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cecereads__'s review against another edition
4.0
A flawed main character - a general thing with these ppl and realistic, and some you really “disliked” with a passion. Enjoyed how and what we got to know about her.
- I really wish the blurb said less btw. At least the penultimate paragraph needs to go… I try to only read the first paragraph in the blurb and then I might read more of it once I’m “in” the story, otherwise I feel it spoils the fun of exploring when you first sit down with it if you know too much or the blurb takes your expectations in the wrong/an unnecessary direction.
Anyway, there’s loads of sex, hence the erotica descriptor. Which I think explains (at least to some degree) the “low” rating bc some ppl are just a bit prudish when you read through some of the reviews, let’s be honest….
I’d say a very intriguing, exciting and frustrating story about actually considering our worth and self-esteem.
(A few things said e.g. about ending your life that I wasn’t too sure about in terms of phrasing though.)
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
yellowpurple500's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
For an erotica I found myself rolling my eyes a lot at the sex scenes. It felt like if someone just looked at Violet she came. There were points where someone barely touched her and she was at the point of orgasm. I get this woman is horny but CALM DOWN.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction
foxonabook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Violet is a lonely 26-year-old millennial stuck in a dead-end job and drifting aimlessly through life. Until one day she meets the mysterious and attractive Lottie and her entire life is upended within the space of a few days. Literally. A few days. Is the reader truly expected to believe that anything portrayed in the book is plausible?
Surprisingly, the poorly written sex (which, if I'm being brutally honest, is better described as written by a teenager whose only source material is really cheap and unrealistic porn) wasn't my biggest bugbear. It was how incredibly unbelievable Violet was portrayed. Perhaps I'm not the target audience, but, geez... this was the second contemporary millennial chick-lit that I read where I felt millennial women were very poorly, one-dimensionally and stereotypically portrayed. Violet has no redeeming qualities.
I was also infuriated by some of the blink-and-you'll-miss-it themes that Buchanan clearly included as a tick-box exercise, such as the eating disorder, coercive abuse, sexual assault, etc.
Don't bother with this.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
sib_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Gaslighting
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
katiewhocanread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, and Dysphoria
nialiversuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Cursing, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism
Moderate: Child death and Sexual assault
Minor: Drug use
hannahmayreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It covers female desire with great nuance and luxuriates in the pleasure of it. Buchanan captures the wonderful and confusing nature of female desire, tracking it through Violet as she comes to understand herself and what she wants, allowing room for all the complexities, contradictions, and joys women experience without shame. It is bold, but it is also normalising. This is a very lusty book, but its really about love - platonic and romantic - which is something we can all get behind.
There is (predictably) a neat happy ending, but as Marian Keyes says, the reader deserves a happy ending because there’s already enough going on in our own lives.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Child death, Infidelity, and Grief
travelseatsreads's review against another edition
- 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
Violet came across as incredibly naïve and immature and I honestly wanted to shake her throughout. The themes that were touched on are ones the a lot of 20 somethings do struggle with however, at times it all felt a little bit flippant and forced.
The narrator I feel definitely added to the flow and increased my appreciation of the book.
I enjoyed it for a light hearted giggle but it didn't rock my world.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
rainbowsandbookshelves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Moderate: Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault