Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

A Very Typical Family by Sierra Godfrey

10 reviews

ariana3's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.25

I thought this book was okay. I like the overall general premise and storyline, but some parts felt rushed whereas others felt too drawn out. The "romance" part was definitely a tease, but there were times I thought it was going to go in the direction of a full romance novel and I'm very glad it didn't. I did really love the ending, though it felt too Disney-movie-happy-ending (if that's your thing!). I also wish there was at least one or two more chapters at the end! But it was a good place to end and you can use your imagination for the future.
Plot summary:

The main character, Natalie, has 2 older siblings Lynn and Jake. Back when she was in high school and Lynn and Jake were in college, she called the cops on them because she was being spiteful yet they had drugs and were high in the house. Jake's friend ended up dying and Lynn and Jake went to jail for several years. After their mother dies, her will states in order to keep their beautiful Santa Cruz mansion, all 3 of them must reunite within a specific time period or the house is donated to the local historical society. Natalie hasn't talked to her siblings since they went to prison over 15 years before. She thinks her siblings hate her for what she did. But Natalie's personal life is falling apart, so she drives cross-country from Boston to Santa Cruz to find her siblings. She stays at the house with her cat, and eventually Lynn shows up with her tween son. Lynn has run away from her abusive husband to the house to start a new life. She's still bitter and holding a grudge against Natalie. Their brother Jake is missing. Natalie enlists the help of his lab-mate, who she slowly falls in love with. They eventually find Jake, who has been hiding out from everyone, including work, at their late mom's boyfriend's house. Turns out Jake isn't angry at either of them and wants them all to live together as a family unit in the house. Natalie quits her job in Boston, leaves her toxic relationship, and starts a dream program and job doing scientific illustration in Santa Cruz. I like how it was a nice ending, but it felt like everything tied up too perfectly and everyone got what they wanted. The book did not seem like that would happen, but everything worked out for everyone in the end.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal death and Drug use

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cancer, and Alcohol

mjs_18's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Cancer, Cursing, Drug abuse, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail

alysereadsbooks's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

 Listened to the audiobook. Overall enjoyed it, but was also a bit bored at times. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Vomit

Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Drug use, and Death of parent

marieeveparentroy's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

skyba3's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Blood, and Vomit

alanamccausland's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

Enjoyed the beginning. Hoped for more throughout. The middle dragged on. Didn’t like the ending - it felt abrupt. Good writing but I could tell it was a debut novel. Nice plot ideas but not always developed enough. Kinda cheesy in a bad way at times.. predictable. Craved more from the characters. *Forgiving yourself.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty and Cancer

erebus53's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

4.25

I picked up this one as a Big Library Read book. Libby sets things up so there are unlimited library eCopies of the book to download digitally (including Audiobook versions). Looking at the cover I presumed it might be pretty corny, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I was surprised to find myself as the target audience. The main character is a woman who has been settling for much of her life and has never chased up on her passion projects. She has allowed her partner to belittle her efforts and has fallen into a rut where it is normal for him to be the controlling partner in her life. When 2 life changing influences coincidentally shake her life up, she is given the headspace to reassess what she is doing with her life.

The main character is someone who is interested in drawing biological specimens. I vibed with her whole habit of finding cool minibeasts or bits of broken animal and wanting to keep records of them. FOR SCIENCE! I deeply identified with the feeling of having others disgusted by the objects of your fascination, wanting to get pictures of dead birds' feet, and also the problem of having baby mantises accidentally hatch in your bedroom.. or.. all over your bedroom.

This is also a story of family reconciliation. Getting an estranged family back together again as part of a family bequest makes this an inheritance story with some cool twists. It's got a lot more trauma than I was expecting. The sister is a kick-ass goth who is a trained mortician. I think I can see a theme in the way this family works.

Didn't really expect it to be so focused on romance though. I found the development of friendships and relationships in the story so captivating that I forgot to stop the book.. and then found I had oopsed a 1-day-read. Uhm.. yes I quite liked this one.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit

dev921's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

meganpbennett's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• 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

2.0

A Very Typical Family was chosen as the latest Big Library Read, and it looked interested, so I gave it a chance. It's realistic fiction, which is a genre I'm not usually a fan of, and it didn't change my mind. It was well-written, the characters were interesting, and the backstory involving the youngest sibling sending the brother and sister to prison is rather unique. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, and Abandonment

Moderate: Cancer and Death of parent

lizziaha's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.5

I might’ve enjoyed this book more if it had been about 100 pages shorter. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Vomit