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spellbindingtomes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
ourxstorybegins's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Yo why did I not know this book was going to be sad??? I cried a non-zero number of times while listening to this audiobook and I was not prepared for that. The love story between Neevah and Canon is just...beautiful? It was such a good balance of serious and lighthearted scenes. We had a solid romantic storyline, but the plot regarding filming the movie as well as Neevah’s relationship with her mom and sister were also so stinkin good? This was longer than what I’m used to in a romance novel, but there also wasn’t a moment in the book where I felt like something should’ve been cut out. The hype makes SO much sense for this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity and Death of parent
breathehopebooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was not what i was expecting. I thought it was going to be entirely about the filmmaking. And while that aspect was interesting, the whole last 30-40% was all about Neevah’s lupus and treatment. Chronic illness wasn’t even brought up anywhere in the book synopsis, so it’s a jarring letdown when so much of the conflict and plot ended up revolving around that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Medical content
Minor: Racism, Vomit, and Death of parent
jennanaps's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, and Death of parent
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is everything. The only thing you're allowed to criticize is how they spelled Zac Efron's name. Otherwise, no one is allowed to touch this perfection omg.
This presents the perfect template of a man, a relationship, and of life. I literally don't know what to say. Five stars isn't enough. I feel like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory with all those gift baskets still coming up short. This deserves all the stars. I need everyone to pick up this book and read it and learn from it and pick themselves up and live for this moment, this now, because that's all we know of for sure. My heart is beating so fast cause I'm just tearing up thinking about the beautiful love and care and joy in this book. I don't know how I'm ever going to read romance the same again.
Rep: Black MMC, Black FMC with lupus
TW: vomit, medical content, alcohol, death of a parent, discussions of sexism, racism; mentions infidelity, pregnancy, bullying, cancer
This presents the perfect template of a man, a relationship, and of life. I literally don't know what to say. Five stars isn't enough. I feel like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory with all those gift baskets still coming up short. This deserves all the stars. I need everyone to pick up this book and read it and learn from it and pick themselves up and live for this moment, this now, because that's all we know of for sure. My heart is beating so fast cause I'm just tearing up thinking about the beautiful love and care and joy in this book. I don't know how I'm ever going to read romance the same again.
Rep: Black MMC, Black FMC with lupus
TW: vomit, medical content, alcohol, death of a parent, discussions of sexism, racism; mentions infidelity, pregnancy, bullying, cancer
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Medical content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
heather667's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Racism, Vomit, Medical content, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy
michelle_my_belle's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This audiobook was phenomenal! On top of a beautifully written story, the voice performances were so well done. Kennedy Ryan never fails to develop fully fleshed our characters who you can root for. Her attention to detail and research really part of in creating a story that Carrie’s the reader through a multitude of human experiences and emotions. Neevah and Canon navigated so much in this book and came through stronger. Three book covers themes of estranged family, Black experience in the entertainment industry, chronic illness, racism, betrayal, self esteem/body image, and of course, love. This is a story I will definitely revisit in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Moderate: Biphobia
Minor: Abortion
caseythereader's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Sexual content, Vomit, and Medical content
Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia and Racism
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Reel is a love letter to Black creatives overlooked by fame and history. In Reel, we are navigating the modern-day love story of performer Neevah Saint and her director Canon Holt, and our story-within-a-story biopic on the fictional performer Dessi Blue. Through these nested narratives, we see how Black artists across generations have been constrained by racism in its many forms: socioeconomic oppression, legal persecution, day-to-day violence and disproportionately poor health outcomes. While our biopic star Dessi is launching a career in the early years of the Civil Rights movement, our modern-day protagonist, Neevah, is launching a career as she battles lupus, a disease that disproportionately impacts women and, specifically, women of color. We learn through Neevah that more than 90% of people living with lupus are women, and that it is 2-3x more prevalent among women of color.
And this is where it is both brilliant and stressful (particularly for those who’ve experienced medical trauma, as a patient or as a caregiver - Neevah and Canon’s experiences give us perspective on both). Neevah’s experience of chronic illness shows us the highs and lows - the days she feels well and capable and strong, and the days her immune system escalates attacks on her organs, threatening her ability to work and forcing her to reevaluate her priorities in all spheres of her life. Canon cycles through fear and anger, denial and hyperfixation, rest and action, balancing his love for Neevah with his fear for her health. Readers can rest easy that this is a low-conflict love story, in that the real conflict is the battle both protagonists must wage to keep Neevah well and define their love for each other.
I listened to this on audio, and the dual narration includes musical numbers and dialogue from Dessi Blue - I HIGHLY recommend audio if you can get it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Sexual content, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Infidelity, Vomit, and Death of parent
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism
Hygienic language used during STI discussion - briefblakeandbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Sexual content
Moderate: Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, and Death of parent
Minor: Racism and Pregnancy