5 stars is not enough for this book. I want to give it 500 stars. I am tempted to reread it again right now, that's how much I absolutely loved this YA book. It reminded me of those awesome 80s movies from my youth, Sixteen Candles, Say Anything, etc.

This is a book about Natalie, who is just finishing her last year of high school before university. She's dealing with her parents divorcing while her best friends are dating. It's a wonderful coming of age story.

Natalie was so funny, I can't count the number of times I just giggled out loud from her witty dialogue or her the thoughts circulating in her head. There were times when a smile was just perpetually plastered on my face. Other times I was literally laughing out loud.

Natalie is an introvert and it was entertaining to read about her awkwardly navigating various social situations. Her awkwardness was mostly in her head and I think a story like this gives hope to others who may struggle under certain circumstances.

Thank you Netgalley, Text Publishing and Nina Kenwood for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a book that I desperately wish I had when I was a senior in high school. Natalie is the type of character that you want to cheer for, even when she is making the biggest mistakes. I love that she is this paranoid, anxious individual and no matter what she goes through...there is no immediate rush to fix that. While she finds some growth in her time with her friends, Alex, and her parents’ divorce, it is not a dire need to fix all of her problems in a 300 page time span. I loved this. I definitely cheered for Alex and Natalie throughout the whole book. Would highly recommend to anyone!

With a protagonist that has a clear voice and relatable issues revolving around body image, confidence, and relationships, this fast paced story was a genuine pleasure to read.

Natalie's struggle with Cystic acne has made her awkward and introverted. Her world revolves around her loving parents and her two closest friends. But when her parents announce that they are splitting up, a truth they have been hiding from her for almost a year, and with her two closest friends in the honeymoon stage of their romance, Natalie feels abandoned. She now has to discover who she outside of the story she had previously written out in her head. And when a surprising love interest comes along and makes her feel beautiful and desired, for the first time ever, can she get out of her head and out of her own way to find the happiness of which she has always dreamt.

Teen Love. Best Friends Brother. University. Acne. Relationshipd

Natalies parents have just told her they are seperating but have been actively seperated for 10 months before telling her. Natalie has had confidence problems after suffering from painful and scarring acne. Acne, her confidence, her 2 best friends getting together, having her first boyfriend and going to her first party this book has it all.

I really enjoyed this book it was a really quick read, you fall in love with all the characters even if they annoy you in one chapter, you fall in love with them all over again in the next chapter.

thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for sending me an E-Arc.

I have conflicted feelings about this book. It did some things really well, but other things were really irritating.

Natalie, the main character, has struggled with bad skin since puberty. I really felt for her, and I thought the author did such a great job of showing how this emotionally and physically affected Natalie. It’s rare to talk about acne in YA fiction, so I appreciated how it was done in this book.

What really bugged me though was how often the main character talked and thought about sex. Sex seems to be a really casual thing that is done throughout this book, which I found to be really disappointing. I think sexual intimacy is a beautiful thing, but it shouldn’t just be viewed casually.

There was also a lot of swearing in this book, including the f and the s words multiple times.

In conclusion, I appreciated the author taking on the challenge of talking about body positivity through the lens of a character who used to struggle with bad skin. But this book just wasn’t for me. I was really disappointed by how casually physical intimacy is viewed throughout the book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a fun read! The main character, Natalie, is so funny and relatable. I loved reading about the friendship between Natalie, Lucy, and Zach. Highly recommend for fans of Jenny Han and Jenn Bennett.

I had an absolute blast reading It Sounded Better in My Head! This was one of those books that I couldn’t put down. When I had to take breaks all I thought about was these characters. I could honestly read 500 more pages about their lives!

In this book we follow Natalie, who’s parents just told her they are separating. To make matters worse, her two best friends hooked up. Everything is changing and nothing makes sense anymore. Then an unexpected romance comes along and shakes things up even more…

Our main character Natalie had a very rough time during puberty. It was not kind to her at all. She developed severe acne. I really appreciate that the author chose to discuss this topic. I was very lucky not to experience much acne growing up so this story showed me exactly how much of a toll it can put on someone. It affects not only your appearance, but your mental health. Natalie talks about having to take medication to calm the acne. She also shares all the side effects she had because of the medication. It is a lot and I couldn’t imagine being in her position.

Her self confidence is also affected by her troubles with acne. She doesn’t like wearing certain clothing because it shows her scars. She has to make sure her makeup is applied well so it covers everything. She will cancel plans if she has a pimple. So much of her time is consumed by worrying and second guessing everything. It broke my heart. Throughout the book though, she really grows and starts to love who she is.

Natalie‘s parents were the best! I loved how supportive and involved they were. They wanted her to experience all the good and bad that life has to offer. At the very beginning of the book, they tell Natalie that they are separating. She takes it pretty well at first, but of course deep down she is truly upset. There is a point when her mom decides to start dating again and Natalie is very angry about it. I understand why she felt the way she did, but there was no reason to make her mom feel like a terrible person. She was just trying to be happy. I don’t feel like their argument was ever really resolved so that is my only issue I had with the book.

The friendship between Natalie, Lucy and Zach was interesting to read about. I mean, I have been in Natalie’s place. It sucks to have a friend group of three and then the other two friends start dating. There’s nothing fun about being the third wheel. With all the changes going on, things get pretty rocky. Every friendship has its ups and downs, but at the end of the day, the three friends were always there for one another. I loved how protective Zach was and how encouraging Lucy was. Such a great group!

Okay now for the best part of the book…the romance! I don’t want to spoil who Natalie meets, but ugh they were so cute. The love interest is swoon worthy for sure. The chemistry between the two is 10/10. Natalie is very new to everything that comes with dating so I loved all the awkward things that happened. It was so realistic. The couple’s relationship isn’t perfect by any means. It gets messy, but you can bet that I was rooting for them the whole time!

Overall, It Sounded Better in My Head was everything that I wanted it to be plus more. If you are looking for a fun and quick contemporary that has depth and a sweet romance…look no further!

This book was so sweet. It was a really quick, feel-good contemporary romance.
It features some of my favourite tropes (one bed, tight knit friendship group) and it was a purely wonderful read that put a smile on my face consistently and gave me some exciting in such a dark time.

I found myself in this mean character - she doesn’t like to party, she has body issues and a lot going on in her mind. An introvert who prefers to read than go out? Yep. It has been on my radar for a while, but I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I actually did. What a pleasant surprise.

Holding out for a sequel maybe? I’d love to carry on following these characters, but at the same time I wouldn’t want it to water down this wonderful book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book for an honest review.

4.75 ⭐️

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.

Social: @_shelf.awareness on Instagram

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.