read the blurb, I was immediately interested in this book. I mean it had a theatre camp, a list to complete and Shakespeare! But I didn’t expect to fall so completely in love with this novel. Our protagonist, Bea, was great lead! She was so snarky and had such a dry sense of humour. She made me laugh so much throughout the story. It was also beautiful to watch her grow and learn to step out of her comfort and try new things. The friends she made at camp were equally amazing. Mia and Nolan were the friends that Bea needed and I loved how they supported and loved her no matter what. They knew when to push her and when they needed to let her come to a decision on her own. Their friendship was wonderfully written!

Now, let’s talk about Nik. I don’t even know where to start. The banter between him and Bea was everything I wanted. I couldn’t stop smiling whenever the two would get lost in their own world and start going back and forth with each other. The lake scene was one of my favourites. And the Shakespeare-off😭I loved that so much!

Overall, I just had so much fun with this book. It had everything you could want in a YA novel: young love, humour and adventure. This would be a perfect read for the summer🥰

(A review will be posted on my bookstagram closer to the release date🤗)

Long Story Short; Serena Kaylor
5/5 stars

Where do I even start? This book was fantastic. I mean, debut YA authors are really upping their game.

Did I already mention I adored this book? Well, let me say it again: WOW. I couldn't take a breath. 
It took a few chapters for our main character, Bea, to meet her love interest, Nik, but it was well worth the wait. I was gasping for air as a result of their banter and tension. Normally, in enemies to lovers, the boy always has a snarky remark and the girl almost never has a retort, but Miss Beatrice Quinn was so sharp, sarcastic, and feisty... It was fantastic.

Bea is a one-of-a-kind character considering that I've never read about a shy, brainiac who is so sarcastic. She made me laugh out loud every time, and her views were always incredibly realistic for a 17-year-old girl establishing new acquaintances and having a crush.

 Nik was everything. He was caustic and, in Nolan's words, "Hot." The chemistry and tension between him and Bea...UNREAL.

Of course, I couldn't leave out Mia and Nolan. I can't convey how much I adored them. Their bond with Bea was pure and completely lovely. It was amazing.

Everything about this book was 5 stars, from the environment to the people to the romance to the Shakespeare offs. I wish it never ended.

This is the story about an intelligent, socially challenged, funny, snarky girl and how, with the help of new friends, she steps out of her comfort zone to try new experiences and redefines herself while still keeping true to who she is at her core.

I really enjoyed this fun and witty story. The novel is dialogue heavy (which I like) and very funny. I smiled and laughed through most of it. When I wasn’t smiling I was stressed out. You could really feel Bea’s emotions. From the very beginning, I fell in love with Beatrice. She just has a way of pulling you in. And the chemistry between her and her two new best friends is wonderful. This is a very quick read as it is hard to put down. I would read more by this author.

I would recommend this book to Shakespeare fans, theater geeks, and to people who enjoy YA romance or coming-of-age novels.

Thank you Net Galley and Wednesday Books for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.

#NetGalley #LongStoryShort

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Beatrice Quinn is in a pickle. She’s been accepted to Oxford University at 16 years old, but her parents don’t want her to go. As a socially awkward kid who’s been homeschooled and doesn’t really have friends, Beatrice might be asking too much to move to another country without her parents… But after coming to an agreement to attend a Shakespeare acting summer camp for a month as a trial run with conditions such as making friends, pulling pranks, and other important teenage milestones, Bea embarks on a journey of friendships and coming-of-age experiences to discover herself, who she is, and who she will become.

I loved everything about this book (except Shelby, at first), and it was such a cute story. I need friends like Mia and Nolan in my life, please. I’m also not a fan of Shakespeare, mostly because I still don’t understand it, but I liked that this story revolved around it and made it bearable to read.

Will definitely be purchasing this book when it comes out July 26, 2022!

The first time one was the first one of his wytoeytwytwytqytq last night and she had to her face with a smirk on his forehead to kiss the cheek to

"Long Story Short", exceeded the majority of my expectations. It was so heartfelt and made me as a reader feel so heard and represented. Being able to relate to Beatrice enhanced my opinions and thoughts while reading. The theme of us determining our own worth and accepting ourselves is something that I need to learn more about, and this book helped me. Following along on Beatrice's self-journey made me want to start my own. Serena Kaylor should be immensely proud of herself for writing this. Congratulations on this being your first published book, I cant wait to see what's next!