1morepaige's review against another edition
1.0
God this book bummed me out.
Y’all, this thing could have used some sensitivity readers. I know no one likes to talk about cultural appropriation but this actually is that and I wish I hand known before I started.
And the thing that bums me out is that other than the gross misunderstanding and misuse of a lot of indigenous peoples’ struggles and culture, it was a beautiful book.
This gorgeous, heart-wrenching, mind-bender of a story would have been amazing if it didn’t rely so heavily on things that Are Not Ours to take out of context and bend to whatever whim.
So, I’m just bummed. The author is a good writer. I really felt for a lot of the characters in this book and it captures a lot of really relatable feelings perfectly...but I can’t in good conscience recommend this book to anyone because of how massive and obvious the cultural appropriation of indigenous stories is and for how negatively stereotyped all the unnamed indigenous people are in the book.
That shit really sucks and I’m not here for it.
So that’s all I have to say about that I guess.
Y’all, this thing could have used some sensitivity readers. I know no one likes to talk about cultural appropriation but this actually is that and I wish I hand known before I started.
And the thing that bums me out is that other than the gross misunderstanding and misuse of a lot of indigenous peoples’ struggles and culture, it was a beautiful book.
This gorgeous, heart-wrenching, mind-bender of a story would have been amazing if it didn’t rely so heavily on things that Are Not Ours to take out of context and bend to whatever whim.
So, I’m just bummed. The author is a good writer. I really felt for a lot of the characters in this book and it captures a lot of really relatable feelings perfectly...but I can’t in good conscience recommend this book to anyone because of how massive and obvious the cultural appropriation of indigenous stories is and for how negatively stereotyped all the unnamed indigenous people are in the book.
That shit really sucks and I’m not here for it.
So that’s all I have to say about that I guess.
nicole562's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
timsreads's review against another edition
4.0
Actual Rating: 4.25 stars
*Minor spoilers follow*
I don't know what exactly screamed STORY THAT WILL MAKE YOU VERY EMOTIONAL when I first looked at this book but somehow I just knew and still I let myself read it. I don't really read contemporary all that often but that cover really drew me in. Why must covers hold so much power over me? From the synopsis alone you can tell that there's a romance and oh my god I loved it. What especially drew me in was how typically teenager-y it felt. You know that giddy feeling you fall in love? The one that makes you act all stupid and put on that love sick smile? Yeah me neither but I've read enough books to know how it goes. It was really cute to see Natalie and Beau's relationship progress throughout the book and how deeply in love they were. You could tell from the very beginning how adorable they were.
There's this saying in Japanese 'Koi No Yokan' and what that means is when two people look at each other and just know they're going to fall in love but don't actually love each other at first sight. And though it isn't really explicitly stated in the book when they both first meet, it really made me think of 'Koi No Yokan'. To many the way they acted when they first met may seem insta-lovey but it felt perfectly normal to me. As both are teenagers, it made sense.But enough about that because this novel wasn't solely about Natalie and Beau. It was about Natalie's strange powers that allowed her to see things that no one around her seemed to see. When a being that visited her when she was only a child returns after three years with a warning, it starts her on the journey to understand what she really is and to figure out what to do to about that warning. I really enjoyed reading this book. It made me laugh, cry, smile and cry some more and it had me interested from the start till the end. My only problem was that it contained a lot of references to God and I know that the mention of religion can make many people uncomfortable like me so if you think you'll be able to handle that then I recommend you read the book. To those who don't have problems that people might have, you don't really have an excuse not to do you? READTHEBOOK. The endless crying is worth it trust me.
*Minor spoilers follow*
I don't know what exactly screamed STORY THAT WILL MAKE YOU VERY EMOTIONAL when I first looked at this book but somehow I just knew and still I let myself read it. I don't really read contemporary all that often but that cover really drew me in. Why must covers hold so much power over me? From the synopsis alone you can tell that there's a romance and oh my god I loved it. What especially drew me in was how typically teenager-y it felt. You know that giddy feeling you fall in love? The one that makes you act all stupid and put on that love sick smile? Yeah me neither but I've read enough books to know how it goes. It was really cute to see Natalie and Beau's relationship progress throughout the book and how deeply in love they were. You could tell from the very beginning how adorable they were.
There's this saying in Japanese 'Koi No Yokan' and what that means is when two people look at each other and just know they're going to fall in love but don't actually love each other at first sight. And though it isn't really explicitly stated in the book when they both first meet, it really made me think of 'Koi No Yokan'. To many the way they acted when they first met may seem insta-lovey but it felt perfectly normal to me. As both are teenagers, it made sense.But enough about that because this novel wasn't solely about Natalie and Beau. It was about Natalie's strange powers that allowed her to see things that no one around her seemed to see. When a being that visited her when she was only a child returns after three years with a warning, it starts her on the journey to understand what she really is and to figure out what to do to about that warning. I really enjoyed reading this book. It made me laugh, cry, smile and cry some more and it had me interested from the start till the end. My only problem was that it contained a lot of references to God and I know that the mention of religion can make many people uncomfortable like me so if you think you'll be able to handle that then I recommend you read the book. To those who don't have problems that people might have, you don't really have an excuse not to do you? READTHEBOOK. The endless crying is worth it trust me.
alizah's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
yanners's review against another edition
2.0
Watch me try (and fail spectacularly) to wheedle out an affinity with Emily Henry.
It’s just one of those things when all I can say is that the universe enjoys turning the tables on me to drive me closer to an existential crisis.
But let’s not turn it into a me thing (since it’s such an obvious me thing) and blame it all on our heartthrob teenage star Beau.
(To Beau, accusatory glare activated) Oh don’t you look flustered. Dunking cereal in beer is as sure an offence I’ve ever seen against the self-respecting people of cereal and milk. Just imagining the blending of both flavours is criminal enough that its outmatched all cereal-before-milk scandals and convinced me that you need to be put down. ASAP.
For that, I wish that you’d stew in a pot of boiling gravy and only drink bittergourd soup for the rest of your life.
2.5 stars
It’s just one of those things when all I can say is that the universe enjoys turning the tables on me to drive me closer to an existential crisis.
But let’s not turn it into a me thing (since it’s such an obvious me thing) and blame it all on our heartthrob teenage star Beau.
(To Beau, accusatory glare activated) Oh don’t you look flustered. Dunking cereal in beer is as sure an offence I’ve ever seen against the self-respecting people of cereal and milk. Just imagining the blending of both flavours is criminal enough that its outmatched all cereal-before-milk scandals and convinced me that you need to be put down. ASAP.
For that, I wish that you’d stew in a pot of boiling gravy and only drink bittergourd soup for the rest of your life.
2.5 stars
suericker's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.75
stacyreadsalot's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-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? It's complicated
2.0
brianna3645's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sarahjolioli's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.0