Better Than The Movies is a young adult novel that has become fairly popular in recent years. Being published in 2021, and now even having a sequel, Nothing Like the Movies, the book quickly became a New York Times Best Seller. In this article, I’m offering my own opinion of the book, Better Than the Movies.

Honestly, I loved this book. Let me tell you why.

I really enjoy reading, but often do it as a way to relax, making it difficult at times to read more serious, heavy material. This is part of what made this book appealing to me. It was long enough that it was able to tell a good story, but short enough that you didn’t lose interest halfway through. It also leaves you with a feel- good feeling.

I also liked the book because of the genre. I myself am a big fan of romantic comedies and thought the author, Lynn Painter, did a wonderful job capturing aspects of the genre in her book. Even though she incorporated things we often see in romantic comedies like the boy next door, fake relationships, prom night, etc. I thought she wrote the story in a way that still kept the reader interested and curious to see what happened next, though most of us probably assumed Liz would end up with the guy she did.

Though length, feeling, and genre of the book helped in how much I liked it, perhaps the greatest appeal of the book is its relatability.

The book itself is set in the main character, Liz Buxbaum’s, senior year. Because the book is written in first- person, the reader is able to know her thoughts and feelings as she navigates her own problems in high school, finding out what love really is, and establishing a healthy relationship with the reality of her mother’s death.

Although we may not relate to Liz in her unique circumstances, I think a reader can find similarities in her emotions as well as the overall struggle of a highschooler trying to figure stuff out. Though Liz is the main character, there are other character’s that are just as relatable and unique, ensuring the reader finds someone to connect with.

Overall, I really liked this book. Though there are things that I didn’t love, what I liked far overshadowed what I didn’t. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a light-hearted, easy read. I would give the book an 8.5/10 and will definitely be reading it again.