First off, I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this early.

Before I started reading this I didn’t have low expectations but I didn’t have high expectations either. I briefly remembered the music video this book was based off of and in my mind writing music and writing books are different. Both are equally difficult, just in their own way. But excuse my language, holy shit, I was actually blown away.
Coley(17) is one of the main characters who recently moved to a new town where her stranger of a father lives after her mother passed away. There she meets Sonya and her group of friends Alex, Trenton, SJ and Brooke. Coley struggles with self worth/love, living with a father who abandoned both her and her mother, the loss of a parent and lots of other topics that many people experience.
Sonya is the other MC who struggles with accepting her sexuality and dealing her douche of an ex boyfriend Trent.
This book is an absolute delight and will hopefully help people feel seen if they relate to Coley and Sonya. I know I personally did! This book is fantastic and I will definitely be thinking about this book for a while. Wonderful writing and highly recommend reading this!!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the earc.


This was not it for me. I did not care for any of the characters, besides her dad, and the story just felt all over the place and cringe. The only thing i did enjoy were the live journal portions cause the nostalgia always gets me. I had to skim through a bit of it cause i just didn’t care and it felt like i was reading the same things over and over. I don’t have much else to say. I Just upsetting that i didn’t like this as i was hoping for.

This was cute but I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. A really quick read though and not bad for a debut novel.

Girls Like Girls is Hayley Kiyoko's debut novel, it follows Coley who has just moved in with her estranged father after her mother's death. T.W.- suicide.

Coley is in a new town with the father she's never known and meets a group of kids and instantly falls for popular girl Sonya. Sonya is struggling with her new found feelings for Coley and Coley is struggling with pretty much everything.

Girls like Girls is a quick read and any fans of Hayley will probably really enjoy the story. Overall it was a decent read and a good debut effort. 3 stars

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko (debut novel, based on her song/video Girls Like Girls) is a YA coming-of-age novel about Coley, who moves in with her estranged father after her mother dies. She meets Sonya and they're drawn together. They're both dealing with their sexualities. They're both growing and developing. Also, this book takes place in 2006 which really took me back in time. I wonder how the younger teens reading this today will feel? :P

TLDR: This book is likely going to be getting a lot of hype in the coming months. If you're a Hayley Kiyoko fan, you should read this. If you like YA sapphic romance/coming of age novels this will make a fine addition to the genre. Otherwise, you can probably skip this one. (Unless you're really just curious. I won't stop you. I'm not your parent.)

Girls Like Girls was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, which of course meant it was doomed to fail for me. This book was a pretty conflicting ride because there was a lot I liked but there was also a lot missing.

I liked the setting and I found Kiyoko really understood the atmosphere of a small town. I enjoyed the 2006 setting as well. I liked many of the side characters---Curtis, SJ, Alex, Blake, and I even liked our MC Coley. I appreciated the development of Coley's relationships with some of the side characters. As a Hayley Kiyoko fan it was really fun to find the little easter eggs and references to her music she added in. (view spoiler)

One thing that Kiyoko did really well in this novel is describe the experience of finding first love and the confusing feelings that go along with it. Coley and Sonya don't really seem to make much sense together from an outside perspective. There are sparks flying from the moment they meet each other. That aspect worked for me because in real life first love doesn't really make sense most of the time and it can make you do stupid things.

Unfortunately, that was really the only aspect of the romance I did get because otherwise I don't really understand why either of them like each other. Part of the problem is Sonya felt underdeveloped. She does all this gushing about how Coley makes her feel like herself, but I never really got a sense of who Sonya really is. I could sympathize with the fact that she was letting go of the repression she was holding on to and still figuring herself out, but I think we needed something more of Sonya's "true" self, other than being closeted. This likely could've been helped by having more private AOL entries in the middle of the book. There was a large portion (view spoiler) that was missing her perspective and I believe more understanding could've been generated if we could get inside her head during her hard moments as well. I could sympathize with her struggle but I didn't love her or understand her enough to really root for her.

This isn't a bad book, especially for a debut, but that being said I could definitely tell it's a debut. The beginning felt stilted and some of the dialogue (especially the sarcastic bickering between Coley and Sonya) didn't really work for me. There's still a lot of room for improvement for Kiyoko but if she's interesting in continuing to write I do think she has potential.

Overall it was a fine book. Part of its downfall is that I went in with high expectations as a long-time lover of the music video. I know Kiyoko has said she wanted to make a movie based on the music video, and I honestly think I would've preferred a movie to this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve loved Hayley Kiyoko and this song/music video forever and the book absolutely does it justice. I loved the characters of Coley and Curtis and could really feel their emotions through the book. So glad I got to read this and am excited for it to come out later this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book. This book was beautiful. The portrayal of grief shown in this book blew me away. Absolute prose. The writing was so moving and emotional, and watching Coley grow and navigate her new life was a joy. For me, the romance in this book felt very secondary. Which I don’t believe was intentional, but I truly struggled at times to root for Sonya. Perhaps she was too real of a character for me, and others will not have the same problem with her I did. Regardless though, it was a wonderful story and by the end I was happy I had read it.

I liked this book, it was simple and cute. I did find the plot to be nothing special - not surprises and I’m sure there are many ya books with a similar plot. But overall cute.

**Disclaimer: I received a free advanced readers copy of Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko is a young adult coming of age novel about a girl named Coley who moves in with her estranged father after her mother dies.  In her new town, she meets a girl named Sonya and they find themselves drawn together.  The novel is set to be published on May 30th, 2023.  I rated it 5 stars on Goodreads.


Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Trailblazing pop star, actor, and director, Hayley Kiyoko debuts her first novel, a coming-of-age romance based on her breakthrough hit song and viral video, GIRLS LIKE GIRLS.
It’s summertime and 17-year-old Coley has found herself alone, again. Forced to move to rural Oregon after just losing her mother, she is in no position to risk her already fragile heart. But when she meets Sonya, the attraction is immediate.
Coley worries she isn't worthy of love. Up until now, everyone she's loved has left her. And Sonya's never been with a girl before. What if she's too afraid to show up for Coley? What if by opening her heart, Coley's risking it all?
They both realize that when things are pushed down, and feelings are forced to shrivel away, Coley and Sonya will be the ones to shrink. It’s not until they accept the love they fear and deserve most, that suddenly the song makes sense.
Based on the billboard-charting smash hit song and viral music video GIRLS LIKE GIRLS, Hayley Kiyoko's debut novel is about embracing your truth and realizing we are all worthy of being loved back.

I fully admit that I requested this because I really loved the song and music video, and I was curious about what it would be like in novel form.  I was also curious to see what Hayley Kiyoko would be like as a writer, and I was not disappointed.  I absolutely loved this book.

I really enjoyed all the layers of the novel.  It dealt with these two girls coming to terms with their sexualities but it was more than that.  It was about Coley coming to understand that she deserves love and that she deserves to be treated well, and I really enjoyed reading about her growth and development over the course of the novel.  She was a really interesting character, and I really did feel for her as she made her every day choices.

I found the dynamic between Coley and Sonya interesting as well.  There were definitely some questionable moments but it was understandable where the toxicity in their dynamic might have come from, and I definitely think that they had more growing to do by the end of the novel but I felt good about where things were left.

I also enjoyed the nostalgia of the vibes of being in high school in 2006.  There were aspects that were very relatable to me, like going home to instant message your friends though I used MSN not AIM like the characters in this book.  I can't say a lot of the rest of it was relatable to me, but I enjoyed the novelty of those parts.  

The side characters were interesting as well, though some could have used more development.  I wish we had gotten to see a little bit more of Sonya's friends because some of them seemed to have a lot of potential and I wanted to learn more about them.

The story was well constructed, and I highly recommend that you check it out when it publishes in May.

Everything I wanted and more. This is a book that will make girls and women of all ages bond over the special connected we have to Girls Like Girls.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Publishing Grp for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hayley Kiyoko you have done it again!! When I saw that Hayley announced the book, my inner teenage self came back lol. My heart was overflowing while reading this debut book.

Coley and Sonya, truly what a beautiful pair. Coley’s backstory was heartbreaking to read. The struggles and heavy conversations that Coley had, made her character develop well. The angst, the back and forth expected with new feelings they’ve never experienced before.

I thought that the pacing/timelines could’ve been better with certain parts of the book. It was inconsistent at times. A bit repetitive in my opinion.

Overall I’m glad that there’s a story behind these two. A story that is shared to the world about two people navigating their feelings and being in love.

i absolutely adored this

i’ve been obsessed with hayley kiyoko and this music video for as long as i can remember, so to have this immortalized as a BOOK is one of my favorite things ever and im so happy it’s getting shared with more people <3

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Girls Like Girls releases May 30, 2023

This debut novel is based on the song + music video by the singer/songwriter/author Hayley Kiyoko.

The short version:
This was a really frustrating one-sitting read.

The long version:
This story is told from the perspective of Coley, a 17 year old girl who recently moved from San Diego to a small suburb in Oregon. In the midst of grieving her mothers apparent suicide/drug overdose, she now must navigate living with her estranged and “deadbeat” father whom she really has no emotional ties to.
During the summer before senior year, Coley grows close with a group of established friends who have known each other their whole lives, but has a particular fondness for one girl named Sonya (I would call it an insta-lust attraction).

Nearly every single character presented was unlikeable, and Coley deserved SO much better.

I found some relatability within the father/parent dynamics, but at times the writing was just too cheesy and teenaged-angst for me — saying “Olive Juice” instead of I love you, and venting through Live Journal entries with accompanying moods and songs.

Sonya… where do I start. She is someone who gets by in life with the assumption of things always going her way. The constant denial was so frustrating to read, but the worst part of it all was how she kept treating Coley so poorly. The hot and cold behaviour, the calculated “away” status, saying that Coley is a lot of drama the day after they first kissed, making out with other people, etc.
Towards the end, I really thought she might have some redemption or realization, but then Sonya goes on to say “maybe its just you, you’re an exception. I mean, I know you’re wrong” — being queer isn’t “wrong” and that’s the furthest thing from an apology. She kept trying to have it both ways but it was so selfish.
The smugness and clique mentality when Sonya wanted it to her advantage to avoid dealing with Coley was so gross, which leads me to Trenton, who was another character I absolutely hated.
A bully, jerk, and manipulative ex-boyfriend who just wouldn’t go away.
I didn’t like how characters would just brush off his actions and defend him by saying “oh you just have to get to know him” and “that’s just the way he is; guys don’t change”.

Coley coming into this small town definitely gave some people a wake up call and ruffled feathers a bit. This group of teens were so used to their comfortable bubble, and Coley brought some unpredictability.

It was refreshing to see Coley call Sonya out on her bullshit multiple times, and thank god she wasn’t a doormat character who got completely walked over.
She had immediate comebacks without hesitation and it was hilarious to see Sonya caught mid-stride, especially during that conversation involving summer dance camp and being “overwhelmed”.

I really didn’t think the addition of Blake’s character was all that necessary, and would have almost liked it better if it had been Alex instead.

The ending was very rushed and felt unfinished. There was no need for that level of violence at such a late stage in the book (though it was an accurate portrayal from the MV) But how could you just let the main character ride off into the figurative sunset with a literal head wound and call it day??

What I wished most of all though was to have had more depth and exploration in terms of being biracial instead of the ONE line we got that said “I’m never white enough. Never Asian enough. Never… enough.” Without this, there's zero indication of having a ethnically diverse character.
The main character, the author, and myself are all biracial (specifically half White, half Asian) — I understand that this is a queer centered coming-of-age book, but further developing the ethnicities would have been appreciated.

Read if you like:
- sapphic coming-of-age
- grief subplot
- poison ivy that leads to the one bed trope
- set in 2006 aka AIM profiles, flip phones, and choker necklaces
- easter eggs

CW: suicide/drug overdose, shoplifting, lots of underage drinking and smoking weed, mentions of an abortion (side character), mentions of depression

I really appreciate that Kiyoko brought elements of her personal experience and stories she has told through music to this novel. I also really appreciated the characters or Coley and her struggles with her family. However I felt that the plot of this book could have been reworked slightly to tie each scene together better and I wish the ending had felt like rushed. Additionally while I appreciated the aim user name references and live journal, I wonder if the audience will understand these elements and if it would have changed the story at all if they were drafts on tiktok/insta and DMs

2.5 stars rounded up

i didn’t have particularly high hopes for this but 14 year old me would’ve killed me if i hadn’t at least requested an arc of this book.
it surprised me in a lot of ways. the main love story wasn’t one i ended up rooting for as much as i was for the tenuous relationship forming between the main character and her father. i feel like this would’ve been a more impactful tale if it had focused on the complex familial relationships of both girls, rather than just being an endless cycle of sonya using coley as an emotional punching bag.

3.5 stars! As a high school counselor, I really enjoyed the writing and the accurate dialogue amongst the characters, both with each other and parents. This novel explored some heavy themes, and I encourage everyone to look at trigger warnings before reading. My only qualm with this one was the ending felt a bit rushed, and I felt certain questions should have been better answered toward the end. Overall, I think this one will resonate a lot with today’s teenagers and even some parents/adults (after all there were fantastic throwbacks to livejournal and music from the early 00’s). Great job with this one, and I hope Hayley decides to write more novels!

Thank you, Wednesday Books and Netgalley, for the arc!

Being a big fan of the “Girls Like Girls” music video by Hayley Kiyoko, I was super excited to see that she had written a book expanding on that storyline. She did a great job of showing how two different people work their way to figuring out who they are, what is acceptable, and what they can handle. She also does a magnificent job of handling grief, which I didn’t expect to be such an important factor in the story, but it was so well done.

I didn’t expect Coley to have such a big growth arc in the book. I thought it would be Coley helping Sonya. It impressed me that they grew equally, separately together, and apart.

This wasn’t a perfect book by any means, but it was a book I fell in love with and will be important reading material for younger people. I had high expectations, and while I cannot wait to buy my copy, I did have to give it a little grace throughout. The pacing was a little off, but this could have been intentional to get the hot/cold vibes that Coley was feeling from Sonya and her friends. Some side characters were fully developed, while others were there in pretty much name only. I know you can’t flesh out everyone and give them a side story, but it was a weird balance.

Speaking of characters, I loved Coley’s dad. I wish we had spent more time with him and her and how their relationship developed.

Finally, the ending was epic, yet it happened so fast, and then it was over. I liked the end. I was happy but sad it happened so fast. I wish it weren’t so rushed, or we got a few more chapters to see what happens - or maybe book two is coming??

I think GIRLS LIKE GIRLS will be an important book to come out this year and for years to come. Kiyoko expanded the story of the music video really well and made it a tangible thing to read and experience. I can’t wait to see what she does musically and as an author next!

CW: drug use, underage drinking, homophobia, mentions of suicide and abandonment

I don't read a lot of YA anymore, and I was a little worried I'd be bored by this, but I actually really liked it! It's not perfect, and it starts out a little slow/clichéd for me, but I just read the last 80% of the book all in one day, so I definitely found it engaging. I'm not sure I'd recommend it to older readers but it's a great coming-of-age book for queer teenagers. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read and review this ARC.

2.5 stars
The music video was such a big part of my childhood. I remember signing a petition to try and make it a movie. That was the first time I had ever seen that in a music video. I will always have that music video in my heart.
Only reason I didn’t dnf this book is because it got through it so quickly. The only characters I liked were SJ and Alex. I didn’t expect it to be good because I understand Kiyoko is a singer but I hoped my history with the music video would make it so I enjoyed the book. Unfortunately that was not the case. There is nothing special or interesting about this story. It is very standard. You have read it and seen it in every gay media you have consumed but with no depth.