hecksbecks'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
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Panic attacks/disorders
alyssajp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Car accident, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Addiction, Pregnancy, and Alcoholism
fremzz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Where this falls into my Mariana Zapata books ranking:
1. From Lukov with love
2. When Gracie met the grump
3. The wall of Winnipeg and me
4. Dear Aaron
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug use
Content warning clarifications (could be spoilery) (maybe I missed something): The moderate warning relates to a side character but it’s a plot point in the book. The minor warnings relate to the mc’s family members but they are not too descriptive/in the pastjoey_paige's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Violence, Addiction, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Physical abuse, Abandonment, Deportation, Grief, and Sexual harassment
ashhreadings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Minor: Domestic abuse, Bullying, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Addiction
faithlipka's review
4.5
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and Child abuse
hannibanani29's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Child abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Deportation, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Alcoholism
Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, Murder, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Vomit, Violence, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, and Grief
onestepforward's review against another edition
What bothers me about this book is the way Vanessa discusses her mother and sisters as well as the effects of addiction and familial trauma.
Spoiler
In cases of familial abuse and abandonment, no one is obligated to forgive nor to let those people be part of your life. I fully support Vanessa not wanting to have any sort of relationship with her sisters. However, Vanessa would always talk about how she and Suzy grew up under the "same conditions" and how Suzy had *decided* to be the way that she is. Yes, Suzy most definitely decided to bully Vanessa when they lived together. When Vanessa caught her rummaging for money, she decided to hit Vanessa with that car and leave her there, probably hoping she'd killed her. Vanessa *should not* associate with Suzy unless absolutely necessary. Still, like her, Suzy grew up with an absent mother, most likely never knowing her father, and, unfortunately, with easy access to drugs and alcohol. Vanessa says herself that she knows Suzy is mentally ill. Therefore, it was not Suzy's *choice* to feel abandoned by her mother. She did not choose to be born into this family, just as Vanessa did not choose it. That in no way excuses Suzy's actions, but it does mean that Van shouldn't minimize the trauma all her siblings felt because of their family situation.Vanessa is a more emotionally stable person who thankfully did not develop any substance addiction. In the same sense that Aiden doesn't talk to his parents, Vanessa has no obligation to ever talk to her sisters or even her mother, but I can't ignore how Mariana Zapata seemed to dismiss the effects of addiction and abandonment in the sisters' lives as well. Two people who experience the same abandonment, the same trauma at the hand of the same person, will not be affected the same way.
Moderate: Physical abuse, Abandonment, Car accident, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Addiction and Panic attacks/disorders
juju_nani's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence
Minor: Addiction
ruby85's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse