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likewise444's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was amazing. It was a beautiful second book and left me ready for a third. The characters and chemistry are dynamic. The plot is thought inducing and hypnotizing. I loved this book!
Content Warnings
Minor: Confinement, Drug use, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
kbshelves_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.0
Here comes Ollie. Prepare yourself for the agony.
The first one was all about Mia navigating her trauma, and this one was all about Ollie mastering his disorder. (I hate using that term bc I agree with Mia that his ability to feel is beautiful.)
As in the first one, there's a lot of back and forth, push and pull, and it is heart wrenching to watch unfold. The moral of his story is kind of simple: always get a second opinion.
That was the first half. The second was all about solving the mystery of who was attacking Mia. This took the book much darker than the first. There are suicides, violent attacks, bullying, and it's just a downright scary time to be Mia. Thankfully, her best friend is a security guard and her boyfriend is overprotective af.
I think I liked this less bc the attacks are so vicious yet Mia recovers very quickly. And the friend group really breaks apart and there's not real apology or intervention there. The book became just Mia, Ollie, and sometimes Zeke and while it was still beautiful and healing and a good peace to what was an awful start of the year, I just felt a lot got tossed to the side that I'd once thought were important.
A moment for Zeke. That little boy has Ollie's heart and therefore, mine, and I am so proud of his story.
But that ending??? What a twist! I was suspicious, so I'd say I called it, but not entirely. The best thing about it were the details were all given to us, we just didn't see it for what it was. I knew this one couldn't end on a happy note and I'm terrified for what Ollie is about to go through next.
I want to zoom through the last but I don't want this to end. Look at me getting into a series and finishing it altogether, though. I thank NF.
The first one was all about Mia navigating her trauma, and this one was all about Ollie mastering his disorder. (I hate using that term bc I agree with Mia that his ability to feel is beautiful.)
As in the first one, there's a lot of back and forth, push and pull, and it is heart wrenching to watch unfold. The moral of his story is kind of simple: always get a second opinion.
That was the first half. The second was all about solving the mystery of who was attacking Mia. This took the book much darker than the first. There are suicides, violent attacks, bullying, and it's just a downright scary time to be Mia. Thankfully, her best friend is a security guard and her boyfriend is overprotective af.
I think I liked this less bc the attacks are so vicious yet Mia recovers very quickly. And the friend group really breaks apart and there's not real apology or intervention there. The book became just Mia, Ollie, and sometimes Zeke and while it was still beautiful and healing and a good peace to what was an awful start of the year, I just felt a lot got tossed to the side that I'd once thought were important.
A moment for Zeke. That little boy has Ollie's heart and therefore, mine, and I am so proud of his story.
But that ending??? What a twist! I was suspicious, so I'd say I called it, but not entirely. The best thing about it were the details were all given to us, we just didn't see it for what it was. I knew this one couldn't end on a happy note and I'm terrified for what Ollie is about to go through next.
I want to zoom through the last but I don't want this to end. Look at me getting into a series and finishing it altogether, though. I thank NF.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Violence, and Blood
queencariad's review
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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
3.0
Sigh. Unfortunately, this second book was a bit disappointing to me. It didn’t hit the way Stay With Me did
The first half feels like running in circles. An endless back and forth with no progress whatsoever, just repetitions of “it’s not you” and “i’ll fix this” and both our MCs trying to stir a reaction from the other in the weirdest ways.
I loved that this volume had double POVs but to be honest, Ollie’s was really confusing to me at the beginning. His behavior didn’t make sense, he was literally aware of everything yet barely did anything about it and kept taking the meds…
I also didn’t understand the year apart request. Why a whole year?!
I am aware that this was all a focus on his mental health and also on medication so I cannot possibly rate the book BASED on that, especially considering my nonexistent experience in that regard, but I have to at least mention it because it got me so confused at times.
The progress of events and overall execution in the first half bothered me.
Thankfully, all of this got better in the second half. I guess I just can’t stand Mia and Ollie not being together?
I liked Ethan at first but I didn’t like where his relationship with Mia was going. She deserved something that didn’t have to be tainted with sexual attraction. She deserved to just have a friend, a protector, not another inbetween. I feel like his action were not driven by his feelings for her but by his own selfishness.
I guessed a few plot twists but not what happened in the very end.
Huge love to Zeke, my boy.
Long story short, after the beauty and turmoil of Stay With Me, this second volume felt a bit messier. Will definitely finish the series now that I’m at it though, especially after that end.
3 stars.
The first half feels like running in circles. An endless back and forth with no progress whatsoever, just repetitions of “it’s not you” and “i’ll fix this” and both our MCs trying to stir a reaction from the other in the weirdest ways.
I loved that this volume had double POVs but to be honest, Ollie’s was really confusing to me at the beginning. His behavior didn’t make sense, he was literally aware of everything yet barely did anything about it and kept taking the meds…
I also didn’t understand the year apart request. Why a whole year?!
I am aware that this was all a focus on his mental health and also on medication so I cannot possibly rate the book BASED on that, especially considering my nonexistent experience in that regard, but I have to at least mention it because it got me so confused at times.
The progress of events and overall execution in the first half bothered me.
Thankfully, all of this got better in the second half. I guess I just can’t stand Mia and Ollie not being together?
I liked Ethan at first but I didn’t like where his relationship with Mia was going. She deserved something that didn’t have to be tainted with sexual attraction. She deserved to just have a friend, a protector, not another inbetween. I feel like his action were not driven by his feelings for her but by his own selfishness.
I guessed a few plot twists but not what happened in the very end.
Huge love to Zeke, my boy.
Long story short, after the beauty and turmoil of Stay With Me, this second volume felt a bit messier. Will definitely finish the series now that I’m at it though, especially after that end.
3 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, and Blood
frozen_in_fiction's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, and Grief
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
disneyworld2's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail