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Follow Your Arrow
For fans of Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, this is a riveting and irresistible take on love, life, and identity -- both online and off.
CeCe Ross is kind of a big deal. She and her girlfriend, Silvie, are social media influencers with zillions of fans and followers, known for their cute outfits and being #relationshipgoals.
So when Silvie breaks up with her, CeCe is devastated. She's lost her first love, and now she can't help but wonder if she'll lose her followers as well.
Things get even messier when CeCe meets Josh, a new boy in town who is very much Not Online. CeCe isn't surprised to be falling for a guy; she's always known she's bi. And Josh is sweet and smart and has excellent taste in donuts... but he has no idea that CeCe is internet-famous. And CeCe sort of wants to keep it that way.
But when CeCe's secrets catch up to her, she finds herself in the middle of an online storm, where she'll have to confront the blurriness of public vs. private life, and figure out what it really means to speak her truth.
CeCe Ross is kind of a big deal. She and her girlfriend, Silvie, are social media influencers with zillions of fans and followers, known for their cute outfits and being #relationshipgoals.
So when Silvie breaks up with her, CeCe is devastated. She's lost her first love, and now she can't help but wonder if she'll lose her followers as well.
Things get even messier when CeCe meets Josh, a new boy in town who is very much Not Online. CeCe isn't surprised to be falling for a guy; she's always known she's bi. And Josh is sweet and smart and has excellent taste in donuts... but he has no idea that CeCe is internet-famous. And CeCe sort of wants to keep it that way.
But when CeCe's secrets catch up to her, she finds herself in the middle of an online storm, where she'll have to confront the blurriness of public vs. private life, and figure out what it really means to speak her truth.
Paperback
First published March 2, 2021
19 people are currently reading
4359 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Verdi
8 books393 followersJessica Verdi lives in Brooklyn, NY, and received her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School. She loves seltzer, Tabasco sauce, TV, vegetarian soup, flip-flops, and her dogs. Visit her at jessicaverdi.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @jessverdi.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
Want to read
October 9, 2020So, as a queer girl named Cece who does social media for a living.... I think me and this book were made for each other
September 15, 2021
"No one knows the whole story. They think they do, because of a few overheard words or some stolen photographs, but they don't. And when you keep forcing a curated, fake life into their feeds, day after day, hour after hour, they never will."
It's too weird to ship either Hermione and Ron or Harry and Hermione. I mean it's ridiculous as they are just kids as I am just a first book old in the series STILL. (I am still living my own historical non-fictional reading life...)
"I will always defend social media and everything that comes with it, even the bad, because it's valuable to me. But I also don't need to convince anyone that it must be valuable to them too."
"The tears began to fall freely, dripping off my chin and landing on my shirt, as if trying to feed life into the pile of dust that was once my heart."
"You never stop being certain that you're right, or hoping that if you stated your case just one more time, you'd change the other person's mind."
And that part where Marty talks about books and reading with my CeCe. Josh is the rest of the world there ☺️
I just love the characters. They are so real. The whole social media talk and content is just so real!
I just wish there were more interactions and dialogues in between the characters. I demand more chemistry for such character driven plots.
I love Josh. He's the most genuine character I came across while reading this one.
I can also understand why the characters did what they did.
Handling social media isn't that easy. And when you are addicted to them, it becomes something else but yes, it's like we all seem to depend on such social media platforms for everything: reality to glamour.
(I just want to read something about book blogging!
Authors, please listen to me. I want a real story.)
I just wish the second half was as real and upbeat as the first half.
Overall, the book is a good, quick realistic read. Liked how the adults played their parts. The good, the bad, the bad dad and the ugly clueless internet trolls.
To sum up the reading experience, it's a good one. It reads more like a good, short middle grade movie rather than reading a young adult book. It tries to discuss a lot on sexuality as well. But I feel more could have been done on this. I wasn't quite happy with how it was explained.
Well, I got all the Netflix and Instagram vibes during the entire time!
Quite enjoyable and recommended for someone who loves a light, realistic contemporary.
And all's well that ends well!
It's too weird to ship either Hermione and Ron or Harry and Hermione. I mean it's ridiculous as they are just kids as I am just a first book old in the series STILL. (I am still living my own historical non-fictional reading life...)
"I will always defend social media and everything that comes with it, even the bad, because it's valuable to me. But I also don't need to convince anyone that it must be valuable to them too."
"The tears began to fall freely, dripping off my chin and landing on my shirt, as if trying to feed life into the pile of dust that was once my heart."
"You never stop being certain that you're right, or hoping that if you stated your case just one more time, you'd change the other person's mind."
And that part where Marty talks about books and reading with my CeCe. Josh is the rest of the world there ☺️
I just love the characters. They are so real. The whole social media talk and content is just so real!
I just wish there were more interactions and dialogues in between the characters. I demand more chemistry for such character driven plots.
I love Josh. He's the most genuine character I came across while reading this one.
I can also understand why the characters did what they did.
Handling social media isn't that easy. And when you are addicted to them, it becomes something else but yes, it's like we all seem to depend on such social media platforms for everything: reality to glamour.
(I just want to read something about book blogging!
Authors, please listen to me. I want a real story.)
I just wish the second half was as real and upbeat as the first half.
Overall, the book is a good, quick realistic read. Liked how the adults played their parts. The good, the bad, the bad dad and the ugly clueless internet trolls.
To sum up the reading experience, it's a good one. It reads more like a good, short middle grade movie rather than reading a young adult book. It tries to discuss a lot on sexuality as well. But I feel more could have been done on this. I wasn't quite happy with how it was explained.
Well, I got all the Netflix and Instagram vibes during the entire time!
Quite enjoyable and recommended for someone who loves a light, realistic contemporary.
And all's well that ends well!
Want to read
January 17, 2021This sounds like it’s going to discuss some really important issues surrounding bisexuality and biphobia. Especially where social media is concerned, and also how negative or positive the internet can be. I really hope this delivers!
March 9, 2021
I really liked how this examined bisexuality as a distinct identity: not just gay light or… spicy straight. CeCe feels like she’s not considered queer enough to have pride or have it be an important part of her identity: she has talked herself out of getting a rainbow tattoo, because she doesn't feel that she can "claim" this, or that people would object because she's not "queer enough." I also appreciated that she's primarily attracted to women. Bisexuality with a preference isn’t something I’ve seen represented in YA before, but it’s very common in real life.
I also appreciated that the story validates CeCe’s decision to set boundaries around her relationship with her father. I was worried that the trajectory was towards CeCe making amends even though her father was hateful, both politically and personally. (Mild spoiler:) Luckily, I was wrong about that. The narrative showed that she was right to separate herself, and that it is the healthiest thing for her.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
I also appreciated that the story validates CeCe’s decision to set boundaries around her relationship with her father. I was worried that the trajectory was towards CeCe making amends even though her father was hateful, both politically and personally. (Mild spoiler:) Luckily, I was wrong about that. The narrative showed that she was right to separate herself, and that it is the healthiest thing for her.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
Want to read
November 23, 2020
May 2, 2021
way too many hashtags lol
read my review here.
read my review here.
April 5, 2021
One thing I hate most about reading is when you have high hopes for a book and then it doesn't live up to them. But that means there's also an opposite to that: when you pick up a book that interests you but that you don't have high expectations for, and it ends up being really good.
That was my experience with this book, and I loved it so much. It has so many amazing conversations, about being bi and biphobia, about social media and dealing with it in a healthy way, and so on.
One criticism is that while this book talked quite a lot about politics, it didn't really address CeCe's privilege as a white, cis, abled person. While she has good reasons to want to keep politics out of her social media initially, it's still a privilege to be able to do so, and I would have liked to see that addressed.
I did however really like CeCe, and I think she went through a lot of character development. Plus, I really loved the love interest in this book.
CW: biphobia
That was my experience with this book, and I loved it so much. It has so many amazing conversations, about being bi and biphobia, about social media and dealing with it in a healthy way, and so on.
One criticism is that while this book talked quite a lot about politics, it didn't really address CeCe's privilege as a white, cis, abled person. While she has good reasons to want to keep politics out of her social media initially, it's still a privilege to be able to do so, and I would have liked to see that addressed.
I did however really like CeCe, and I think she went through a lot of character development. Plus, I really loved the love interest in this book.
CW: biphobia
February 26, 2021
Thank you to @TBRAndBeyondTours, the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
4.5/5
CeCe Ross is one half of the internet famous pair #Cevie. But when Silvie breaks up with her, CeCe is devastated. She's lost her first love and worries she'll lose her followers as well. Then she meets Josh, new boy in town trying to make his way into the music world. Josh is not a social media person and CeCe doesn't want him to know she's internet famous just yet. But when her secrets catch up to her, CeCe is left to confront the hazy border of private vs public life, and figure out what fights are worth staking your reputation on.
This book was so freaking cute! Every time I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down and the pages would whiz by. I really hope this book helps fight bi erasure in all its forms. It had such a strong message of bi visibility and not assuming people in opposite gender relationships are straight.
Follow Your Arrow is such a timely novel, especially with how popular social media influencers have become. The app in this book sounds very similar to Instagram, and while I'm part of the small subset called Bookstagram, this book was so easy to relate to.
CeCe is a disaster bisexual and I love her. She's faced a lot of unresolved childhood trauma due to how her father left her family and it is addressed a bit in the story. There were so many causes close to CeCe's heart, yet she was hesitant to make waves due to the above trauma. Whenever CeCe would blame herself for her father's actions I wanted to give her the biggest hug and be like please no lil babe you are an angel.
I loved CeCe's friendship with Josh that slowly edged into more. It was so freaking cute and I loved them. I really appreciated that we also see CeCe and Silvie begin to reconcile and become friends again after their breakup. There's also several other queer side characters, as the GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) is in charge of planning prom. The ending of this was so freaking cute and I definitely had some happy tears.
4.5/5
CeCe Ross is one half of the internet famous pair #Cevie. But when Silvie breaks up with her, CeCe is devastated. She's lost her first love and worries she'll lose her followers as well. Then she meets Josh, new boy in town trying to make his way into the music world. Josh is not a social media person and CeCe doesn't want him to know she's internet famous just yet. But when her secrets catch up to her, CeCe is left to confront the hazy border of private vs public life, and figure out what fights are worth staking your reputation on.
This book was so freaking cute! Every time I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down and the pages would whiz by. I really hope this book helps fight bi erasure in all its forms. It had such a strong message of bi visibility and not assuming people in opposite gender relationships are straight.
Follow Your Arrow is such a timely novel, especially with how popular social media influencers have become. The app in this book sounds very similar to Instagram, and while I'm part of the small subset called Bookstagram, this book was so easy to relate to.
CeCe is a disaster bisexual and I love her. She's faced a lot of unresolved childhood trauma due to how her father left her family and it is addressed a bit in the story. There were so many causes close to CeCe's heart, yet she was hesitant to make waves due to the above trauma. Whenever CeCe would blame herself for her father's actions I wanted to give her the biggest hug and be like please no lil babe you are an angel.
I loved CeCe's friendship with Josh that slowly edged into more. It was so freaking cute and I loved them. I really appreciated that we also see CeCe and Silvie begin to reconcile and become friends again after their breakup. There's also several other queer side characters, as the GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) is in charge of planning prom. The ending of this was so freaking cute and I definitely had some happy tears.
June 20, 2021
I really liked this one! The messages of self-exploration and discovery were really prominent in the book and I really enjoyed watching CeCe try to figure herself out. She could be a little annoying at times, but she was also relatable. I also really liked Josh and his family, they are so cute and quirky, I just love how wholesome all the characters are.
One of my favorite things about this book was the way it addresses biphobia. Bisexual/pansexual people have to put up with crap all the time about how they can’t be LGBTQ+ if they’re in a heterosexual relationship. This happens to CeCe throughout the book and I think the author dealt with the issue nicely.
4 Stars.
One of my favorite things about this book was the way it addresses biphobia. Bisexual/pansexual people have to put up with crap all the time about how they can’t be LGBTQ+ if they’re in a heterosexual relationship. This happens to CeCe throughout the book and I think the author dealt with the issue nicely.
4 Stars.
March 8, 2021
Thank you@tbrbeyondtours @jessverdi for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Follow Your Arrow
By: Jessica Verdi
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
I zipped quickly through Jessica Verdi's Follow Your Arrow. This young adult contemporary novel reads more on the younger end of the spectrum in my opinion. Any topic related to social media is very relevant today, and this story addresses many of the pitfalls and benefits social media influencers may experience. Additionally, the heroine explores issues of sexual identity that are appropriate for young adult readers.
I like this story. From the beginning, I was hooked and just had to keep reading. The premise is compelling because social media impacts almost everyone in some way. This type of story always makes me think about what we see in Instagram posts versus whatever reality exists behind the camera. There is definitely some food for thought here. Follow Your Arrow is a fast easy read for adults, but don't discount this as kid lit because it's not. Thought provoking issues, relatable realistic characters and entertainment value are all present. In the overall picture, I see a genuinely appealing story for young adults.
Follow Your Arrow
By: Jessica Verdi
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
I zipped quickly through Jessica Verdi's Follow Your Arrow. This young adult contemporary novel reads more on the younger end of the spectrum in my opinion. Any topic related to social media is very relevant today, and this story addresses many of the pitfalls and benefits social media influencers may experience. Additionally, the heroine explores issues of sexual identity that are appropriate for young adult readers.
I like this story. From the beginning, I was hooked and just had to keep reading. The premise is compelling because social media impacts almost everyone in some way. This type of story always makes me think about what we see in Instagram posts versus whatever reality exists behind the camera. There is definitely some food for thought here. Follow Your Arrow is a fast easy read for adults, but don't discount this as kid lit because it's not. Thought provoking issues, relatable realistic characters and entertainment value are all present. In the overall picture, I see a genuinely appealing story for young adults.
August 4, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was a great story with a great lesson!
CeCe was an enjoyable character who went through a lot but I thought that she was a realistic teenager so that was really nice! The story itself showed a lot of ups and downs and I liked that, it showed the good and bad side of social media, and I enjoyed how CeCe totally had a love-hate relationship with social media. I mean, she LOVED it, but then stuff happened and it sort of made her miserable, but she still loved it despite that. Also, her speech at the pride parade was literally amazing, I loved it SO. MUCH. I also loved how this book ended. Overall, amazing book.
CeCe was an enjoyable character who went through a lot but I thought that she was a realistic teenager so that was really nice! The story itself showed a lot of ups and downs and I liked that, it showed the good and bad side of social media, and I enjoyed how CeCe totally had a love-hate relationship with social media. I mean, she LOVED it, but then stuff happened and it sort of made her miserable, but she still loved it despite that. Also, her speech at the pride parade was literally amazing, I loved it SO. MUCH. I also loved how this book ended. Overall, amazing book.
May 10, 2021
What a wonderful story about social media, relationships and acceptance of the full spectrum of sexuality. This is a YA novel about bi acceptance and there are definitely some hurtful things said, so be careful reading if these are triggers for you. However, the story arc is redemptive ❤️
I also liked that while the perils of social media are blatant in the story, the power (especially for queer kids) is also defended.
I also liked that while the perils of social media are blatant in the story, the power (especially for queer kids) is also defended.
January 3, 2023
This is going to be the most "I spend way too much time working with children" post of my entire life but it's the only original thought I had about this one and it bugged me so much so now you have to hear it.
First off, Follow Your Arrow's... okay? The discussions about bisexuality? Incredible. Other than that, it fell kind of flat for me. Cece's a character we're constantly told is political but since a lot of her character is also being afraid to act on those politics, we don't see much of it. Her LI (who's name I've already forgotten) is just not from this decade. He could have been a teen who didn't like social media because there are a lot of reasons to not like social media but instead the writer tries hard to make that a massive personality quirk and it came off as wildly unrealistic. I get him maybe not knowing what more in-group specific terms like OTP mean but a lot of teen lingo extends past the internet and it was ridiculous seeing him not only need to be told what "shipping" meant, but sit in awww as Cece painstakingly informs him that some people like to pair up celebrities and characters even if they don't canonically end up together. That's been a thing well before social media took off. The choice to only call the social media being used "the app" was also one that kept taking me out of things. Maybe it was to keep from aging the book or because the app seems like a mix of twitter and IG, but I would have rather something been namedropped/the author have used a fake social media site name because it felt really clunky having such a massive part of the story called "the app" over and over again.
Okay, Gabby rant. I've scrolled through page after page of review and no one's talking about it so it very much was only a me problem but I DON'T CARE!
Gabby's 12. Gabby's maybe 14. She teases her brother about the lack of women in his life, posts on her presumably public social media account with perfect grammar, is obsessed with gossip, and, apparently, uses the slow cooker to make soup. That's a 12-14 year old. THE BOOK TELLS US GABBY'S SEVEN! My jaw dropped when she was finally introduced. I was befuddled. Flabbergasted. I could recall an instance where Gabby was age dropped and a seperate one where LI says their birth mum became pregnant with her when he was 10 but I STILL stopped mid chapter to go back and check her age the second she says a word.
"It's no big deal Alex so her age was wrong so what?"
I'LL TELL YOU SO WHAT! LI and Gabby's dad is supposedly a good parent letting Gabby run a social media account. LI hyped up all the things Gabby's good at constantly and is supposedly really close to the very obvious pre-teen impersonating a seven year old. But, most important,
Listen, I know it had no real impact on the plot, but the second we met Gabby for the first time I could focus on nothing but her for the rest of the book.
First off, Follow Your Arrow's... okay? The discussions about bisexuality? Incredible. Other than that, it fell kind of flat for me. Cece's a character we're constantly told is political but since a lot of her character is also being afraid to act on those politics, we don't see much of it. Her LI (who's name I've already forgotten) is just not from this decade. He could have been a teen who didn't like social media because there are a lot of reasons to not like social media but instead the writer tries hard to make that a massive personality quirk and it came off as wildly unrealistic. I get him maybe not knowing what more in-group specific terms like OTP mean but a lot of teen lingo extends past the internet and it was ridiculous seeing him not only need to be told what "shipping" meant, but sit in awww as Cece painstakingly informs him that some people like to pair up celebrities and characters even if they don't canonically end up together. That's been a thing well before social media took off. The choice to only call the social media being used "the app" was also one that kept taking me out of things. Maybe it was to keep from aging the book or because the app seems like a mix of twitter and IG, but I would have rather something been namedropped/the author have used a fake social media site name because it felt really clunky having such a massive part of the story called "the app" over and over again.
Okay, Gabby rant. I've scrolled through page after page of review and no one's talking about it so it very much was only a me problem but I DON'T CARE!
Gabby's 12. Gabby's maybe 14. She teases her brother about the lack of women in his life, posts on her presumably public social media account with perfect grammar, is obsessed with gossip, and, apparently, uses the slow cooker to make soup. That's a 12-14 year old. THE BOOK TELLS US GABBY'S SEVEN! My jaw dropped when she was finally introduced. I was befuddled. Flabbergasted. I could recall an instance where Gabby was age dropped and a seperate one where LI says their birth mum became pregnant with her when he was 10 but I STILL stopped mid chapter to go back and check her age the second she says a word.
"It's no big deal Alex so her age was wrong so what?"
I'LL TELL YOU SO WHAT! LI and Gabby's dad is supposedly a good parent letting Gabby run a social media account. LI hyped up all the things Gabby's good at constantly and is supposedly really close to the very obvious pre-teen impersonating a seven year old. But, most important,
Listen, I know it had no real impact on the plot, but the second we met Gabby for the first time I could focus on nothing but her for the rest of the book.
April 20, 2021
This book was a perfect mix of adorable and funny and even had a few parts that made me tear up. CeCe Ross is an influencer from Cincinnati and her girlfriends, Silvie has just broken up with her. Although originally heartbroken, CeCe ends up falling for this guy, Josh, who has no social media presence whatsoever.
CeCe deals with hiding the fame from Josh, dealing with hater and her own unsupportive father. Overall, I loved all of the major characters and I love how realistic CeCe’s mom was, which is really hard to find in most YAs. Although I found some parts of the plot unrealistic, what would I know? I’m not an influencer :(
CeCe deals with hiding the fame from Josh, dealing with hater and her own unsupportive father. Overall, I loved all of the major characters and I love how realistic CeCe’s mom was, which is really hard to find in most YAs. Although I found some parts of the plot unrealistic, what would I know? I’m not an influencer :(
April 21, 2021
This book is worth 5 stars for several reasons. It felt so modern and relevant with the plot centered on "the app" (which is basically Instagram but probably couldn't say so for copyright reasons). I'm sure there will be a lot more of this seen in YA, and even fiction as a whole, but this is the first book I've read that really focused on its relevance to this degree.
CeCe is internet famous. Mostly because of her relationship with fellow influencer Silvie. When Silvie dumps her unexpectedly, she has to figure out who she is apart from #Cevie, the OTP (one true pairing) everyone online loves to ship. When she meets Josh, a guy with no social media presence who thinks influencers are evil brainwashers and catches feelings, what's a girl to do? Will he even want to be with her when he finds out she has close to a million followers and makes tons of money on sponsorships?
While CeCe Ross, the bisexual MC came across as self-righteous at times, she was overall a great character. This is also the first book I have ever read that addresses the fact that sometimes the LGBTQ community, which prides itself on being so accepting, is not always so to a bisexual person dating a cis person of the opposite gender. This is highlighted when CeCe is "cancelled" when photos leak of her kissing a boy.
CeCe says, "I understand that cisgender bisexual and pansexual people have the luxury - the privilege - of being able to date someone of the opposite sex and fly under the radar in everyday society, whereas gay and lesbian people, and many trans people, don't. I agree it isn't fair. But does that mean bi and pan folks don't get to wave the flag quite as high or shout quite as loud? Do they not get to stand up and be counted too? What happened to supporting and welcoming someone no matter how they ID or who they love, regardless of if it fits a certain narrative?"
CeCe is internet famous. Mostly because of her relationship with fellow influencer Silvie. When Silvie dumps her unexpectedly, she has to figure out who she is apart from #Cevie, the OTP (one true pairing) everyone online loves to ship. When she meets Josh, a guy with no social media presence who thinks influencers are evil brainwashers and catches feelings, what's a girl to do? Will he even want to be with her when he finds out she has close to a million followers and makes tons of money on sponsorships?
While CeCe Ross, the bisexual MC came across as self-righteous at times, she was overall a great character. This is also the first book I have ever read that addresses the fact that sometimes the LGBTQ community, which prides itself on being so accepting, is not always so to a bisexual person dating a cis person of the opposite gender. This is highlighted when CeCe is "cancelled" when photos leak of her kissing a boy.
CeCe says, "I understand that cisgender bisexual and pansexual people have the luxury - the privilege - of being able to date someone of the opposite sex and fly under the radar in everyday society, whereas gay and lesbian people, and many trans people, don't. I agree it isn't fair. But does that mean bi and pan folks don't get to wave the flag quite as high or shout quite as loud? Do they not get to stand up and be counted too? What happened to supporting and welcoming someone no matter how they ID or who they love, regardless of if it fits a certain narrative?"
August 18, 2021
CeCe is famous online. Her and her girlfriend Silvie are adored by their hundreds of thousands of fans. But when Silvie breaks up with CeCe she’s heartbroken for the end of their relationship… but also confused about what that means for her online presence. When CeCe starts to have feelings for a new boy in town who doesn’t know about her life as an influencer things become even more complicated.
Look, I think this book does some things really well. It tackles biphobia and the attitudes that some have about bi people not being “queer enough.” It also shows how harmful online callouts and dogpiling can be and the real impacts of being super famous online at a young age.
HOWEVER, there were some parts of the book that were just so distracting that it took away from my enjoyment of the rest of it. Specific names of social media sites/apps were never mentioned. I don’t know if the author was just trying to not date the book by mentioning Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter by name when those might not be the popular choices in a few years. But it was just SO DISTRACTING that CeCe speaks about social media as if it’s all just one app that has no name. It just takes away from any realism that the book could have. If you’re going to include something in a book that so many readers are familiar with and use every single day, it’s going to be glaringly obvious when it doesn’t ring true.
Look, I think this book does some things really well. It tackles biphobia and the attitudes that some have about bi people not being “queer enough.” It also shows how harmful online callouts and dogpiling can be and the real impacts of being super famous online at a young age.
HOWEVER, there were some parts of the book that were just so distracting that it took away from my enjoyment of the rest of it. Specific names of social media sites/apps were never mentioned. I don’t know if the author was just trying to not date the book by mentioning Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter by name when those might not be the popular choices in a few years. But it was just SO DISTRACTING that CeCe speaks about social media as if it’s all just one app that has no name. It just takes away from any realism that the book could have. If you’re going to include something in a book that so many readers are familiar with and use every single day, it’s going to be glaringly obvious when it doesn’t ring true.
February 18, 2021
I came here for bi rep, and damn, I got it.
This was so good???? I literally couldn't stop reading once I started! It was funny, it was romantic, it was relatable, and best of all it tackled several issues prevalent in the real world. This book discussed biphobia, the good and bad parts of social media/having an online presence, political activism, messy families, first relationships/heartbreaks, and more!
I wanted more answers or closure from some parts of the plot, but they were left unanswered in the end so that's a bit of a setback. Still, this was such a solid read and I definitely enjoyed it a lot.
CW: internalized biphobia, invasion of privacy (photos being taken without permission), cyberbullying (hate/biphobic comments on social media)
Creative blog will be posted soon as part of Follow Your Arrow: Book Tour hosted by TBR and Beyond Tours.
Find me elsewhere: Instagram | Twitter | Blog
This was so good???? I literally couldn't stop reading once I started! It was funny, it was romantic, it was relatable, and best of all it tackled several issues prevalent in the real world. This book discussed biphobia, the good and bad parts of social media/having an online presence, political activism, messy families, first relationships/heartbreaks, and more!
I wanted more answers or closure from some parts of the plot, but they were left unanswered in the end so that's a bit of a setback. Still, this was such a solid read and I definitely enjoyed it a lot.
CW: internalized biphobia, invasion of privacy (photos being taken without permission), cyberbullying (hate/biphobic comments on social media)
Creative blog will be posted soon as part of Follow Your Arrow: Book Tour hosted by TBR and Beyond Tours.
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June 16, 2021
I FEEL SO SEEN BY THIS BOOK 😭 this book is everything to me as a bisexual person in a “straight” relationship. I have never felt so understood by any book about bisexuality before and i am going to cherish Cece forever 🥺
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May 27, 2021I say this most respectfully but what the actual fuck was this?
Follow Your Arrow is about a girl named CeCe who is a big deal on social media. Her and her girlfriend Silvie are social media influencers with tons and tons of followers each and they are constantly regarded as relationship goals. But then Silvie dumps her out of nowhere and CeCe is devastated. Things get messy when CeCe meets Josh, a new boy who isn't into social media. As CeCe gets closer to him, she likes that he doesn't know she's internet famous but soon her secrets catch up to her.
This book had a really good message. It really punched biphobia in the face and fought back that just because you go into a hetero romance doesn't make you any less what you are. Important!! But also it was so biphobic and it half ruined CeCe's life and I didn't want to read any of that?? Like I went into this wanting to read about a bi MC but not all about her getting hate crimed and shit on but alright.
#oh #my #god what the fuck was this #writing. For a lot of the #beginning (literally couldn't go a page without #dropping a random hashtag) CeCe kept #using hashtags for #no fucking #reason as she explained what her and her #girlfriend do online. It was ANNOYING AS HELL and I #cannot #express #how #much #I #wanted #to #dnf #the #fucking #book #right #there. Take this book to a trash can and #throw it out. I don't know why this author thought it #would be a good idea because it was not. Then CeCe was even saying the word hashtag in conversation and I died a little inside.
I didn't know what this book was about before I bought it, sadly for me. I hate books about social media / internet fame and this was advanced annoying. The author apparently didn't want to say Instagram but instead of naming the app, it was literally just called the app? Or just plain social media? Like okay... All the screenshots of comments pls it hurt.
CeCe was annoying and self centered. I guess that is just how social media influencers are but reading about her was not fun. The funny thing is that she was really into liberal topics and standing up for people and I agreed with her opinions 1000% but the way she was written and the way the entire book was written did not agree with me.
Then comes the fact that CeCe lies about being social media famous to make sweet kisses with the first boy she meets. Both her and Silvie moved on SO fast from a relationship that was two years??? We love a rebound instalove I guess. I did not like CeCe and Josh together at all. He's so quirky he doesn't use social media, she's so quirky social media is all she cares about. True love while making out in the parking lot of trader joes #vibes.
I should have just #dnf this when they wouldn't stop dropping #hashtags but here I am, just a girl wearing her clown shoes.
Follow Your Arrow is about a girl named CeCe who is a big deal on social media. Her and her girlfriend Silvie are social media influencers with tons and tons of followers each and they are constantly regarded as relationship goals. But then Silvie dumps her out of nowhere and CeCe is devastated. Things get messy when CeCe meets Josh, a new boy who isn't into social media. As CeCe gets closer to him, she likes that he doesn't know she's internet famous but soon her secrets catch up to her.
This book had a really good message. It really punched biphobia in the face and fought back that just because you go into a hetero romance doesn't make you any less what you are. Important!! But also it was so biphobic and it half ruined CeCe's life and I didn't want to read any of that?? Like I went into this wanting to read about a bi MC but not all about her getting hate crimed and shit on but alright.
#oh #my #god what the fuck was this #writing. For a lot of the #beginning (literally couldn't go a page without #dropping a random hashtag) CeCe kept #using hashtags for #no fucking #reason as she explained what her and her #girlfriend do online. It was ANNOYING AS HELL and I #cannot #express #how #much #I #wanted #to #dnf #the #fucking #book #right #there. Take this book to a trash can and #throw it out. I don't know why this author thought it #would be a good idea because it was not. Then CeCe was even saying the word hashtag in conversation and I died a little inside.
I didn't know what this book was about before I bought it, sadly for me. I hate books about social media / internet fame and this was advanced annoying. The author apparently didn't want to say Instagram but instead of naming the app, it was literally just called the app? Or just plain social media? Like okay... All the screenshots of comments pls it hurt.
CeCe was annoying and self centered. I guess that is just how social media influencers are but reading about her was not fun. The funny thing is that she was really into liberal topics and standing up for people and I agreed with her opinions 1000% but the way she was written and the way the entire book was written did not agree with me.
Then comes the fact that CeCe lies about being social media famous to make sweet kisses with the first boy she meets. Both her and Silvie moved on SO fast from a relationship that was two years??? We love a rebound instalove I guess. I did not like CeCe and Josh together at all. He's so quirky he doesn't use social media, she's so quirky social media is all she cares about. True love while making out in the parking lot of trader joes #vibes.
I should have just #dnf this when they wouldn't stop dropping #hashtags but here I am, just a girl wearing her clown shoes.
March 8, 2021
I was provided an ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
CeCe Ross and her girlfriend, Silvie, are two pretty famous influencers, at least in their town and they've been together for a while now. And everything is perfect, or at least CeCe thinks it is before Silvie breaks up with her out of the blue. CeCe is lost and is scared to lose some of her followers who were Cevie shippers and the fear worsens after she meets Josh who is very much not online and dislikes influencers on principle.
I liked this book. It took me a little time to get into it and the whole influencer thing. I had a little trouble with CeCe explaining everything social media and fandom related to Josh, it felt forced but once that was done, I really got into it and really fell for the characters. it was a fun read despite touching on sensitive subjects, mostly the biphobia within the LGBT+ community.
Still, it was a cute, fun book and I enjoyed reading it.
CeCe Ross and her girlfriend, Silvie, are two pretty famous influencers, at least in their town and they've been together for a while now. And everything is perfect, or at least CeCe thinks it is before Silvie breaks up with her out of the blue. CeCe is lost and is scared to lose some of her followers who were Cevie shippers and the fear worsens after she meets Josh who is very much not online and dislikes influencers on principle.
I liked this book. It took me a little time to get into it and the whole influencer thing. I had a little trouble with CeCe explaining everything social media and fandom related to Josh, it felt forced but once that was done, I really got into it and really fell for the characters. it was a fun read despite touching on sensitive subjects, mostly the biphobia within the LGBT+ community.
Still, it was a cute, fun book and I enjoyed reading it.
June 13, 2021
The only good thing about this book was its discussion of bisexuality. The rest of it was just so cringey and self-righteous. The characters all felt like archetypes who had little to no nuance. The main character was also completely insufferable. Do not recommend.
April 20, 2021
This was overall a pretty fun and breezy read! I think a lot of teen readers, like myself, will enjoy the look at the life of an Instagram (the book just calls it "the app") Influencer and the pressures and perks it contains. I think the way CeCe struggles to express herself and her activist values is relatable, and I also think it's great to showcase the backlash a bi teen girl might face from some members of the queer community when she ends up dating a boy, as well as to show her . The middle phase of the book, when CeCe is mid-backlash, might be a little rough for some readers, but it's definitely a romance with a happy ending.
I also really liked that while the book is aware of the ~dark side of social media it ultimately also acknowledges the value of social media friendships and the good effects social media can have as well. I feel like there easily could have been potential for this to be a book where it's about CeCe's new, social-media hating boyfriend convincing her to delete the app and go off the grid or whatever. So yeah, I liked this a lot and I think it'll resonate with a lot of teens too.
I also really liked that while the book is aware of the ~dark side of social media it ultimately also acknowledges the value of social media friendships and the good effects social media can have as well. I feel like there easily could have been potential for this to be a book where it's about CeCe's new, social-media hating boyfriend convincing her to delete the app and go off the grid or whatever. So yeah, I liked this a lot and I think it'll resonate with a lot of teens too.
April 3, 2021
Follow Your Arrow was 100 percent a Modern Cher and Josh AU of Clueless and you can't change my mind.
Thank you, Jessica Verdi and Sophie Gonzales / Perfect on Paper, for writing bi books with opposite gender love interests. I've been waiting for these books my whole life. 💕
Thank you, Jessica Verdi and Sophie Gonzales / Perfect on Paper, for writing bi books with opposite gender love interests. I've been waiting for these books my whole life. 💕
January 16, 2022
Not gonna lie, I picked up the book solely because of the cover. Sue me for judging books by their cover. I just couldn't help it 🤷🏻♀️.
But my judgment didn't disappoint. I ended up really enjoying it. It has a nice plot to follow, and the characters are cute. CeCe is a large influencer on social media, and it offers me an interesting view of the lives of influencers online. But the book also has very empowering messages of loving who you are and who doesn't like that? While the story doesn't make me cry, squeal out of joy, or be inspired, it still is a nice (and quick) Saturday afternoon read.
But my judgment didn't disappoint. I ended up really enjoying it. It has a nice plot to follow, and the characters are cute. CeCe is a large influencer on social media, and it offers me an interesting view of the lives of influencers online. But the book also has very empowering messages of loving who you are and who doesn't like that? While the story doesn't make me cry, squeal out of joy, or be inspired, it still is a nice (and quick) Saturday afternoon read.
March 2, 2021
4.5 my full RTC!
March 2, 2021
Follow Your Arrow is about social media, and how you portray yourself versus how you are perceived. It tackles bisexual erasure, dealing with parents who have opposing political stances, and learning how to accept yourself. But it does all this in a fast, entertaining way, with lots of #selfies , and it's wonderful in it's cheesiness.
Cece is strong but also insecure, reeling from a breakup with her girlfriend, and still processing her rocky relationship with her conservative father. Her voice shines through the pages, and even her IG posts help us see what parts of herself she's still hiding.
Josh is a total dork, and though it took me a bit to warm up to him, I really like him with Cece. Also, yes a hundred times to Cece still having a friendship with her ex-girlfriend, it is possible, and it was lovely to see. That speech at the end though, was everything I've wanted to say, and helped heal a wound I didn't know I still had.
A person's sexuality is not defined by the sex of their partner, and this book helps to spread that message, one hashtag at a time.
Cece is strong but also insecure, reeling from a breakup with her girlfriend, and still processing her rocky relationship with her conservative father. Her voice shines through the pages, and even her IG posts help us see what parts of herself she's still hiding.
Josh is a total dork, and though it took me a bit to warm up to him, I really like him with Cece. Also, yes a hundred times to Cece still having a friendship with her ex-girlfriend, it is possible, and it was lovely to see. That speech at the end though, was everything I've wanted to say, and helped heal a wound I didn't know I still had.
A person's sexuality is not defined by the sex of their partner, and this book helps to spread that message, one hashtag at a time.
January 26, 2021
Must read, must buy alert! Out 3/2/21 from @scholasticinc; thank you for the free book!
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.
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When Silvie breaks up with CeCe, it's not just the end of their relationship IRL, but also on "the app" where they are internet famous and #relationshipgoals for LGBTQIA fans across the world. Suddenly CeCe doesn't know who she is or what to post about it without her girlfriend. Then CeCe meets Josh, an internet phobic violinist who is kind and doesn't know about CeCe's online life. CeCe has always known she was bisexual/pansexual, but she's worried she'll lose her LGBT cred if she's seen dating a guy. When CeCe's secrets all come to light in the worst way possible, she'll find herself losing followers but also possibly losing Josh. Will she be #canceled forever or can she find a way to tell the truth in a way that
.
.
.
"How do you know you're bisexual and not gay?" he asks, and I smile to myself at his predictability. This is something I've thought a lot about, and I have my answer at the ready. "Because seuality isn't experience-based. It's feelings-based...and I guess technically I'm pansexual, because obviously there are more than two genders, and the person's gender or sex isn't the thing that makes me attracted to them anyway--"
.
.
.
Wow. Not only is this book compulsively readable (#onedayread), but it's also a wonderful book about identity and particularly bisexual (and pansexual! first time I've seen it in a YA book!) identity. Author @jessverdi has written an incredible YA book that explores sexuality, identity, and social media and I can't wait to buy it for my library. Grades 7+ and a must buy for every MS and HS library.
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#middleschoollibrarian #middleschoollibrary #library #librarian #futurereadylibs #iteachlibrary #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #librariesofinstagram #librariansofinstagram #librariesfollowlibraries #librarylife #librarianlife #schoollibrarian #iteach #librarylove #booksbooksbooks #amreading #bibliophile #lgbtqia #lgbt #lgbtbooks #pansexual #bisexual #jessverdi #followyourarrow
.
.
.
When Silvie breaks up with CeCe, it's not just the end of their relationship IRL, but also on "the app" where they are internet famous and #relationshipgoals for LGBTQIA fans across the world. Suddenly CeCe doesn't know who she is or what to post about it without her girlfriend. Then CeCe meets Josh, an internet phobic violinist who is kind and doesn't know about CeCe's online life. CeCe has always known she was bisexual/pansexual, but she's worried she'll lose her LGBT cred if she's seen dating a guy. When CeCe's secrets all come to light in the worst way possible, she'll find herself losing followers but also possibly losing Josh. Will she be #canceled forever or can she find a way to tell the truth in a way that
.
.
.
"How do you know you're bisexual and not gay?" he asks, and I smile to myself at his predictability. This is something I've thought a lot about, and I have my answer at the ready. "Because seuality isn't experience-based. It's feelings-based...and I guess technically I'm pansexual, because obviously there are more than two genders, and the person's gender or sex isn't the thing that makes me attracted to them anyway--"
.
.
.
Wow. Not only is this book compulsively readable (#onedayread), but it's also a wonderful book about identity and particularly bisexual (and pansexual! first time I've seen it in a YA book!) identity. Author @jessverdi has written an incredible YA book that explores sexuality, identity, and social media and I can't wait to buy it for my library. Grades 7+ and a must buy for every MS and HS library.
.
.
.
#middleschoollibrarian #middleschoollibrary #library #librarian #futurereadylibs #iteachlibrary #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #librariesofinstagram #librariansofinstagram #librariesfollowlibraries #librarylife #librarianlife #schoollibrarian #iteach #librarylove #booksbooksbooks #amreading #bibliophile #lgbtqia #lgbt #lgbtbooks #pansexual #bisexual #jessverdi #followyourarrow
June 21, 2021
ALERT ALERT! I HAVE AN OFFICIAL NEW FAVORITE BOOK BOYFRIEND ON THE BLOCK, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!😍🥵😳☺️😝
February 1, 2021
Going in, I thought this would be a lighthearted read but this was so much more! CeCe was incredibly relatable, and as a child of the internet, influencer culture still fascinates me. I loved the mix of prose and social media posts, although it would've been neat to see some images too and not just captions or tweets! Like with many romcoms, the lying by omission trope was hard at work in this one. I'm not the biggest fan of this and was very thankful for CeCe's mom reminding her about the importance of honesty. She even emphasizes that if Josh didn't like CeCe's online life, then would she want to be with him anyways? In addition, the biphobia and rampant hatred Cece got for dating a boy was honestly a little hard to read, but I did love seeing the community rally together in the end to uplift and support bi voices.
As noted previously, there are mentions of biphobia so please take care of yourself when reading!
As noted previously, there are mentions of biphobia so please take care of yourself when reading!
October 27, 2021
Full review to be published on March 7 (along with an interview with Jess!) at kaitplusbooks.com as part of the TBRandBeyond Blog Tour!
For right now: I'm crying happy tears again. Going to paste one of my very favorite quotes from the book here, because honestly it sums up my feelings towards the book pretty well: "I hope you like it, but it’s okay if you don’t. Because I LOVE IT."
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For right now: I'm crying happy tears again. Going to paste one of my very favorite quotes from the book here, because honestly it sums up my feelings towards the book pretty well: "I hope you like it, but it’s okay if you don’t. Because I LOVE IT."
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Storygraph
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