Oh man, oh man, oh man! This book was EVERYTHING! I had been a little disappointed with some of Becky Albertalli's books in the past, but I definitely found my new favorite. From the great representation—Jewish! Trans! Bi!—to the excellent backdrop of high school theater, I am smitten.

This is ultimately a love story between two best friends. Yes, there is some swoon worthy romance—Noah, anyone?—but in the end, it's the relationship between Andy and Kate that is central to the story. Andy and Kate feel like two genuine best friends in how the act and talk together—half conversations that you can only do with a best friend, finishing each other's sentences, practically living at the other's house. They try to always remember that through everything, their friendship is most important and for a while this works, but when they find themselves in new gray areas, they don't know how to cope. This is such a real experience that teens find themselves in when romantic relationships start to infiltrate friendships and Albertalli does a phenomenal job telling this story, while staying true to her characters and tone of the story.

Really all the relationships are dynamic and genuine. Kate says it best in the book when she refers to the cast of a show is one big dysfunctional family, whether you like them or not. Kate's closeness with her older brother was really authentic—being so close in age while also experiencing something traumatic together like divorce gives them a connection that can never be broken. Kate's discovery of her own romantic relationships is really important too. She thinks she can only like someone if Andy does too, but the feelings she has with Matt are pure infatuation, no true substance. Now, Noah, there is history and an established friendship, plus he pretty much adores her. It may take some time for her to see that, but she gets there in the end.

Kate in Waiting is such a joy and I can't wait for more people to pick it up. As much as I love the Creekwood gang, and the surrounding characters, I'm excited readers are hearing from some new teens, especially this cast of characters. Highly, HIGHLY recommend

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

This was a sweet, easy read. I wasn't taken with any of the characters particularly, and I couldn't relate to the 'theare kids' tropes. I also thought there was too much focus on the play and the technical aspects of putting on a musical at school - I found my mind wandering during those chapters. I liked the modern friendships a lot, and the romance plots were predictable but satisfying.

Thank you to @The_WriteReads, Penguin, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As I’ve mentioned before, young adult contemporary romances aren’t exactly my go-to genre. I have nothing against them, they just aren’t what’s on my mind when I’m looking for a new book to read. That being said, the premise of this one caught my interest so much that I had to sign up for the tour. And it helps that I’ve been wanting to try out Becky Albertalli’s writing to see what I may be missing. FOMO is real in this household. I have to say, I’m glad I gave this a chance!

We’re following the story of two best friends, Kate and Anderson. Kate and Anderson share pretty much everything: their love of musicals, their hatred of fuckboys, and their crushes. These “communal crushes” have always been something that brought them together… until they both develop a crush on the new kid, Matt. Soon, real feelings are involved that might drive these two best friends apart.

Y’all, this was such a fun read! And I will fully admit right now that it’s partly because it’s centered around theater nerds. These were my people when I was in high school and it made the whole experience of reading this feel so nostalgic. I loved the friendships, the code words, and how this had the perfect tone to make me remember my high school days. And all the theater! Give me more musical theater in books pleeeeeease! All the backstage banter and the way Becky Albertalli manages to capture the comradery, the drama, and the work that goes into putting on a performance. It really resonated with me and was probably my favorite aspect of this book.

But we mustn’t forget our two stars, Kate and Anderson. I adore Kate and Anderson so much! They are such well-developed characters, with nuance and depth that makes them come to life. I just wanted to hug both of them throughout this book, but it was also wonderful to be able to watch them grow. I also appreciate that this book focused a lot on their friendship and how tough those can be. Friendship breakups can hurt as much as (if not more than) romantic breakups and I think this book does an excellent job of giving us a taste of that. I also enjoyed how diverse the cast was and really appreciated all the rep that was included. I, of course, can’t speak to the accuracy of all of the representation as there were a lot of marginalized groups with which I don’t identify, so take me saying I thought the rep was well done with a grain of salt! I do appreciate that she never compared Anderson’s (who is Black) skin tone to food, though 😂

My one tiny gripe with this book is the constant and repeated use of the word “fuckboy”. Not because of the word itself. Yes, call them fuckboys out! But the word is almost literally on every page and it was a tad overwhelming, lol. Still, the writing overall was great and kept me engaged throughout. I mean, I read this book in one day and, as a pretty slow reader, that’s saying something!

Final thoughts: This was a fun, quick, and engaging story! The fact that there’s a strong musical theater thread throughout the story certainly upped my enjoyment, as well. I thought our two main characters were fantastically crafted. I connected to them immediately, which made the book that much more captivating. Though the word ‘fuckboy’ in all it’s possible iterations was prevelant throughout, I still thought the writing was great and raced through this one. If you’re a fan of YA contemporaries, musical theater, and a look at the harder sides of friendship, I think you would love Kate In Waiting!

If there's a thing I regret not doing during my school years was being part of a Glee club or theatre club and it was not for lack of desire, but because Spanish schools don't have that kind of thing (I know, it sucks). If my school had had that my time there would have been much more thrilling. A Broadway diva lives inside of me (and pretty often outside too. You can ask my neighbors), so when I read the synopsis of Kate in waiting I knew I had to read it as soon as possible.

This was such a cute and fun read! Obviously I loved the musical theatre aspect and all the references as well as all the representation. There're black, gay, jewish, transgender, disabled characters, but they were not defined by that, it was just another piece of info about them. I hate when an author makes a character all about their sexuality, their race, their religion as if thinking "look how inclusive I am writing a (insert trait of choice) character!"

The story was all about relationships, with the group of friends, between siblings, with your "unrequited" crush... While I liked Kate's interactions with some of her friends, I thought her relationship with her best friend Andy was anything but healthy. Their crush with Matt was a bit overplayed, imo. We don't get enough information about him so it just seems they like him because he's cute and not a f-boy (excessive use of that and fuckboy, btw). Who cares about Matt when there's Noah in the picture? I loved his arc with Kate and would have liked to read more about them.

I'm not usually one for YA but, in this case, the musical theatre backdrop and some charming characters stole my heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children's UK for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever been in love with the same person as one of your friends?

Kate and Alex are dealing with all sorts of drama – on and off stage- at Roswell Hill High School.

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli is set in Roswell, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. The story is fictional but the city is real.

Kate is walking that fine line between standing out and fading into the background. She is a talented singer but one show in the past didn’t go very well and now it’s on YouTube for everyone to see.

A couple of bullies at school put it online along with some cruel comments. Now Kate tries to avoid the bullies as much as possible. The situation is also keeping her from being confident in her singing again.

Kate’s best friend, Andy, also becomes the rival for Coke-Ad Matt’s affection. They usually have crushes on the same people but this is the first time that they have been in a competition to win the same person’s heart.

Andy is the best friend that Kate could have. He supports and encourages her in every way. It definitely puts a strain on their relationship to be in love with Coke-Ad Matt.

With the production of “Once Upon a Mattress” underway, there are more than enough awkward situations between Kate, Andy and Coke-Ad Matt. Oh, the drama.

If you are a theater geek, then you will probably enjoy this book. I am not as familiar with “Once Upon a Mattress” but I hope to fix that problem soon.

I imagine that if you are an f-boy/f-girl, then you might not appreciate this book. You should though. You would be missing out on an awesome book if you kept your blinders on all of the time.

I received this ebook from NetGalley and The Write Reads as part of the “Kate in Waiting” #UltimateBlogTour. All opinions are my own. Obviously.
Amazon affiliate link included in this post.

I didn't know what to expect with this one as it was the first book by Becky Albertalli I read after Simon vs the homosapiens agenda. Surprisingly I really enjoyed this story, and it is now definitely one of my comfort reads.

It felt like a warming love letter to friendship and theatre and the trials and tribulations that come with them. I desperately wish I had books like this when I was in school as it feels like ive been waiting a long time to read this story.

I featured Kate in Waiting on my most anticipated January to June releases list right at the start of the year. The synopsis for this book is so intriguing – two best friends who fall in love with the same guy – and Kate and Anderson’s story definitely lived up to my expectations.

Kate and Anderson both meet Matt at a theatre camp over the summer, and neither of them can believe their eyes when he walks out of their high school drama classroom a couple of weeks later. They promise that they won’t let their growing feelings for him get in the way of their friendship, but when he’s cast as Kate’s love interest in the school musical – and starts texting Anderson to organise private rehearsals – jealousy quickly rears its ugly head.

I’m a huge fan of YA books which spotlight the importance of friendships (Loveless, First Day of My Life) and Kate in Waiting is another stellar example.

‘People are always saying that if they didn’t know Andy was gay, they’d never believe we were just friends.

It’s such bullshit. First of all, we’re best friends.

Second of all, there’s no just. Friendship isn’t a just. Yes, Andy’s gay. No, we’re not a couple. But Anderson Walker is the most important person in my life, hands down.’

The focus of the story is very much on Kate and Anderson’s friendship, and it’s a brilliant one. They’ve been there for each other through everything – through Kate being bullied for her performing, through Anderson coming out – and they are both determined to protect their friendship, even though they both feel as though they’re falling in love.

I thought the slow burn feelings that Kate developed for Matt were very realistic. There’s no insta-love here. She thinks that he’s kind and sweet so her crush develops quite quickly, but as they’re working as co-stars in the intimate setting of the musical it makes a lot of sense.

There’s also no sense of a love triangle. Although Anderson and Kate both have feelings for Matt, he doesn’t develop romantic feelings for both of them. There is no battling for attention or affection (although it would have been interesting if Becky Albertalli had considered exploring a polyamorous relationship with these three, because they all care for each other so intensely!).

I was a bit apprehensive about reading this book because I thought that there were so many ways that it could have gone wrong, but it actually blew me away. I did find it a little bit predictable at points, but I was happy with the way that Becky Albertalli directed the story. It’s definitely a feel good, autumnal romance! I’ll be rereading this one if I feel the need for a comfort read, because not only was it a very quick read but there are also some hilarious moments. Albertalli’s dialogue in particular is a shining aspect of the story: it reads as though it’s been taken straight from a rom-com script, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this book ended up getting adapted to the screen and becoming a runaway success to rival Love, Simon.

Another thing I’d like to quickly mention is the diversity in this story. Raina, one of Kate and Anderson’s best friends, is trans, while Brandie is Latina and Anderson is Black. Kate herself is Jewish, and there are quite a lot of references to different aspects of Jewish culture (such as synagogue and bat mitzvahs). These inclusions make the cast of characters far more memorable, and I would happily read a companion novel. I’d love it if Albertalli decided to follow Kate’s brother Ryan as he decides where he’s going to go to college, or follow Raina and her boyfriend Harold (he is one of the sweetest characters and I just wanted to see more of him!).

Kate in Waiting gets four stars from me!

3.75 🌟

Okay, I have been procrastinating this review for weeks now, but this time I have a decent excuse: I didn't know what rating to give this book. I was torn between 3.5 and 4, but in the end I have decided I would give it 3.75 so I could mark 4 on Goodreads. Because I am emotionally attached to everything Becky Albertalli writes and this is not going to be an objective review at all, much like my rating for Love, Creekwood wasn't.
So, first of all I want to say how much I love the fact that Becky Albertalli basically quoted herself, by making one of her character say that gay people have to like Oreos now. I am not kidding when I tell you I got a bit emotional and shed one or two tears when I read that specific line. I have also highlighted it on my Kindle, which may seem like it's not a big deal but I am usually not an highlight kind of reader. I also deeply enjoyed all the references to musical theatre, even if I am sure I missed a lot of them, since some were very specific.
My favourite thing about Becky Albertalli's books is that her characters feel very real, and this wasn't an exception. While I read any of Becky's books I can tell the characters are teenagers and they feel so authentic we could be friends in real life. Which leads me to another point, Becky's characters are so lovable. Even if they sometimes make you want to throw something at them, you can't help but fall in love with them and their stories and their struggles. Or at least, that's how I have felt every time I have read one of her books. I love the diversity she adds in her books and I especially love that she always puts a bit of herself in her characters and doesn't try to hide it.
Kate and Anderson were such lovely characters to read about, even if I couldn't relate to their kind of friendship. I have close friends, but my relationship with them is very different. My favourite characters have to be Kate, Noah and Ryan -- Kate's brother. Their sibling relationship was what I found most relatable in this, because they love each other very deeply, but they aren't "overly attached" (I don't know how else to put it), and I am like this with my brother, even if I am the older sibling and Kate's the younger one.
My only complaint about this book is that the plot felt a bit static at some points, but seeing as this is more of a character driven book I am not even mad about it. The parts about the musical rehearsal were my favourites, and I have also learned many things. Before COVID, I had started taking theatre classes and I miss the feeling they gave me, so reading about these characters putting up a play was such a lovely experience.
As I mentioned, I loved Noah so much and I would have totally fallen for him if I'd known him in high school, he is just so cute and I can't believe I am saying nice words about a teenage boy. Who have I become? That's the Becky Albertalli effect for you, folks. I swear to God she has some kind of magical powers, because I always fall in love with her characters, especially if they are like Noah. Please, never stop writing them, thank you.
Obviously, I loved the writing style. By now, Becky Albertalli is a certainty. Before starting one of her books, I always know that I will always like at least her writing style. I mean, I haven't disliked any of her books so far in general and she definitely is an autobuy author for me, but you get what I mean.
I would totally recommend this book to any contemporary lover out there and please tell me if Noah isn't a cinnamon sweetheart-- I mean cinnamon roll (that's me quoting Noah FYI). Thank you so much for the publisher for granting me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, even if by the time I am uploading this review the book will already be out.

Okay but the way this book is kinda great and STOLE MY HEART?! Love to see it.

I didn't realise that I was flying through this book and so invested in all of these characters until like 50%, which by then it was too late and !!!!!

Becky Albertalli is such SO GOOD. I absolutely LOVE her writing style. I love how it's quick and fun, but not pretentious or cheesy. It's just easy and flows well. The dialogue was also great, and I was laughing out loud on many an occasion. And LOVED all the cute nicknames omg *insert heart eyes*

The teen representation is also SPOT ON and in my opinion, very accurate. They're not fake and they actually felt LIKE TEENAGERS. I find that in a lot of more recent YA contemporaries, teenagers are written as... less intelligent. Idk if I'm making much sense or if you understand what I mean. But they seem really off?? Anyways, I loved the portrayal of Gen Z teens in this book. Pop culture references included *wink wink*

The plot was... rather slow. Which I absolutely don't mind in contemporaries. I love just following along with the characters and having a fun time. The book is very easy to fly through as the chapters are all quite short. They also all end on a note that just makes you want to keep reading aka MY FAVE KIND.

I LITERALLY LOVED ALL THE CHARACTERS OMG!! They're just so easy to love and you become so invested. I loved the theatre aspect of the story and I literally felt like I was going to star in a musical. I also LOVED how easy the diversity was slipped in, there's a Black MC as well as a trans SC, amongst various other queer characters.

But what stands out most are THE RELATIONSHIPS. Specifically the platonic friendship between Kate and Andy. The two of them are just,,, goals. They're the bestest and I was so in love with them. I love how easy it was between them and how even though there's romance, the main relationship is the love between the two best friends. And though, there is a kind of a love triangle (LOVE that it's between a straight girl and a gay guy), it wasn't annoying in my opinion. Yes, it was complicated and messy, but I liked that. It was a huge plot element but it was never over-dramatic. Becky is a genius.

Did I mention the friendships?? Because they were great.

But also the romances were ADORABLE. I don't want to spoil anything for you but lemme just say I kinda loved Noah. Obviously loved literally all of the characters but also,,, Noah. And also the sibling relationship! Looovvveeed that and also very much related!!

This book was like... a warm hug. The book has so many layers that all just worked so well together. It deals with all of these kinds of relationships whilst also being about navigating teenagehood. I seriously related to Kate and her whole experience. Highly recommend this YA contemporary packed with diversity and wonderful relationships.

Kate and Anderson are best friends. They do everything together. They drive to school, are in the school play . . .I mean musical, together . . they are in every part of each others lives.

During summer theatre camp they both have a crush on the same chap. No big deal. That's happened before. In fact, Kate finds herself actively going off guys before when Anderson doesn't feel the same vibe.

But now, Matt (the camp crush)has turned up, out of the blue at their school. He's in some of the same classes as Anderson which sucks for Kate, but he's cast in the musical as Kate's lover - which sucks for Anderson.

So, although romance is a big part of this book, it's mainly about friendship. How Kate and Anderson are determined not to let their feelings for Matt come between their friendship.

Supporting characters are great. Ryan, Kates' big brother who is about to leave for college, Ryan and Kates parents who are divorced and share custody of both the children and the two dogs, Charles and Camilla.
Noah is a schoolfriend but also neighbour on the nights that Kate and Ryan are staying at their dads house.

It's so difficult to write more of this review without spoilers so I think I'm going to stop now but I really loved this book.

I don’t read contemporary YA very often (and recently unhauled a lot of YA contemporary books) but despite that I always find myself gravitating to a few select YA contemporary authors. Becky Albertalli is one of those authors.

Simon Vs. and Leah on the Offbeat are two of my favourite YA contemporaries of all time, and I have recently found myself obsessed with Love, Victor. So a new Albertalli read seemed like the perfect thing to pull me out of the book slump I have found myself in recently. And it worked!

Kate in Waiting is an emotional read at times, it deals with some difficult subjects and heart wrenching storylines, but at the same time, it’s also light-hearted and fun.

Becky knows how to write good characters, time and time again she’s blown me away with the people she creates. Every single character in all of her books has a purpose, personality and a backstory. Each one feels real. And I think that’s one of the reasons I’ll always keep coming back to her books, they have so much depth.

In this book, we follow Kate, and her best friend Anderson, who share everything, including their crushes. This just spelt out disaster to me. A weird best friend love triangle sounded like it would make for some awkward (in a good way) storylines. It’s a grab your popcorn kind of book and I loved it!

Although this book has romance too, (which is downright swoon-worthy, and yet, realistic) it’s mostly about platonic relationships, and I adore that. It’s about the love between friends, between siblings, between families, and yes, between romantic partners too, but it’s the platonic friendship that Kate and Andy share that won me over straight away. This book doesn’t go down the path of Naomi and Eli’s No Kiss List, and instead, the two characters are just so genuinely and platonically in love with each other, and so supportive of each other’s choices. And then there’s Kate’s relationship with her brother Ryan, that had me littering my kindle with notes saying ‘awwwww’.

Unlike Simon Vs. and the Creekwood books, although this book does have LGBTQ+ characters, and storylines, it’s not the whole focus of the book. Kate in Waiting is really diverse with Jewish representation, Black representation, LGBTQ+ characters and non-traditional families (Kate and Ryan’s parents are divorced and co-parenting).

I also want to mention that I love how this book handles stereotypes. A lot of YA films and books like to put people into categories, Nerds, Jocks, Drama Geeks etc. And this book handles it all so different from anything else I’ve read, and I feel like some of the messages here about stereotyping could be really important for younger readers.

Finally, on a fun note, I really want to just mention how I loved all the references in this book. It really felt like a book from 2021, with references to Animal Crossing and Hamilton, but there was also Kate’s love for Tangled (which is also one of my favourite Disney movies too!), and a small reference to Simon Vs. (which had me squealing when I spotted it). It was a true delight to read, and the perfect book to help me get over my slump.

SUMMARY

Becky knows how to write believable, loveable characters. I adored every moment of Kate’s story, her crushes, friendships and the adorable relationship she shares with her brother. Read this if you want something light, funny, and beautifully put together. This book is just a delight to read from start to finish.

CAWPILE: 9.50

Albertalli has once again written a novel that manages to capture the adolescent experience in all it's toe curling angst. The protagonist Kate has a clear voice and drives the narrative along with her supporting cast. The astute observation of teenage relationships and concerns ensures that the dialogue and scenarios feel authentic and un staged. YA readers will be able to relate to the characters experiences, the grudges, the pointless misunderstandings, the total devotion amongst friends and the constant labelling of 'type'. Although the conclusion may be a little too neat this in no way should detract from what is an absorbing read. The takeaway message is that there is much more to all of us then that which appears on the surface, labels can and should evolve and should never define us.. For anyone who remembers their first all encompassing friendship.

Anderson and Kate are best mates, they go through everything together and even have the same crushes. When one of their mutual crushes ends up joining their school it could end their friendship as they both want to be the one to date Matt, knowing it could leave the other heartbroken.

A light, heart warming ya read that took took me back with all the little groups you find in high school. The F-boys, theatre group etc.
I enjoyed the dynamics of the squad : Raina, brandie, Kate and Anderson are little theatre squad.

I raced through this read and managed it in a day, Becky has a way with words that keeps you entertained and reading. A highly enjoyable read.

(4.5 stars rounded up)

I enjoyed this book very, very much. Initially, I was worried that I would hate it because love triangles are my least favorite trope of all time. Fortunately, Becky Albertalli handled this in such a profoundly amazing way that it actually didn’t bother me at all.

The book focuses on two best friends, Kate and Anderson, who are both crushing on the same new guy in town. Kate and Anderson are well-known for having what people declare is a co-dependent relationship. They tell each other pretty much everything and are known for often harboring crushes for the same guy. This is just the first time that either of them might have a chance with him. It doesn’t take long before the unattainable communal crush turns into a “friendly” competition that threatens to ruin their friendship.

The reason this book worked so well is that Kate and Anderson care a lot about each other. They are both so focused on trying to make their friendship work during this love triangle that it’s pretty endearing. And while a lot of their plans to make the situation less awkward don’t always work out, their hearts are clearly in the right place. Rather than rooting on any romance to happen in the book, my mind was solely focused on just making sure these two best friends made it out together.

My favorite part about this book, however, was its focus on trying to show teenagers what a healthy relationship looks like, whether it be familial, platonic, or romantic. The book explores Kate’s relationships between every one of those categories, and I think there are many beautiful lessons that readers will be able to take away from it.

Side note: I’ve seen a few reviews complaining about the language of the book and it does use a lot of f-bombs in particular. As an American who has seen teenagers talk like this, I wasn’t at all bothered, but it could be jarring to people who aren’t used to it. I’ve also seen reviews calling the diversity of the cast a “diversity bingo”, but the characters in this book were basically exactly what the drama kids looked like at my high school, so it’s very realistic in my opinion. Ultimately I think it just all depends on what you’ve experienced in your own life. All in all, I’d definitely recommend this book.

Kate in Waiting – Becky Albertalli

Contrary to popular belief, best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker are not codependent. Carpooling to and from theater rehearsals? Environmentally sound and efficient. Consulting each other on every single life decision? Basic good judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun anyway.

But when Kate and Andy’s latest long-distance crush shows up at their school, everything goes off script. Matt Olsson is talented and sweet, and Kate likes him. She really likes him. The only problem? So does Anderson.

Turns out, communal crushes aren’t so fun when real feelings are involved. This one might even bring the curtains down on Kate and Anderson’s friendship.

Another auto read author for me is Becky Albertalli.
Becky Albertalli and her latest, Kate in Waiting definitely did not disappoint. It always feels like she is somehow able to enter my teenage brain and just be #relatable with everything she does. This one probably more so as I too was a theatre kid in school, so I just had all these amazing nostalgic vibes all the way through.

My only criticism though – why does every YA book in existence feels the need to name drop Lin Manuel Miranda at every turn? I get it, he’s awesome, but like is he why all the kids are into these days? That aside, Kate in Waiting was just a fun and endearing read and featured a great family dynamic and an amazing friendship group – two of my favourite things in literature.

Also, the romance? I was shipping it before Kate even realised what was happening. I kind of want a sequel just for more cuteness.

This contemporary story hooked me right from the start. I loved the way the chapters are set up as a theatre play (I’m always a fan of something a little bit different!). I never was one of the ‘theatre kids’ at school myself but I always admired them from afar, so reading about them here was super interesting for me – fascinating even!
The pacing in this novel is great, it suits the story very nicely, it just hooks you and makes you want to find out more! Even though it isn’t very unpredictable (I think this sort of book rarely is), that didn’t take away from my reading joy at all! I loved Becky Albertalli’s writing. It was quirky and light and funny, just the perfect fit for this book.

One of the things – if not THE thing – that I love most in books is when it contains a really great friendship, something that I value very highly in my life too. Becky Albertalli made such a friendship come to life on these pages, and I loved reading about Kate and Anderson’s friendship, and their big friend group too. I loved seeing their special bond develop over time, and how both characters dealt with the hurdles that were being thrown in front of them.

I have never read a book by Becky Albertalli before, but after having read Kate in Waiting, I know that I will have to change that! I found the writing style very easy to get into, and it was just like one of those books that you start and don’t want to put down again because it feels feel so natural to you, almost like reading about a close friend’s adventures.

The theatre and musical aspects were new to me, and I enjoyed reading about them immensely. I was in a way transported back to my teenage self, watching High School Musical (and obviously singing along to the catchy tunes!).

At times, I was finding myself wishing for more dialogue, because I think that’s what makes books and their characters really come to life. Some scenes could have done better with more interachtions between the characters I think, but that’s just my opinion. Furthermore, especially in the first half of the book, some teenage slang and ‘f-word’ combos were used a lot, something I didn’t really like much. I guess this is just the way young people talk these days though, so I’m a bit torn here. I prefer books without the use of these words, but I don’t think it was out of place here.

Other than that I was thoroughly enjoying myself while reading this book, and I think it’s a great read for both teenagers as well as adult readers who enjoy these kinds of stories. I can’t wait to finally read more books by the author! 4 stars from me!

This was an absolute delight. Which is not a surprise since it is Becky Albertalli. But still. Such a delight.

It was super queer. Super sweet. And super theatre kid nerdy.

Any book with Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen references is going to get an extra 10 points for me.

And sweet sweet Noah. I love you. You adorable, clumsy f-boy.

I loved Kate as a character, her voice was so honest and so sixteen. I loved seeing her experience so many things for the first time and seeing her grow.

My only issues with this book were Andy. I switched from loving, to hating, to loving, to hating and back a million times. But I also think that was part of the point?

Can I have some bonus features of some happy summer days of the squad and plus ones?? Please and thank you.

Kate and Anderson’s friendship can be a bit intense for those who aren’t familiar with their close connection. After all, not many BFF’s have communal crushes, but their bond is about to be stretched to the limit when their dreamy summer idol comes back into their lives with a thundering crash. They both think they know their place in their world and the people that orbit it from a distance however this year then are about to learn that things aren’t quite what they seem.

I really enjoyed the characters of Kate & her friends and the way they interacted with one and another seemed genuine. You can tell they were created with love and affection.

With a focus on the theatre teens who like to shine in their own world away from the predictable nature of high school fakery, Albertalli has created another gem for readers who know & adore their tribe and just want to be themselves. If you are already a fan of Albertalli’s stories then you will love Kate in Waiting and if this is your first introduction to her witty, brilliant mind then prepare yourself as this novel will make you want to seek out her backlist post-haste!

My thoughts










Narrative and Plot













Kate in Waiting is one of those YA contemporary books, that wins your heart with its sweet charm and wit. There's a very thin line between being cool and obnoxious. Sometimes you see narrators go overboard and condescending with their humor and hate the character for it. But Kate narrates the story with such an ease and self deprecating manner that it is hard not to smile. If you want to lift your spirits , go for it.




The plot is not overtly complicated even if it handles delicate issues and all that awkwardness of the teenage days. You can see where it is going but that doesn't stop you from turning the pages.












Characters and Conflicts










The innocence of teenagers, on one hand , is quite relatable to a young adult but if you're an adult like me, it will bring back the nostalgia of teenage world and how every single thing in your life looked like a mountain to cross. It is the formative years told in a heart warming manner.


Kate reminded me of the early day Sophie Kinsella heroines with her humour and outlook. I mean it in a very positive way as in she didn't resemble any one character but could induce that warmth while reading.


Anderson on the other hand is a sweetheart. Matt too, but hey, Anderson is our boy. The emotional situations could have tipped towards dramatic but somehow there was a perfect balance of not going too cheesy.

Noah - I knew he was upto something. The sibling relationship is always a soft spot for me and Ryan made me wish once again I had a brother , although my sister does count as one affectionate sibling.












Conclusion













I went into this with the least of expectations. All I knew was this was a YA love triangle situation. But the moment I started it , I knew I was going to love this one. And maybe save it to pick me up on a rainy day.

If you're on board with reading YA fiction and haven't read this yet, you are missing out. Go figure!

This book was such a lovely read. The story follows the relationship between Anderson and Kate and how they navigate their mutual feelings towards Matt, who they both met at summer camp. When Matt turns up at their school things get a little complicated!
I found it was easy to draw similarities between Kate in Waiting and High School Musical due to the different factions and the high school setting, but it is a more diverse coming of age story where friendship wins the day.

Overall a book I would recommend!