Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

10 reviews

shawnalemley's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Death of parent

fabphryne's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Grief

Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent

gwenswoons's review

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It’s beautiful — the writing and characters are lovely, and the English academic setting is vivid painted and lovingly rendered. It is definitely not my favorite type of romance novel: so unbelievably dark with the terminal diagnosis thread running throughout, HEA notwithstanding; so I am definitely NOT likely to try the comps of Jojo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks that the blurb mentions. But if a more heart-wrenchy romance is for you it’s a good one! For me when I read romance I just truly want something that feels more constant in the hopefulness and okayness (even though I love contemporary romance that has complicated MCs, realistic backstories, et al!). Definitely glad I read this and will read other Julia Whelan — Thanks For Listening was one of my faves when I first was getting into the genre so I will totally look forward to her lighter stuff (and like, that one even has some major trauma in the female MC’s backstory, but it wasn’t so deep in the weeds depressing for as big a chunk as this one). Obviously the audio narration for both novels (by Whelan) is totally gorgeous and perfect!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

hrmason's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Death of parent

kimveach's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad fast-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

4.5

I loved this book.  Julia Whelan is one of my favorite narrators, and I also like her writing.  The beginning of the book seemed like a typical romance, but it had so much more than that.  It was a delightful "listen."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying and Car accident

mels_reading_log's review

emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book surprised me by switching halfway through from a comedy about an American’s adventures in Oxford to a romantic tragedy. I loved it, I loved the couple and the friends, I burst out laughing and their very literary conversations and cried through the confessions. I highly recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Sexual assault

clareypotter's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Terminal illness

novellybritt's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer and Chronic illness

Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent

lauren_miller's review

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Going into it I really thought this book would be light and lovely, similar in sense to something like Love & Gelato. What I got was so. much. more. It's honestly a miracle I'm not sobbing my eyes out right now. There are all too many platitudes to poorly express how much I needed this book and all that it's done for me the past few days; let's just say it's done plenty.

a poetic 5 out of 5 stars, ★★★★★

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Terminal illness

Minor: Sexism and Abortion

shred's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

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Content Warnings

Minor: Chronic illness and Terminal illness