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theteamsreader's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
Minor: Car accident
jen1804'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
4.0
Damon has obviously committed a lot of really bad shit and we cannot excuse some of his behaviour, but this book does an excellent job of exploring his past trauma and layering the reasons behind his decisions. It is heartbreaking to read at times, nobody deserves the childhood that he had.
I absolutely adore his and Winter’s story, the secrecy of their earlier relationship when Winter didn’t know who he was, because he was scared she would hate him if he revealed his identity which is heartbreaking, but the scenes were so beautiful - the driving of the car, the motorcycle ride. I also love that they have this back story from when they were kids, with the fountain and the tree house and how it all comes full circle when they’re older.
I really loved the internal struggle between Winter and Damon, with the slow burn enemies to lovers and them finally giving into each other. I think it made it spicier at times too. I love that they are both each other’s downfalls and yet each other’s saviours. Damon’s confession of his feelings toward Winter was so beautiful. And the fucking poem behind her name and then his tattoo of the decaying snowflake, omg send help I am dead. And the note he leaves her in fucking braille. Stop it!
The disability of Winter being blind is really beautifully explored in this book actually and I just loved it so freaking much. The descriptions of her listening to the rain, the snow, chef’s kiss, her feeling her sandpaper markers on the floor so that she can still dance and do what she loves. There’s kind of a story within this story of self acceptance and how Winter loves how her other senses are enhanced, she also doesn’t let it stop her from doing anything. There are definitely times when her blindness is taken advantage of don’t get me wrong, but I loved how Winter had people who were there for her and took care of her, being her eyes for her when she needed.
Add to the story how Damon finally gets his group of friends back and my heart is happy, thank god because by the end of book 2 I was feeling sad for him, he needs them! Though perhaps he defo needed to do more grovelling than he did…
I loved the further layers about Damon and Will’s friendship too. I think the scene of the car underwater and Will essentially having a panic attack as it brought back the trauma of drowning in the first book was really beautifully done too, with him being calmed by both Damon and Winter. And Damon’s inner turmoil about what his friend has been through knowing that he’s responsible.
Overall a really good book with some extremely complex themes. It’s not a 5/5 for me but it gets a well rounded 4.
Satisfactory ending? Yes.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
jlaz_13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy
sydneys_bookshelf's review against another edition
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism
anncatherine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
“If she left me, I'm going to burn the whole fucking world down until I find her.”
“Your body can only feel one pain at a time. Because pain in the body quiets the pain in the head. It feels good, like a kill switch for your brain.”
“Life felt like hell, because we expected it to feel like heaven.”
“And I hated that I’d missed him. I hated that so fucking much. How I still felt the parts about him I loved when I didn’t know it was him I was with. How his arms around me still felt protective and how his whispers reminded me of when I loved the feel of them all over my neck.”
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Drug abuse
anna_m16's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol
k8thegr8's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual content
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
thxrsdays's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Kidnapping
avianundertaker's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Ableism