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bookcheshirecat's review against another edition
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
“I can forget about her for hours or even whole days, and then the truth rushes back like a brush fire, burning me from the inside out. The person you loved? They're gone.”
➽ This was such an emotional story about friendship breakups! The book follows Cleo whose friendship with her best friend Layla has imploded almost a month ago and she's struggling to move on with her life. I liked that this was told in two timelines, the present day and the time leading up to their breakup. I love stories that focus on friendships and how difficult it can be to lose them. While there is a side romance, the focus is on Cleo's hurt and devastation of losing the most important person in her life: Layla. We slowly uncover what happened between them, why they're no longer friends and if they can ever be okay again.
➽ I really felt for Cleo, she was such an authentic character. Most of us know how hard it is to lose a close friend, so my heart went out to Cleo. She's just struggling a lot as her parents separated and she has no other friends apart from Layla. Part of her is terrified to trust anyone else again, as Cleo fears she'll just get left behind again. She doesn't want to get to the point where she needs a person as badly as she needs Layla. It's easier to sabotage any connections before it gets to this point. I liked that she still grew closer to Sydney, one of her classmates and found a support network outside of Layla. Cleo was still hung up on her, but unsure how to move on from all their shared memories. She starts trying to make new ones to override everything associated with her ex-best friend, but it's not easy.
➽ I liked the heartbreaking exploration of a friendship that breaks apart slowly. Layla doesn't get a POV, but the author did a great job showing both sides of the friendship and how they ended up hurting each other. I felt more connected to Cleo, as I related to her situation more, but you could see that she also made her share of mistakes. Cleo and Layla have been friends for years, but everything changes when Layla gets into the choir and starts befriending the other girls who are also in the club. I understood that Layla wanted to be on good terms with them and liked that her new friends approved of her. At the same time, she becomes more distant from Cleo and stops investing as much time into their friendship.
➽ It's even more difficult as her new friends hate Cleo and think she's a snob. The situation is devastating for Cleo as there is nothing worse than other people taking away your friend and making it clear that you're not part of their group. I've definitely felt like an outsider before, so I understood how Cleo struggled to stay connected with Layla when she felt how much her new friends wanted her gone. She was definitely resentful and did not communicate her feelings, so Layla and Cleo grew apart with many things unsaid simmering between them. It becomes a vicious cycle of miscommunication and anger. I still think that Layla's new friends weren't that healthy for her, especially as she stood by and let them do whatever they wanted. The ending was realistic
“The thing I didn’t realize about having a best friend while I still had one is just how wrapped up she is in everything I do. Every outfit I wear or song I listen to. Every place I go. Losing someone can leave you haunted.”
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, and Grief
robyn_fenix's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Ableism and Mental illness
briski's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I wanted so much more from this. All I want is a friendship break up story that is devastatingly cathartic and this was far too mild for that. It touched on good points but it wasn’t truly a story of friends drifting apart because of life changing or evolving. It was a classic high school friendship break up situation that I don’t really buy will still be a loss Cleo thinks about years later.
Surprise perk was god the Cleo and Dom bedroom scene was so sweet and swoon worthy. And while the twists and reveals were predictable they still had an impact but maybe that’s because I’m overly sensitive.
Surprise perk was god the Cleo and Dom bedroom scene was so sweet and swoon worthy. And while the twists and reveals were predictable they still had an impact but maybe that’s because I’m overly sensitive.
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Alcohol
readingwithcats's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Infidelity
dalmavatai's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.0
This was a sweet and heartfelt YA about an oft-neglected topic, the breakup of a friendship. I could relate to many parts of this and I'm sure lots of other people will too. I enjoyed Cleo and Dom's budding romance and her journey of moving on from Layla as well as dealing with her parents' divorce. Cleo and Dom's relationship was so cute and I loved their conversations because both of them were really great characters.
I will say that this book is very YA and gets a bit cheesy and repetitive in the second half, so probably wouldn't recommend it to adults. For teens though, this one is great!
I will say that this book is very YA and gets a bit cheesy and repetitive in the second half, so probably wouldn't recommend it to adults. For teens though, this one is great!
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship
psistillreadyou's review against another edition
challenging
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
5.0
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Ableism and Toxic friendship
Minor: Mental illness and Self harm
Mentions of statutory rape (both real and rumored) and slut-shaming. The self-harm is implied.
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