siobhanward's review against another edition
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.0
This was a cute read and I liked the idea of it, but like other reviewers, it almost seemed like Straub had a bingo card of all of the current hot issues she could think of and she tried to include as many as possible. This resulted in a ton of chaos in the book, with no topic getting the attention it deserved. I feel like things were either just dropped or explained away as "and then they were happy" which is a huge oversimplification of a lot of these issues. It felt almost like Straub painted herself into a corner with too many challenges and realized she wasn't going to be able to solve them all, so she just kind of made everything end happily ever after. In a YA book this would have been ok but it felt out of place in an adult book.
However, the characters were lovely and the plot was sweet when it wasn't being rushed, so I'd definitely read more from Straub.
However, the characters were lovely and the plot was sweet when it wasn't being rushed, so I'd definitely read more from Straub.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Minor: Pedophilia
etopp's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Infidelity, Death of parent, Outing, Abortion, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Bullying, Pedophilia, Car accident, and Adult/minor relationship
flavinja's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Pedophilia
Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Sexual content
leahlovesloslibros's review
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.5
This is a story about family, friendship, and life. Astrid Strick is the matriarch of a growing family. When she witnesses a school bus accident in the middle of town, it causes her to reflect on the choices she has made with her own children over the years, and to question life in a new way.
I will admit, I was not immediately drawn into this story. I usually don't mind multiple POV, but for the first chunk of this book, I was having a hard time following the story lines. I'm glad I pushed through. Straub had a creative way of weaving characters' lives into each other, not just within the family, but also in the relationships that we see among characters living in a small town. I can relate to this, having grown up in a Midwestern suburb where not many people leave, and often you have the 'everyone knows everyone and their business' feeling.
Another enjoyable aspect of this book was that the author didn't shy away from hard topics. This story delves into many such topics, including but not limited to: homophobia, transphobia, death, death of a parent, grief, infidelity, addiction, infertility, miscarriage, abortion. Some of these topics are mentioned briefly, but many are woven into characters' storylines, which shows their flaws and makes the story more relatable.
If you grew up in a small town, I definitely recommend this read. If you didn't, I still recommend this read. I believe everyone will find someone or something relatable in this book.
I will admit, I was not immediately drawn into this story. I usually don't mind multiple POV, but for the first chunk of this book, I was having a hard time following the story lines. I'm glad I pushed through. Straub had a creative way of weaving characters' lives into each other, not just within the family, but also in the relationships that we see among characters living in a small town. I can relate to this, having grown up in a Midwestern suburb where not many people leave, and often you have the 'everyone knows everyone and their business' feeling.
Another enjoyable aspect of this book was that the author didn't shy away from hard topics. This story delves into many such topics, including but not limited to: homophobia, transphobia, death, death of a parent, grief, infidelity, addiction, infertility, miscarriage, abortion. Some of these topics are mentioned briefly, but many are woven into characters' storylines, which shows their flaws and makes the story more relatable.
If you grew up in a small town, I definitely recommend this read. If you didn't, I still recommend this read. I believe everyone will find someone or something relatable in this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Abortion, Cursing, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use and Miscarriage
There is a brief Harry Potter reference.morganperks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, and Infidelity
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Deadnaming, Infertility, and Pedophilia
Minor: Abortion, Miscarriage, Medical content, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
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