gracepharro's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol and Gun violence
Minor: Hate crime
elisalasater's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.5
Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Incest
Moderate: Misogyny, Police brutality, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Suicide
art3m1sxx's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
There are time jumps that could seem annoying to most, but in my opinion I found it helped the story. I had an inkling about a few things, but was still surprised at all of the twists!
I’m giving it a 4/5 as in my opinion, there should definitely be trigger warnings in the beginning of the book — but overall I really enjoyed it!!!
Graphic: Sexual content, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Suicide, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Incest
Moderate: Bullying
cass_booktok's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Suicide, Gun violence, Incest, Rape, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Addiction, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Self harm
marine2907's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Incest, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Suicide
hannibanani29's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Sexual content, Bullying, Child abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Cursing, and Grief
Minor: Blood, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Drug use, and Hate crime
pippamillerxoxo_'s review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Car accident, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Addiction, Incest, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Death, Gore, Medical content, Blood, and Rape
emmastdlr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Kidnapping, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
Minor: Alcohol
katelynmill2's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
I think this one of the better Colleen Hoover books I’ve read but it didn’t sweep me off my feet the way some of her other books have. It was sad at times, but I didn’t cry (even though I sure wanted to and at times I had a couple tears working their way up). I think the main reason it’s not a 5 star read for me is because it was just kinda.. predictable? I kind of knew a lot of the big “reveals” because of the foreshadowing. For example,
Spoiler
Sky doesn’t really ever want sex and disassociates when men kiss and touch her. Was definitely a red flag and confirmed my later suspicions. In the first flashback chapter, it says how as a child she was afraid of the doorknob turning at night. I put two and two together.The first third of the book is spent building up Sky’s life and watching her make friends with Breckin and Holder. But once things speed up, Breckin and Six aren’t mentioned again until the last like 40 pages (this is a 406 page book, btw).
There were some problematic things in this book, like how Holder (and Sky) didn’t like crying because it was weak. I know this is realistic and toxic masculinity and all that but I just felt like it was such a useless theme to hold onto throughout the book (especially when both of the main characters went through a lot and really needed to feel their emotions.) It felt like it was used to connect the characters, too. Like Sky would try not to cry and then Holder would be like “it’s ok to be weak in front of me.”
Not to mention how Holder practically demanded she get on birth control and Sky had nothing more to say than “ok, I’ll get on it but you could ask nicely?”
Some people think this book felt far fetched but I didn’t. Things like this happen all the time in real life, as sad as it is to say.
However, I did really love the themes in this book. The idea that three people can experience the same thing and react in completely different ways (and I appreciated how none of the ways were judged.) I also loved how it indirectly talked about having an inner child, and how your experiences don’t define you, the way you react does. I liked how it talked about still finding the courage to smile even after everything you’ve been through and how important it is.
I think it’s hard to read about but I think it a real look on trauma and the many ways someone can handle trauma. It alludes to PTSD and disassociating, even though those two things are never specifically named.
Overall, I really did like this book and I actually do love the main characters, regardless of the fact that it doesn’t seem like I do.
Graphic: Suicide and Bullying
Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual content, and Rape
Minor: Sexism, Addiction, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
_kayreads_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
Graphic: Alcohol and Alcoholism