Reviews tagging 'Cancer'
Blackout by Angie Thomas, Dhonielle Clayton, Ashley Woodfolk, Nic Stone, Nicola Yoon, Tiffany D. Jackson
15 reviews
tigger89's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.0
This was another read for work, and definitely not my preferred genre. However, I was surprised by what I was able to find to enjoy. I think if you're someone who enjoys short, sweet, YA love stories, this book would be perfect for you. I will caution that these aren't romances, as not every one ends in a happily-ever-after or happy-for-now. But I will say that the main character in each story winds up fulfilled, whatever that might mean in their situation, so there are no bad endings in this book.
Aside from the obvious not-my-genre situation, the other thing I didn't like about this book was how inconsistently well anxiety was portrayed. Contrasting Mask Off with The Long Walk, I found the depiction of Tremaine's claustrophobia very relatable, and while at first Tammi's anxiety over the impending bridge situation was also spot-on, at the end it evaporated in a puff of plot resolution. True love doesn't overcome crippling anxiety! That's like everybody cheering as the guy in the wheelchair gets up and starts walking at the end of the movie. It just…doesn't work like that. Sure would be nice if it did!
There's some LGB content in this book, for those who look for that. Mask Off is about two boys, and Made to Fit is sapphic(also ownvoices, or close enough — Ashley Woodfolk is bi). T+ content is limited to the background, however.
If rating just off my own opinion, I would probably give this a 3.5, based largely off of how much I (unexpectedly!) genuinely enjoyed No Sleep Till Brooklyn. However, because I have few constructive complaints and mostly just feel that it was Not For Me, I'm going to be generous and bump it up to a 4.
Aside from the obvious not-my-genre situation, the other thing I didn't like about this book was how inconsistently well anxiety was portrayed. Contrasting Mask Off with The Long Walk, I found the depiction of Tremaine's claustrophobia very relatable, and while at first Tammi's anxiety over the impending bridge situation was also spot-on, at the end it evaporated in a puff of plot resolution. True love doesn't overcome crippling anxiety! That's like everybody cheering as the guy in the wheelchair gets up and starts walking at the end of the movie. It just…doesn't work like that. Sure would be nice if it did!
There's some LGB content in this book, for those who look for that. Mask Off is about two boys, and Made to Fit is sapphic(also ownvoices, or close enough — Ashley Woodfolk is bi). T+ content is limited to the background, however.
If rating just off my own opinion, I would probably give this a 3.5, based largely off of how much I (unexpectedly!) genuinely enjoyed No Sleep Till Brooklyn. However, because I have few constructive complaints and mostly just feel that it was Not For Me, I'm going to be generous and bump it up to a 4.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Terminal illness, Dementia, Cancer, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Racism
Claustrophobia is depicted in Mask Off, and acrophobia in The Long Walk.taylorleilani's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Cancer, and Death
laurataylor's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Alcohol, Cancer, and Death
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.0
This was such a cute collection of short stories about young love and discovering who you are—all set against a blackout in New York City.
For being short stories, they were all connected and worked well together; these characters are all unknowingly trying to get to the same block party, which made for a fitting finale. I loved how much we learn about each character even though we don't spend a ton of time with any of them—it was great writing! I loved that NYC felt like its own character; it's always fun when authors do that.
Overall, these were sweet stories celebrating young Black love that made my heart happy and hopeful. Definitely recommend if you enjoy YA romance or if you just need a lighthearted pick-me-up book.
For being short stories, they were all connected and worked well together; these characters are all unknowingly trying to get to the same block party, which made for a fitting finale. I loved how much we learn about each character even though we don't spend a ton of time with any of them—it was great writing! I loved that NYC felt like its own character; it's always fun when authors do that.
Overall, these were sweet stories celebrating young Black love that made my heart happy and hopeful. Definitely recommend if you enjoy YA romance or if you just need a lighthearted pick-me-up book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death of parent, Bullying, and Grief
Minor: Homophobia, Death, and Cancer
mandkips's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Bullying
Minor: Homophobia, Cancer, and Death
amivireads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Cancer, Death, Homophobia, and Bullying
le3713's review
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I really enjoyed this beautiful set of interconnected love stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death of parent and Cancer
kathis_wonderland's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
3.75
Blackout wurde von sechs Autorinnen geschrieben. Jede Autorin schrieb eine Kurzgeschichte zu BIPoCs und alle Geschichten sind irgendwie miteinander verwoben. Es gibt Dreiecksbeziehungen, gleichgeschlechtliche Beziehungen, heterosexuelle Beziehungen und weitere Beziehungsformen. Im Buch herrscht eine große Diversität, die sehr selten in Büchern vorkommen.
Ich habe mir bei diesem Buch etwas anderes erwartet. Es ist im Endeffekt sehr Young-Adult-mäßig geworden. Für mich etwas zu Young-Adult-mäßig. Die Protagonistinnen und Protagonisten hatten meist sehr typisches Teenagerverhalten. Aber abgesehen davon, hat mir das Buch gut gefallen. Ich lese sehr selten Kurzgeschichten, aber da diese Kurzgeschichten alle irgendwie verwoben waren, hat es mir doch gefallen. Die Idee erinnert mich etwas an Love Actually (oder Tatsächlich Liebe, wie es auf Deutsch heißt). Ich bin ein großer Fan der Diversität in diesem Buch. Man hat eine große Breite an queeren Personen und Familienkonstellationen. Das kommt noch viel zu selten in Büchern vor.
Am besten hat mir "Ohne Maske" von Nic Stone gefallen. Über Tremaine und JJ hätte ich noch sehr gerne mehr gelesen. Fast gleichauf ist "Maßgeschneidert" von Ashley Woodfolk. Auch diese Geschichte war wirklich nett und süß und ich hätte gerne mehr von Joss und Nella erfahren. Auch Dhonielle Clayton's "All die großen Liebesgeschichten ... und Staub" hat mir gut gefallen. Die Idee mit den Fußnoten fand ich etwas komisch, passten jedoch irgendwie zu Lana. Das war eine schöne friends-to-lovers Geschichte. "No Sleep till Brooklyn" von Angie Thomas hat mich irgendwie überrascht. Ich bin kein Fan von Dreiecksbeziehungen und bin der Meinung, dass, wenn man beginnt für eine weitere Person Gefühle zu entwickeln, man wirklich etwas tun sollte und nicht auf ein Zeichen warten sollte. Dass Kayla sich dazu entschieden hat für eine Zeit lang einfach sie selbst zu sein und nicht Freundin von jemanden, hat mich positiv überrascht. Diese Geschichte war ein bisschen eine Liebeserklärung an sich selbst. In "Seymour und Grace" von Nicola Yoon haben wir zwei POVs. Auch ihre Geschichte hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Tiffany D. Jackson hat mit "Der lange Weg" alle Kurzgeschichten irgendwie zusammengehalten. Die Geschichte von Kareem und Tammi hat sich mit fünf Akte durch das ganze Buch gezogen. Ihre Geschichte mochte ich zu Beginn überhaupt nicht. Die beiden waren richtig typische Teenies und haben mich mit ihrem Getue genervt. Aber bis zum Schluss sind sie mir doch irgendwie ans Herz gewachsen und ich war glücklich, als sie ihre Probleme besprochen hatten. Man sieht, wie unterschiedlich all diese Geschichten sind und doch sind alle irgendwie miteinander verbunden.
Alle sechs Geschichten haben mir gut gefallen. Ich bin mir sicher, dass dieses Buch einer jüngeren Altersgruppe sehr sehr gut gefallen wird. Ich bin für dieses Teenagergehabe irgendwie zu alt. Trotzdem kann ich das Buch weiterempfehlen. Ich bin von der Diversität in diesem Buch wirklich sehr begeistert!
Ich habe mir bei diesem Buch etwas anderes erwartet. Es ist im Endeffekt sehr Young-Adult-mäßig geworden. Für mich etwas zu Young-Adult-mäßig. Die Protagonistinnen und Protagonisten hatten meist sehr typisches Teenagerverhalten. Aber abgesehen davon, hat mir das Buch gut gefallen. Ich lese sehr selten Kurzgeschichten, aber da diese Kurzgeschichten alle irgendwie verwoben waren, hat es mir doch gefallen. Die Idee erinnert mich etwas an Love Actually (oder Tatsächlich Liebe, wie es auf Deutsch heißt). Ich bin ein großer Fan der Diversität in diesem Buch. Man hat eine große Breite an queeren Personen und Familienkonstellationen. Das kommt noch viel zu selten in Büchern vor.
Am besten hat mir "Ohne Maske" von Nic Stone gefallen. Über Tremaine und JJ hätte ich noch sehr gerne mehr gelesen. Fast gleichauf ist "Maßgeschneidert" von Ashley Woodfolk. Auch diese Geschichte war wirklich nett und süß und ich hätte gerne mehr von Joss und Nella erfahren. Auch Dhonielle Clayton's "All die großen Liebesgeschichten ... und Staub" hat mir gut gefallen. Die Idee mit den Fußnoten fand ich etwas komisch, passten jedoch irgendwie zu Lana. Das war eine schöne friends-to-lovers Geschichte. "No Sleep till Brooklyn" von Angie Thomas hat mich irgendwie überrascht. Ich bin kein Fan von Dreiecksbeziehungen und bin der Meinung, dass, wenn man beginnt für eine weitere Person Gefühle zu entwickeln, man wirklich etwas tun sollte und nicht auf ein Zeichen warten sollte. Dass Kayla sich dazu entschieden hat für eine Zeit lang einfach sie selbst zu sein und nicht Freundin von jemanden, hat mich positiv überrascht. Diese Geschichte war ein bisschen eine Liebeserklärung an sich selbst. In "Seymour und Grace" von Nicola Yoon haben wir zwei POVs. Auch ihre Geschichte hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Tiffany D. Jackson hat mit "Der lange Weg" alle Kurzgeschichten irgendwie zusammengehalten. Die Geschichte von Kareem und Tammi hat sich mit fünf Akte durch das ganze Buch gezogen. Ihre Geschichte mochte ich zu Beginn überhaupt nicht. Die beiden waren richtig typische Teenies und haben mich mit ihrem Getue genervt. Aber bis zum Schluss sind sie mir doch irgendwie ans Herz gewachsen und ich war glücklich, als sie ihre Probleme besprochen hatten. Man sieht, wie unterschiedlich all diese Geschichten sind und doch sind alle irgendwie miteinander verbunden.
Alle sechs Geschichten haben mir gut gefallen. Ich bin mir sicher, dass dieses Buch einer jüngeren Altersgruppe sehr sehr gut gefallen wird. Ich bin für dieses Teenagergehabe irgendwie zu alt. Trotzdem kann ich das Buch weiterempfehlen. Ich bin von der Diversität in diesem Buch wirklich sehr begeistert!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Cancer and Death
ashleycmms's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Confinement, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Infidelity
courtneyfalling's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was really cute, and I loved how the stories and characters intertwined! There was also a really sweet sense of intergenerational connection, supportive friendships, and friends-to-lovers arcs across the stories.
Tammi and Kareem (written by Tiffany D. Jackson): I feel like a lot of their storyline hinged on miscommunication, and the final "reveals" didn't pay off enough for me. There were still so many things it felt like they each needed to talk through! I also wonder a little bit about the choice to intersperse their scenes with the other stories, vs. to just do six stories.
JJ and Tremaine (written by Nic Stone): I love them. I love how past moments between the characters got woven in. I actually gasped aloud at one point. Possibly my favorite of the stories.
Nella and Joss (written by Ashley Woodfolk): I also totally love them. A little insta-love but I really liked the setting for this story and the other context that allowed them to open up to each other. Also good sapphic rep around confusing friendships and finding romantic love!
Lana and Tristán (written by Dhonielle Clayton): Childhood friends to lovers arcs kept popping up! I guess it makes sense with the phase of life (final summer before college, reflecting on who they are and who they want to be) that the characters are in. I also related a lot to Lana's struggle to find the perfect book and moment to tell Tristán about her feelings, only to have that perfectionist drive become what made the moment more difficult for her.
Kayla, Tre'Shawn, Micah, and Jazmyn (written by Angie Thomas): I wasn't sold on the love triangle/quadrangle at the beginning of this, but it grew on me a lot by the end.
Seymour and Grace (written by Nicola Yoon): I liked them! They had a sweet meet-cute and this felt like the most traditionally YA romance story out of them all. (Two strangers with existential thoughts pushed together by coincidence and able to finally open up, only to realize they want to take those feelings into their real lives.)
Overall: I did expect to get a final chapter with all the characters at the block party, to wrap up some of the loose ends, mostly because all of the stories felt very fast-paced with bringing their characters together. I wanted to know, for example, Nothing is too glaringly outstanding, but it's all these small details!
Tammi and Kareem (written by Tiffany D. Jackson): I feel like a lot of their storyline hinged on miscommunication, and the final "reveals" didn't pay off enough for me. There were still so many things it felt like they each needed to talk through! I also wonder a little bit about the choice to intersperse their scenes with the other stories, vs. to just do six stories.
JJ and Tremaine (written by Nic Stone): I love them. I love how past moments between the characters got woven in. I actually gasped aloud at one point
Spoiler
when Tremaine said JJ looked better without his maskNella and Joss (written by Ashley Woodfolk): I also totally love them. A little insta-love but I really liked the setting for this story and the other context that allowed them to open up to each other. Also good sapphic rep around confusing friendships and finding romantic love!
Lana and Tristán (written by Dhonielle Clayton): Childhood friends to lovers arcs kept popping up! I guess it makes sense with the phase of life (final summer before college, reflecting on who they are and who they want to be) that the characters are in. I also related a lot to Lana's struggle to find the perfect book and moment to tell Tristán about her feelings, only to have that perfectionist drive become what made the moment more difficult for her.
Kayla, Tre'Shawn, Micah, and Jazmyn (written by Angie Thomas): I wasn't sold on the love triangle/quadrangle at the beginning of this, but it grew on me a lot by the end.
Spoiler
I liked how Kayla was able to discover that her real fear was not knowing who she was not as "Tre'Shawn's girlfriend," especially as someone who's been in that kind of young, serious, long-term relationship and had very similar anxieties. I feel like they were depicted well and we leave Kayla in a good headspace.Seymour and Grace (written by Nicola Yoon): I liked them! They had a sweet meet-cute and this felt like the most traditionally YA romance story out of them all. (Two strangers with existential thoughts pushed together by coincidence and able to finally open up, only to realize they want to take those feelings into their real lives.)
Overall: I did expect to get a final chapter with all the characters at the block party, to wrap up some of the loose ends, mostly because all of the stories felt very fast-paced with bringing their characters together. I wanted to know, for example,
Spoiler
if Kayla gets to meet up with her cousin, or if Kareem pulls off DJing, or if JJ and Tremaine arrive together in a public way, and so on.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent and Cancer