4 stars

A well-paced coming of age story, that made me laugh and also cringe because of relatable content.

This story is about Natalie, and the weeks after she has finished high school. She is stressing about her parents getting divorced, getting into the uni of her dreams, finding a path she wants to take for the rest of her life, and how all of these changes will affect her friendships.

I really liked Natalie as a character, even though she has some moments of being a not great daughter or friend, it never comes across as her being malicious, rather just a young person, trying to make the best of what she's got. She's insecure about her appearance due to having had really bad acne growing up, and a lot of residual scars, as well as having never been in a relationship before. Sometimes her thoughts felt a little convoluted but it feels very genuine. Having been a teen who based a lot of her expectations on the media she consumed, reading ABOUT Natalie do the same made me feel at home. I'm really glad this story exists.

The story navigates the fear one feels about the changes that inevitably happen once you leave high school. Sometimes plans will never go the way you want them to: you don't do well on a test, or you realise your friend's brother is actually really cute, or your parents get divorced, and you just have to roll with the punches. It's never easy, and at the time can feel like the worst possible situation, but it's life.

I enjoyed the discussions on feminism and sex and body image from the viewpoint of a teenager who ultimately knows self-love and confidence are key, but also knows that putting it to action in your own life isn't always easy.

I thought the love story was cute and realistic, not idealistic in many ways but still a cute story to read about.

This would be a fun quick read for those making the transition out of high school or for those who were the Natalie's of their youth.

This book was just ok to me. I think it would have been better for a younger audience who was going through coming of age. Because, generally, it is a coming of age story. The main character is dealing with her parents' divorce as well as the guy that she likes, and her best friend and the guy that she likes. That sounds a little crazy and convoluted but it works together.

I love the trend of illustrated covers and I wanted to start off by saying that! I think this one is so wonderfully done and it is so absolutely adorable. This book was also quite short, which meant that I was able to finish it rather quickly and write a review fast!

So, as I said before, this story follows the main character and her trials and tribulations through love and loss. I thought that it would have been a great book for younger me to have and I kinda wish I did! It didn't feel cheesy or weird or any of that. It was flowy and I overall enjoyed reading this story.

RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

I enjoyed this book so much! It was hilarious, like laugh-out-loud funny. Natalie was a witty, awkward, down-to-earth narrator, and I loved reading about her close friendships with Zach and Lucy, unexpected romance with Zach's brother Alex, and navigating young adult life in general. I think readers of any age can relate to her insecurities about herself and the changes that come with growing up. This novel was so well done - I read it all in one sitting because it was engaging, fast-paced, and kept me guessing as to what Natalie would do or say next. If you like the movie The Edge of Seventeen I think this story will appeal to you.

A sincere thanks to Text Publishing and Netgalley for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Christmas Day is probably the worst day for her parents to break the news of their separation to her, but Natalie believes there's one fact worse than this - they hid this decision from her for 10 months. As if she doesn't have enough problems as it is. Waiting for her uni results, thinking about her skin and disorder that's causing her bad skin, and wondering why the hell she's still a virgin. And to top that all of, her best friends Zach and Lucy have started dating each other probably putting the dynamic of their group in danger, not to mention causing Natalie a whole lot of insecurity about where she stand in this changed dynamic.

Enter Alex, Zach's older brother who now apparently has a romantic interest in Natalie. She is of course suspicious and skeptical; who would ever have a crush on her? With her acne-scarred back and neck, her stretch marks, and the social awkwardness brought on by years of being a hermit (her choice), she had no chance of meeting anybody before thirty. This could also be because her plan was to stay with her parents until then, which was ruined by them breaking up.

Kenwood writes a simple, easy-to-read story that anyone who has ever hated themselves can relate to. The witty replies will surprise a laugh out of you, and you will find yourself staring down at your body, thinking, "Yeah, same." Because we've been there, at some level or another, because it's normalized to hate your body. But Kenwood deals with this very delicately, yet with the confidence needed to make us not pity Natalie or ourselves, but to look forward to, and work toward bettering how we see ourselves and others.

This is a very fun read. It's the 'cliche' trope of I-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend's-brother but so much better. All the characters are kind, empathetic human beings and are very realistic to the bone. Kenwood manages to cover a whole range of topics - from insecurity, bullying, relationships, sex - and still make it enjoyable to read.

A fun, quick, relatable read about a perpetual third wheel dealing with the first relationship of her own.

Natalie's insecurity of her acne scars permeates the entire story, because she has systematically planned her entire life around hiding them, to the point of socially isolating. This was my favorite part of the story-- exploring Natalie's emotional journey of letting go of her control and letting people into her life.

The story moves very fast, which I think is its biggest downfall. But it's fun and the dialogue is snappy and the friendships are lovely. Worth a read!

It Sounded Better In My Head by Nina Kenwood is a charming, relatable read for young adults. As with any YA novel worth its salt, this one is full of angst, drama, heart and humour. This was my first read from Ms Kenwood, but I would certainly be keen to experience more.

Natalie has struggled with severe acne throughout her teen years and, as a result, has very much withdrawn into a cocoon of self and family. When her parents announce that they are separating, Natalie's isolated world is threatened, and when her two best friends fall for each other, she must further question her place in the scheme of things. Will a potential romance give Natalie the confidence and sense of belonging that she so desperately craves? Or will she keep herself closed off by clinging to the insecurities of the past?

Natalie is a largely relatable protagonist and, as such, evokes tremendous empathy. I was pleased to note that sensitive issues are handled not only head-on, but with great compassion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing for this ARC.

As someone who has read many books in my shorter life, I can say this book is truly one of the most satisfying heart-warming books I’ve read to date. The characters are all to relatable and lovable, while still feeling real with all their realistic problems and struggles. This is a fun read that will keep the attention of many students who aren’t fond of larger reads. Quick, fun, relatable, heart-warming, and funny. All around good book

One of the reasons I was so excited to read this book is because it’s set in Melbourne, my home city, and it’s by an Australian author. This really just made the book all that more appealing to me. But I didn’t quite know the extent to which the setting would make this book so much more for me. More than just a fun and awkward romance story between an unlikely pair.

Going into the story, I thought the romance plot was going to be my favourite part of the book. I was wrong. Yes, the romance plot is adorable, hilarious, heart-swooning and at times, deeply embarrassing. Yes, I liked the two characters who make up that romance a lot and was very happy to see it all develop. But it definitely wasn’t my favourite thing about this book itself.

That is all Natalie. I found her so incredibly relatable. The fact that I could picture her and myself in Melbourne (looking back ten years ago when I was eighteen) and see so many similarities between us was uncanny. While I’ve never personally had a life-changing problem with acne, there were just so many other worries and anxieties Natalie talked about throughout the story that I could absolutely relate to. Things to do with body image, being socially awkward and hating parties, being unable to talk to strangers, being anxious about everything and having no idea what to do with the rest of my life. Natalie as a character will speak to so many girls (and boys) in a number of ways and I absolutely loved how that came across in the story. Without a doubt, Natalie carries the story and gives it a voice that is truly unique.

This is such an engaging and hilarious book. There are tender moments, moments beyond awkward that will make you squirm in your seat and moments that will really just make you feel nostalgic. The setting obviously added a sense of nostalgia to me, especially with the talk of waiting for university results and the trip to Queenscliff, a beach town I’ve been to many times with my family. The portrayal of friendships and family is fantastic and in some ways reminded me of my own experiences with close friends and family issues in my teenage years.

I highly recommend this book. It’s truly an entertaining and relevant depiction of teenage life and many of the struggles we have all gone through. The characters are so likeable and will make you smile, laugh and perhaps even cry. I very much look forward to seeing what Nina Kenwood writes next.

This book was not made for me. I really had a hard time and struggled with getting through this. I came very close to not finishing it, but only did because of how fast and short the read was. The characters were underwhelming and the story was lacking any form of depth or quality. Natalie characterizes every insecurity that teenagers have, but it was exaggerated to the point where I was rolling my eyes and emotionally irritated as the story progressed. Everything was a challenge when it didn’t have to be, every action was made because of awkward insecurity, and every emotion was superficial. I wanted so much for from this book and sadly it disappointed me after every chapter.

Haven't always liked teen stories that are British because of the different culture and that goes for this one from Australia but after about a third way in I started liking the story as the characters and their lives became more important then the setting. I was anxious to finish the book once I was halfway through. Nothing spectacular, ordinary teens, but you have empathy for all their indecision they have as they go through their last year of high school and find new relationships with each other. The trio, Zach, Lucy, and Natalie face changes as Zach and Lucy fall in love. And then by accident Natalie begins a relationship with Zach's older brother which makes Zach mad. The story is about Natalie coming of age to learn what she wants out of life. Like the title says, it sounded better in her head, as she bluntly says things she never meant to say but sometimes being honest works.

It Sounded Better In My Head is a coming of age story about the real struggles of being a teenager and going through a phase in your life from one thing to another—high school to university. This book is set in Australia, highlights on friendship, of having unrequited crushes and ultimately to falling in love.

I could really relate with a lot of things with this book. For instance, the anxiety of waiting to be placed in university, hopefully a good one. Then, undoubtedly being hesitant of living a new life, a different one unlike what it used to be before. A drastic change but it will be fine after all.

There was a certain scene that I absolutely find hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing and it was truly comedic. Other than that, it was quite a good read that includes important messages to the readers who decide to pick this book up and read it. It was relatable, real and interesting.

What a beautifully written emotional roller coaster of the realities of growing up. From Natalie’s parents divorcing, to her best friends hooking up, to having feelings for said best friend and potentially his brother. This is a coming of age novel that really spoke to me and transported me to my youth where the inner monologues reflected my past experiences.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is not my usual genre, I’m more of a crime/thriller reader therefore am extremely pleased and grateful for opening up my mind to something totally different. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

First of all, I love the title of this novel, because honestly we're mostly in Natalie's head, and that place might seem tiresome and overlapped with overthinking to some people, but it reminded me of being in my own head.

In this novel, Natalie is trying to grasp everything that's happening to her: her parents are getting divorced, her two best friends (and only friends) are in relationship with each other and she feels left out, she's waiting to find out if she got into college, she's dealing with a lot of body and confidence issues, and she's trying to understand relationships when she becomes suddenly involved with someone. I related to her overthinking and the scenarios she kept making in her mind. I've suffered and still suffer from lack of confidence on many bad days, and I'd loved to have read this book in my teenage years.

The chapter headings are hilarious and the writing style is so fresh and easy and once again, hilarious. I think I won't be exaggerating if I said that this author has become one of my new favorite YA authors. I really needed a book like this and I thank netgalley for the arc and the chance to read it!

2.5 stars

Natalie feels like everything in her life is falling a part. She's an introvert who deals with a lot of self-esteem issues due to growing up with severely terrible skin—cystic acne that led to scarring on her face and back.  Once she met Zach and Lucy, she finally found her people—and then they got together. They still all hang out, but Natalie is always reminded that she is the third wheel. And then, for the first time, someone starts to show a romantic interest in her.

I really liked the story, despite finding the main character to be very annoying and unlikeable. I enjoyed the unexpected romance between Natalie and Alex, but they didn't really take anytime to get to know each other, just went straight to hooking up. It seemed like Natalie just liked him because he showed interest. In general, everything was rushed in this book, and at only 272 pages, there was a lot of room and potential to elaborate.  

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

This book was a pleasant surprise. Natalie’s inner monologues are engrossing, funny, realistic and entirely relatable. I’m so glad to have picked this one up! It was a perfect read for these times of self-isolation. I’ll definitely look for Nina Kenwood’s next novels.

Remember how being a teenager was a cake walk? Everything was easy and your confidence was off the charts? Yeah, me neither. This book gives a front row seat to what it's like to to be back in those moments. The ones that are still cringe worthy, still sometimes repeat in your head at 3am. Natalie's story of just trying to find her path and hold in the few friends she has managed to find is unapologetic and open in its telling.

This is such a little gem of a novel that I feel everybody should read. It’s hilarious, witty with just the right amount of angst and it captures the teenage years perfectly.

Natalie, the eighteen year old protagonist is stuck in a summer limbo of anxiety and slight awkwardness. She’s awaiting to see which university she’ll get into, her two best friends just started going out together and to top it all, she’s just found out her parents will be separating. In the midst of all this, it turns out that her friend’s older brother Alex might actually like romantically.

I think this is the second novel I’ve ever read where the main character had to deal with having acne, which was so refreshing. In fact, I wish the book had come out several years ago when I was a teenager and also struggling with the same skin problem. I don’t think I’ve related to a fictional character on so many levels in a long while (I think I’ve highlighted a quarter of the novel with passages that struck a chord). It would certainly have been a comfort to see the inner struggle of somebody going through the same body image issues and resulting anxiety and seeing that despite it all, it can get better. It was so relatable that I would have cried if I’ve had read it back when I was seventeen.

I can say wholeheartedly that the book will be over before you realise - it took me an evening to read as I just couldn’t put it down after getting sucked in after a few pages. I loved Natalie’s character. She’s this introverted girl on the brink of adulthood who is unsure how to navigate the new terrain of her friendship with Zach and Lucy where she’s feels she’s risking being the third wheel. And when Alex begins to show interest in her, she needs to figure out if he’s being serious or she’s just a way for him to pass the time. Natalie’s relationship with her parents more often than not made me chuckle and I enjoyed her interactions with Lucy and Zach who were well developed and likeable as well as believable in their imperfections. The relationship with Alex captured the early awkwardness and endearing uncertainty that comes with dating for the first time so it was entertaining to read about.

Overall, Kenwood did a fantastic job at writing her debut feel-good contemporary YA novel (that I think will relate to introverts of all ages) and I will definitely be on a lookout for her future work.

It Sounded Better In My Head is absolutely amazing. It’s an interesting story about first love and figuring out the path of your future and your life. It touches on so many topics about teenagers hormonal changes like puberty and acne.

It Sounded Better In My Head is an absolutely amazing. It’s an interesting story about first love and figuring out the path of your future and your life. It touches on so many topics about teenagers hormonal changes like puberty and acne.

Natalie is an introverted, smart, funny and interesting (according to Zach, her best friend). She is 18 years old and always worried what other people think about her. She’s also just graduated from high school and is about to find out what she’s going to do for her future.

Natalie inner monologues are the thing that I found amusing and really priceless. I laughed so hard. There were some awkward moments, funny moments, intense moments (whenever she had a fight with her break up parents) and the sweet moments she had with Alex. The romance was so sweet and adorable. I loved the friendship between Natalie, Zach and Lucy and I truly understand her struggle as a third wheeler. But Zach is an adorable guy who cares about Natalie, like a lot!

It Sounded Better In My Head will bring you back to the moment when you think you had a crush on someone, when you worried about your hormone changes, when you are fell in love for the first time. Please read this dazzling book. You can’t miss this.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy. This book is available now.

I first came across this book on a Facebook post, a local bookseller promoting it. Young Adult coming of age stories are my jam, so when I found it at my local bookstore, and got a recommendation from a friend, I just had to read it. When I saw it appear on my NetGalley dashboard, I used it as an excuse to revisit this wonderful story.

Natalie was totally neurotic, and endearing, and other than the acne scarring, I saw a lot of parallels from my life and the way my brain works to hers. She could be me, in another life.

“I hate you, I love you, I want to slap you”

I’m sure I’ve said this in my head hundreds of times...

“Natalie, you know exactly what you want, all the time, but you hide it under all these layers of bullshit, and you make it impossible for anyone else to figure out.”

This.Is.So.Me!

There’s also something magical about books set in your home city, even if there’s not a huge amount of name (street, suburb, businesses) dropping, there’s still a connection.

It Sounded Better in my Head was warm, and giggle-out-loud funny, and I cannot believe that it’s a debut, because it just flows so well. I loved it, and devoured it, and it was over way too soon!

Thank you to Nina Kenwood, Text Publishing, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.