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quasinaut's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It mostly worked for me that most of the time it was A.J.'s POV, but sometimes we saw from Ismay or Lambiase or Amelia - but honestly, these moments with other characters just made me want more from them (and perhaps less from A.J. especially when he was at his prickliest). And yet the book also underscored that even the prickliest amongst us needs to find their people, their friends and chosen family.
I briefly started this book a few years ago and bounced off of it, but I'm glad to have read and finished it now.
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide
rachel101's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Abandonment, and Alcohol
ed_w's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Terminal illness, Car accident, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
caseythereader'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content
haleiyoung's review against another edition
- 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
Some characters are irredeemable, which this book definitely has in my opinion, but there are characters who make huge mistakes and you can't help but feel for their situation, which this book also has (and just to make it clear, those who are irredeemable are not those I feel for because
My one critique would be about the number of parentheses and information dumping the author chose to keep in during the first few chapters. As the book progressed the words came much smoother, but in the beginning I felt like I was being bogged with a bunch of need to know information but presented in an ineloquent fashion.
Now here's a part with a spoiler
But I love the adoption trope in this book. Although I HATE when books or movies portray someone dumping their child onto an unwilling party, the way AJ accepts Maya into his home and loves her like he would his own daughter, and then Amelia doing the same when they get married is beautiful. I was adopted, and seeing it portrayed in such a way that sees AJ being seen as the legitimate dad and Amelia as the legitimate mom and not just the "adoptive parents" makes me heart so happy.
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Racism and Car accident
Nothing is explained in explicit detail. There is some insinuation to sex, but nothing descriptive. Racism- there is a brief insensitive remark made to the main character and family Miscarriage and infertility- nothing explicit, but talk around it is fairly un-emotive and swept aside toxic relationship- not the main character's relationship, but his sister-in-laws Car accident- nothing graphic, but results in deathbociti's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt
kaylaboevers'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
3.75
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Suicide, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity and Car accident
Minor: Infertility
blewballoon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Suicide, and Car accident
Minor: Alcoholism, Racism, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
bakergirlsbooks1999's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Vomit, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
katierobertsonshaddix's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail