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junoxx's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The book was good, but it just didn’t pull me in the same way The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School did.
Ari and Shawni are such cutie patooties!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Minor: Biphobia and Transphobia
dcdc's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Biphobia, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault
swagnn's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
cloreadsbooks1364's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
This YA contemporary fiction novel features Ari, who is r@ped by a popular, powerful boy called Luis Ortega. She is invited to join a group comprising of some of Luis's many victims, and they try to expose him as the piece of crap he is.
The Luis Ortega Survival Club
By Sonora Reyes
4.75/5⭐️
Our protagonist, Ari, is autistic with selective mutism. This results in her social life being nonexistent, until she meets the other Club members. I found her to be a very relatable protagonist, and thought that the autism rep was very good. It took her most of the book to realise that what her article about Luis required was her own experience, but I feel like she knew internally that she'd have to tell her story eventually to have any chance of succeeding in ensuring that Luis wouldn't harm any more girls. I felt sorry for how her mother treated her like a therapist, and was very glad when everything turned out well for Ari.
Shawni, the creator of the club and the love interest of Ari, was a great character, though maybe she lacked a smidge of development? I liked how she made sure there was always paper and a pen on hand so that Ari could communicate with the group!
Jasmine, Nina, and Angel (the other group members) were also very lovable. We learnt the least about Nina, which is unfortunate as I really enjoyed their friendly nature.
Jasmine seemed to be a very loyal friend, and I liked how she and Angel stuck by each other no matter what.
The pacing was perfect, I actually read this book in a single day and never got tired of it.
The ending was so happy it felt unrealistic, but I still consider it to be perfect as this is a story about hope, about naming and shaming predators, taking back control, and untwisting the narrative.
Queer rep:
Queer protagonist (unlabelled)
Bi side character
Nonbinary side character
TWs: r@pe (off-page), bullying, sexual assault, sexual harassment, infidelity, abelism, gaslighting, biphobia
The Luis Ortega Survival Club
By Sonora Reyes
4.75/5⭐️
Our protagonist, Ari, is autistic with selective mutism. This results in her social life being nonexistent, until she meets the other Club members. I found her to be a very relatable protagonist, and thought that the autism rep was very good. It took her most of the book to realise that what her article about Luis required was her own experience, but I feel like she knew internally that she'd have to tell her story eventually to have any chance of succeeding in ensuring that Luis wouldn't harm any more girls. I felt sorry for how her mother treated her like a therapist, and was very glad when everything turned out well for Ari.
Shawni, the creator of the club and the love interest of Ari, was a great character, though maybe she lacked a smidge of development? I liked how she made sure there was always paper and a pen on hand so that Ari could communicate with the group!
Jasmine, Nina, and Angel (the other group members) were also very lovable. We learnt the least about Nina, which is unfortunate as I really enjoyed their friendly nature.
Jasmine seemed to be a very loyal friend, and I liked how she and Angel stuck by each other no matter what.
The pacing was perfect, I actually read this book in a single day and never got tired of it.
The ending was so happy it felt unrealistic, but I still consider it to be perfect as this is a story about hope, about naming and shaming predators, taking back control, and untwisting the narrative.
Queer rep:
Queer protagonist (unlabelled)
Bi side character
Nonbinary side character
TWs: r@pe (off-page), bullying, sexual assault, sexual harassment, infidelity, abelism, gaslighting, biphobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Ableism, Biphobia, Bullying, Infidelity, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment
kays_reading_journal's review against another edition
4.25
Official content warnings: Bullying, Rape (aftermath, not on-page), Sexual assault (a slap on the butt), sexual harassment
It says aftermath not on page, but I felt like the memories were pretty graphic. I’d also add PTSD.
I really did enjoy this book. I loved the main character and the found family and all.
It just felt a bit too short despite being a pretty average length. I wish that we had gotten to spend a bit more time with Ari’s parents, and some of the ending felt a bit rushed.
(I still really enjoyed this book! It’s just easier to write about negatives than positives)
It says aftermath not on page, but I felt like the memories were pretty graphic. I’d also add PTSD.
I really did enjoy this book. I loved the main character and the found family and all.
It just felt a bit too short despite being a pretty average length. I wish that we had gotten to spend a bit more time with Ari’s parents, and some of the ending felt a bit rushed.
(I still really enjoyed this book! It’s just easier to write about negatives than positives)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Biphobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Infidelity
chloe_601's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I initially had a hard time reading through the first ~25% of this book. I was getting angry at the situation Ariana was in and the inner monologue of feeling like everything that happened was her fault, and that if she had just done something different, it would have been okay . But as the plot went on, I liked watching the survival club try and formulate a way to get justice for the lives and reputations that had been ruined.
This book dealt with some very heavy subject matter, especially for YA, but I am very glad that a book like this exists, because it is important to know this is a real thing that can happen (as fucked up and heartbreaking as that is).
I also enjoyed the portrayal of the main character having autism and selective mutism. I don’t see that very often in books, and growing up with siblings who also had nonverbal days, it was refreshing to see the understanding with how it was depicted. Especially the relationship between understanding social cues and friendship/relationship dynamics.Though it made what Luis did even more fucked up .
The ending was definitely a little clean, but I think it’s good to have a story where things do work out. In some ways it was hopeful, butthe fact they had to take matters into their own hands because they would not have been believed felt disheartening because of how true that is in so many cases .
Unrelated to everything else but the chapters were really short which made this easy for my brain to focus and binge in one sitting
This book dealt with some very heavy subject matter, especially for YA, but I am very glad that a book like this exists, because it is important to know this is a real thing that can happen (as fucked up and heartbreaking as that is).
I also enjoyed the portrayal of the main character having autism and selective mutism. I don’t see that very often in books, and growing up with siblings who also had nonverbal days, it was refreshing to see the understanding with how it was depicted. Especially the relationship between understanding social cues and friendship/relationship dynamics.
The ending was definitely a little clean, but I think it’s good to have a story where things do work out. In some ways it was hopeful, but
Unrelated to everything else but the chapters were really short which made this easy for my brain to focus and binge in one sitting
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual harassment
Minor: Biphobia and Violence
imstephtacular's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Abandonment
sadhbhprice's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Biphobia, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
jkreads's review
challenging
emotional
funny
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
This was such a wonderful book! I adored the relationships that formed over the course of this story, both romantic and platonic. I felt that this book handled some incredibly sensitive topics with grace and care, not dancing around them but also not falling into trauma porn.
It was so refreshing to read a book written from the perspective of an autistic person with selective mutism, I’ve read books in the past with an autistic MC but I think this is the first one I’ve read that had that added mutism/nonverbal component. I’m not part of the autistic community however I’m always looking for more stories with good rep! There was some ADHD rep and this is a community I AM a part of, I felt the small glimpse we got to see of that was pretty well done.
There were also a range of different sexualities and gender expressions represented throughout the book and I felt these were weaved in well - they didn’t feel tokenistic or forced, just realistic and representative of a typical high school and of society as a whole.
Overall I adored this book, the audio narration was a wonderful easy listen and I fell in love with the characters very quickly. The way they loved and looked out for each other was so beautiful.
Definitely be mindful of content warnings going in to this one, as I mentioned earlier it addresses some topics that may be triggering for some.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Biphobia
skye_era_books's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Literally 5 million stars. Please note that this deals with rape/SA. I absolutely love the main characters. I’ve never read about a semi-mute autistic person so this was so interesting to read from their perspective! Such an amazing sound family trope, even if they came together for such a horrible reason. I’m so glad they all have each other and that Luis Ortega was brought to justice!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Cursing, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Biphobia