Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Bellies by Nicola Dinan

23 reviews

yleavy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

2.75

Some sweet moments, and I can see why people like this book. The characters all have moments of charm in that “uni student who thinks they are quirky” sort of way. The dialogue felt like it was coming from an afterschool special, with the characters using therapy words or helping each other reach a profound revelation in every conversation. Without the tense changes, the characters’ POVs would be difficult to tell apart, and the analogies were often more distracting than fitting. Examples include “our tongues shook hands” and “my heart grows thicker”. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Deadnaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Transphobia, Vomit, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

charlizzzard_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense 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

4.75

One of the best books I've ever read. It was so achingly honest and sad. A must-read, by all accounts! Thank you to the lady in Waterstones who recommended it to me!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Transphobia

priyasvnsn's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad 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

A beautifully written book. I connected and felt so much for both characters and the extra characters. The imagery painted by the writer was brilliant, I was there with the characters and felt every emotion with them. Even though they’re fictional characters I closed the book hoping they both do well

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Transphobia

sammyemma's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

Phenomenal. Following the lives of two frustrating yet loveable characters in their late teens/early twenties, this book had me laughing and crying within the same chapter. The writing is concise yet detailed, creating a powerful short novel with raw and believable characters. Any fans of Normal People by Sally Rooney will thoroughly enjoy this book, but the LGBTQ+ focus really sets this book apart. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use and Sexual content

Moderate: Death and Car accident

Minor: Transphobia and Death of parent

junglejelly's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

5.0

I wish I hadn't read Bellies so fast but I couldn't put it down. Everything about it is just phenomenal. Easily one of my favourite books that I have read in a long time.

While incredibly sad and hard to read at times, the writing is so captivating and the characters you come to care for so easily.

A book that will be hard to forget but easy to love.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Sexual content, and Transphobia

Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Medical content

imrereads's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

4.25

I saw someone else describe this as a meditation on vulnerability and intimacy, and I feel that so hard. I'm a little bit at a loss for words, but I felt so close to these characters, and by the last few chapters I did what I almost never do – I cried. I think my biggest issue with this book where the time jumps, for a while I found them very jarring, I couldn't quite tell how much time had passed, but eventually I got into the rythmn of it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Grief

Moderate: Car accident

bookishmillennial's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad tense 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

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

This was such a tender read that follows Ming and Tom’s relationship (romantic, platonic, and non-speaking terms) over the years. We read how two people continue to yearn for and ruminate on the past, and feel so isolated to their present lives.

There’s a “is this fucking play about us?”moment, and though these characters work through seething anger, betrayal, and heartache, it’s ultimately about the gratitude, melancholy, simmering pain, and reverence we hold for past connections. 

If you enjoyed Normal People by Sally Rooney and Ariana Grande’s eternal sunshine (read: i wish i hated you, bye, & we can’t be friends), this is your book! (Also, this review doesn't do this book justice & I may try to come back & write a more detailed review .... one day!)

Thank you to my friend @maddysbookopinions for speaking so highly of this book & moving it up on my TBR!  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Transphobia, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Sexual content, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

bootsmom3's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, and Alcohol

Moderate: Dementia and Death of parent

danny_thereader's review

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Drug use

Minor: Eating disorder

libraryoflanelle's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense 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

I adored this book with all my heart. It easily became a new favourite. 

I finished 'Bellies' in almost one sitting, and it absolutely consumed me. I fell in love with these characters in record time and felt all of their emotions right along with them. Nicola writes these characters in such a way that you immediately feel like you yourself are part of their little chaotic but loving found family. I truly cried, laughed out loud, and kicked my lil’ feet through this book.

I went into this one knowing almost nothing, and I would highly recommend you do the same if it is safe for you to do so. I have included content warnings in my StoryGraph review as always, so just make sure you’re safe. If you’ve been debating picking this one up, consider this your push.

I borrowed this one from the library - shout out to local libraries - so will definitely be buying a copy asap, as I know this will be one that I come back to in future!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident

Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Vomit, Dementia, and Alcohol