The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
clairew97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Murder, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Child death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship
kaimetcalfe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Medical content, Dementia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Infidelity, Sexism, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
readingwithtrey's review against another edition
- 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? N/A
5.0
Now to my review, in my humble opinion, this book is a work 👏🏽 of 👏🏽art👏🏽. While I didn’t have any personal shared experiences with each woman, I could appreciate the nods to the culture that I could completely relate to. They include: being in church every Sunday with our moms & grannies and often times aunts, uncles, and cousins. (I was related to almost everyone in the small, country church I attended growing up.) Our grannies always telling us that they’re praying for us (and knowing for certain they actually were) and usually having a feast ready for us whenever we visited. Spending summers outside all day almost every day with our cousins without a care in the world. Getting a new beautiful frilly dress from my grandma each Easter. This book made me nostalgic for that time and made that ache that I still have to see both of my grandmas one more time feel as new as the days that they left us.
There is so much to this book than what’s on the surface level. & I highly recommend it for readers with open hearts and minds. Know that there are a lot of touchy/sensitive subjects. It was funny, incredibly sad, and totally different from anything I’ve read.
My only complaint is that I need updates on all of these women, especially Jael. Her chapter had me weak.
Favorite quotes:
“We miss their bare brown arms reaching to hang clothes on the line with wooden pins. We miss their Sun tea brewed all day in big jars on the picnic table in the backyard.”
“We miss how they made our Easter dresses and pound cakes and a way out of no way.”
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Dementia
Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
prose_reveries's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Drug use, Body shaming, and Grief
kayschwe's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Grief, Death, Addiction, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Racism, and Death of parent
Minor: Abortion
dalmavatai's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
All of the stories in here deal with desire, pain, grief, love, family, and Christianity, and all of them do it brilliantly and beautifully. All of the characters are vivid and relatable - they are not without their flaws, in fact these flaws are often prominent in the stories, but they are portrayed with such compassion and humanity that you can't help but feel for them. Every story is unique but what unites them all is their exploration of how Black women navigate desire and pain, love and grief, often simultaneously.
Such a beautiful collection full of humanity, exploring the universally human desire to be loved.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Murder
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, and Racism
sarahaf712's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Body shaming
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Dementia
Minor: Abortion, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, and Terminal illness