Kind of Sort of Fine by Spencer Hall: Review

Kind of Sort of Fine by Spencer Hall
Pages: 288
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 22, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Format Read: Physical ARC

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Summary: Senior year changes everything for two teens in this poignant, funny coming-of-age story that looks at what happens when the image everyone has of us no longer matches who we really are.
Senior year of high school is full of changes.
For Hayley Mills, these changes aren’t exactly welcome. All she wants is for everyone to forget about her very public breakdown and remember her as the overachiever she once was—and who she’s determined to be again. But it’s difficult to be seen as a go-getter when she’s forced into TV Production class with all the slackers like Lewis Holbrook.
For Lewis, though, this is going to be his year. After a summer spent binging 80s movies, he’s ready to upgrade from the role of self-described fat, funny sidekick to leading man of his own life—including getting the girl. The only thing standing in his way is, well, himself.
When the two are partnered up in class, neither is particularly thrilled. But then they start making mini documentaries about their classmates’ hidden talents, and suddenly Hayley is getting attention for something other than her breakdown, and Lewis isn’t just a background character anymore. It seems like they’re both finally getting what they want—except what happens when who you’ve become isn’t who you really are?

About the Author: Spencer Hall graduated from the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky in with a BS in English. He moved to Chicago to study improv, but soon realized when it came to being funny, he was better at writing things down than making them up on the spot. When he’s not writing, he can be found running by the lake, occasionally performing stand-up comedy at poorly attended open mic nights, and researching how to become a professional mini-golf player. Kind of Sort of Fine is his first novel.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: I enjoyed this book. This book is about two teenagers who must work together even though they might not enjoy it though they start making documentaries about people’s hidden talents to show who those people really are. I really enjoyed this amazing coming-of-age novel. I learned so much from it as the writing was well done and the author did a good job with sending the right message to the reader. The setting was well done in this book and I also thought the pacing was great. The plot structure was well done with the story flowing smoothly. This book deals with mental health and body shaming which was great to see how both the characters dealt with it and seeing how they grew from it.

This book is written from both Hayley and Lewis’ PoV. Hayley has to face her classmates after her public breakdown and Lewis is trying to get skinny in order to get the girl he likes. I enjoyed both characters as they both had amazing character development. I also felt a little connected with them as I went through the same problem. I also have to say that the side characters were well written and were also very supportive of the main characters. They brought in positive energy and I enjoyed reading about them too. There is romance in this book but I didn’t really enjoy it as much. It was cute but I have to say that it wasn’t needed in the book in my opinion.

The ending was well written and ended off with the right note. In this book, I just enjoyed the message I received as I thought it was well written especially for this current time period. I only had a problem with the romance in this book but overall it was greatly written. I will most likely be reading more books from this author in the future. I recommend this book to fans of Our Fault in Our Stars and All the Bright Places.

*This arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

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