rheincas's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
alexgalloway26's review
5.0
5 stars
This was such an emotional ride. Nina LaCour has taken her signature YA style and transformed it over to the adult landscape. She has done a fantastic job of exploring the young adult years up into early adulthood. Each character is dealing with something in their life and she writes it to be so realistic. The characters come alive on the page and you feel like you know them.
The book explores the ups and downs of the Sara Foster and Emilie Dubois. Both girls are trying to find a sense of home throughout the book and they go through different stages to get there. One turns to running away and sex work after her girlfriend is found dead in the river. The other starts arranging flowers at a local LA restaurant and enters an affair with the owner. All of these things come to a head when they both meet each other at Yerba Buena, the local restaurant. Both girls go through their early adult years leaning on each other and exploring different career paths. I think this book will be one I remember for a long time.
This was such an emotional ride. Nina LaCour has taken her signature YA style and transformed it over to the adult landscape. She has done a fantastic job of exploring the young adult years up into early adulthood. Each character is dealing with something in their life and she writes it to be so realistic. The characters come alive on the page and you feel like you know them.
The book explores the ups and downs of the Sara Foster and Emilie Dubois. Both girls are trying to find a sense of home throughout the book and they go through different stages to get there. One turns to running away and sex work after her girlfriend is found dead in the river. The other starts arranging flowers at a local LA restaurant and enters an affair with the owner. All of these things come to a head when they both meet each other at Yerba Buena, the local restaurant. Both girls go through their early adult years leaning on each other and exploring different career paths. I think this book will be one I remember for a long time.
lux's review
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
gracefulgracee's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.75
casser0l's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
rorygilmore's review
dark
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? No
3.0
piiickyreader's review
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.25
katharina90's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Well written literary fiction that strikes an interesting balance between melancholy and more hopeful notes.
Definitely a slow burn and the side-by-side storylines in the beginning took me a while to get into but overall I really enjoyed this book.
What resonated most with me was the thread of yerba buena, flowers and other plants that winds its way through the novel.
Definitely a slow burn and the side-by-side storylines in the beginning took me a while to get into but overall I really enjoyed this book.
What resonated most with me was the thread of yerba buena, flowers and other plants that winds its way through the novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Death, Addiction, and Sexual content
Minor: Blood and Injury/injury detail
blw7's review
adventurous
hopeful
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? N/A
4.0