Reviews

I Must Have You by JoAnna Novak

literatihottie's review

2.0

This is one of those books where the author is trying very hard to play with language and it didn't work for me. Instead of interesting turns of phrase, I felt the writing to be somewhat pretentious and I think it muddied the already messy story telling tbh. This book also felt unfinished to me. It didn't feel like there was any point to anything, no redemption, maybe hints at growth and healing but ultimately just super frustrating. I was really disappointed because I expected this to be really compelling, but I just found everyone to be unlikeable and the writing a little ham-fisted.

cappuccino_'s review

dark medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Drug use, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, and Adult/minor relationship

jadentyler's review

3.0

tw: eating disorders, grooming, so much more.... this book is one big tw so read with caution

um, really dark? really disturbing? not much else to say....

i dreaded anna’s chapters, so boring for me TBH.

i don’t think i got the ending. that’s all okay bye

akaroo's review

3.0

Told from a trio of narratives--Elliot, a teenaged admitted anorexic and self-proclaimed "life coach" mentoring other young girls with dangerous and life-threatening advice; Lisa, Elliot's ex-friend whose illness has landed her in rehab; and Anna, Elliot's college professor mother with a hidden coke habit and proclivity for sleeping with one of her young, male students--Joanna Novack's I Must Have You is a look into the secret world of teenage anorexics, and all the messiness it entails. Its story is filled with rocky relationships, dirty secrets and enough 90s pop-culture references to make any reader who considers the mid-to-late 90s their heyday overflow with nostalgia. While it's nothing groundbreaking, it's a pretty solid debut novel. It's a tale of fraying relationships with all the Kurt Cobain, koosh ball and Trapper Keeper references you could hope for.

hannahjoy's review

I liked it but ED related stuff is not for me right now. 

emmichaela's review

2.0

This is one of those books where the author is trying very hard to play with language and it didn't work for me. Instead of interesting turns of phrase, I felt the writing to be somewhat pretentious and I think it muddied the already messy story telling tbh. This book also felt unfinished to me. It didn't feel like there was any point to anything, no redemption, maybe hints at growth and healing but ultimately just super frustrating. I was really disappointed because I expected this to be really compelling, but I just found everyone to be unlikeable and the writing a little ham-fisted.

rachelmansmckenny's review

Got this as an ARC from NetGalley. I liked the idea of a 90s-set epic, but in practice this book didn't resonate with me and I DNF-ed at 30%. Grit and lots of trappings of 90s culture. Probably will be a great book for some.