Reviews tagging 'Death'

Yerba Buena: A Novel by Nina LaCour

224 reviews

siobhanward's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

3.0

This was one of those books that definitely had potential but the execution just fell flat. The connection between the past and present-day plots felt really disjointed for most of the book, and I just didn't get the Emilie/Sara relationship. There was no build up, and in a book with so much background, insta-love made no sense. I just don't quite get what LaCour was going for with this one - it seemed like she had great ideas for her characters and then just kind of plopped them into a romance plot and hoped she could make it work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent

emily98griffin's review against another edition

reflective slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Death of parent

aurorareads_'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.5

Ahh so much pain in this book that sometimes it made it hard to read. But truly life hits you that way sometimes and I think the way both main characters dealt with life and its challenges was realistic. Frustrating at times but realistic. 

In their universe I hope they find ways to heal together and live a happy life forever. 

Side note: I want to try Sara’s cocktails 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, and Sexual assault

stephaccola's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug use, and Sexual violence

serenedancer's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.5

Read the book in a day in a mix of audiobook and physical. Overall a story of two women finding their place in the world and what they want to do with their life. 

I liked that the romance was not the main story in the book. I liked both of the women individually, their romance was okay, and I also liked the side characters. 

Overall well written book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Rape, and Death of parent

theelizabethjoy's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use

kerryamchugh's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-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

3.75

Audio narration by Julia Whelan is, as always, excellent. I struggled a bit with the dual POV here, I think bc it was dual POV and also dual timelines. Overall a lovely queer sort-of love story of coming of age and owning one's own narrative, trauma and all. Sad but beautiful and not without hope.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, and Death of parent

samleacher's review against another edition

emotional 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

5.0

Such a beautiful and heartbreaking story. I absolutely loved going on this journey, even though it was hard sometimes. Listening to the stories of these 2 women was amazing. The hardships they endured to find one another just to be suddenly torn apart again, was devastating and so real. But that’s what I liked most, how real it was. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Drug abuse

tilder's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.0

Queer and heartwrenching. Got lost in some of the characters sometimes, felt like some of them could have been more fleshed out. Appreciated the ending and sense of closure for both of them. However, I do think that Sara’s trauma was resolved a bit too quickly, the whole reveal felt rushed and I wish we could have had more tension build up or something to complement the beginning of the book in the same way. Great read and look forward to LaCour’s other work!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

rosiemb's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Death of parent