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hapalyn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The pacing AGAIN in this book is so bizarre and so bad. It's like a switch gets flipped to make the characters suddenly "lovey" and romantic. Horrible romantic resolution. The action is by far the best part of this book.
I also like the trope of "dumb character actually turns out to be a genius".
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
clindsey73'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
booklloveer101'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
jen1804's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I also personally felt that the descriptions at times were lacking to the point where I found I was getting confused about where they were and what was happening and the logistics of it all.
The scenes of Martin abusing Emory were so graphic and so excruciating to read. I felt so sad for Em. I think Penelope Douglas did a good job of making us despise Martin and portraying the mind of a domestic abuse victim. Harrowing.
The friendship that blossomed between Em and Damon was so endearing, understanding each other’s pain and keeping each other’s secrets, though I feel robbed of not getting to witness Will’s reaction to Em telling him about Natalya and why they were in the school showers together that night. I love that Damon gave Em the carfax room from one abused child to another, and I love that Damon and Emory now have a design and building business together, plus him rebuilding the gazebo using her blueprints was just beautiful.
So glad Martin fucking died. But I so badly wanted Damon to dive off the cliff after Will and be the one to pull him out of the water as a kinda full circle moment.
I loved the romantic scenes between Will and Emory so much, they were so cute, I bookmarked so many of their lines, especially their flashbacks from when they were in school. I liked seeing the female play a more dominant part too. There was not enough romance content though! And the ‘present’ scenes seemed too rushed. Like woah that marriage proposal did not have enough of a present day romantic foundation behind it after all the spiteful Blackchurch behaviour for it to make sense.
As much as I thought the marriage was quick though I can forgive it, because the four way wedding was everything and I adored that so much!
If I’m being honest Will’s Blackchurch agenda kinda doesn’t really make a great deal of sense to me, like whatever, and the whole Aydin/Alex sub plot is just a big nope. But I’m glad Will’s grandpa was a double crossing legend and seeing their relationship with each other was lush.
I did however really like that Will discovered Coldfield and the tunnels and I loved the idea of their own private access to all these places around Thunder Bay and Meridian City including tunnels to each other’s houses.
I wasn’t very happy about how angry Will was about the whole Em being ‘the reason they went to prison’ thing, because let’s be clear it was NOT her fault and she did not in fact owe any one of them an apology. This series is basically full of the guys holding grudges over miscommunication, lol.
The train carriage scene was weird but I guess also not unexpected from this bunch of characters! Pahahhh.
Overall I enjoyed it, and really loved the insight into their kids ten years later that we got in the epilogue. I love that these four guys who were basically entitled assholes in high school let’s be real, have all found a strong woman who’s their match and equal. I really enjoyed the context of found family throughout this series and the love that is woven through all of them.
Satisfactory ending? Yes.
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
noveltay'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? Yes
4.0
This book was a good way to end the series, although this one personally was the “least realistic”. Will is hard to love for me, but the flashbacks were making me fall in love with him. Emory is very hard to love but for the wrong reasons for me.. she clearly is a victim in MANY ways, but I feel like she prolonged a lot of communication the entire book (NOT in the flashbacks though- that was reasonable given her situation).
This book did have me fall in love with Damon even more, Kill Switch being my favorite of the series.
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
readingforaliving'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
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment