The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! š
forestthing's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed the read a lot but some parts felt a bit rushed and unfinished, although not unsatisfying. It's not world moving but still makes you think a bit. Over all a good but not amazing read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Blood and Alcohol
amy_reading_23's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book made me cry in a good way ā¤ļø its just so cute! š
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Medical content, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Car accident
ebancroft's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
3.5
I really enjoyed this book. I felt like not a lot happened, the plot wasnāt an extravagance, but I really liked it.Ā
I fell in love with the Other Ones, the unlikely gang of 4. They melted my heart and I just loved reading all about them, I wanted to carry on reading for pages and pages after the book had ended.Ā
I would love another book, I want to know what happens to everyone next, and how their stories play out, but my selfish needs aside, this book ended perfectly I thought. So well rounded and fleshed out.Ā
My perfect type of book, only getting a 3.5 but thatās not bc itās bad in anyway, the best word I can describe this book as is āniceā. Perfect cosy little read for October, leaves you feeling warm.Ā
I fell in love with the Other Ones, the unlikely gang of 4. They melted my heart and I just loved reading all about them, I wanted to carry on reading for pages and pages after the book had ended.Ā
I would love another book, I want to know what happens to everyone next, and how their stories play out, but my selfish needs aside, this book ended perfectly I thought. So well rounded and fleshed out.Ā
My perfect type of book, only getting a 3.5 but thatās not bc itās bad in anyway, the best word I can describe this book as is āniceā. Perfect cosy little read for October, leaves you feeling warm.Ā
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Minor: Car accident
bookishmind_13's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Iām having a lot of trouble figuring out how to rate this one and how to organise my thoughts into an actual cohesive review so please bear with my ramblingš
Iām going to do something I donāt normally do and start by listing the things that I didnāt really like about this book:
I was really excited to pick this book up (I mean a spooky, queer book about a group of friends and a haunted house! Couldnāt think of anything better), however right from the first page I wasnāt really sure if I was going to enjoy it. The main reason for that, is the writing style felt really amateur and basic. The descriptions felt off, everything felt rushed and nothing really flowed that well, it all just felt quite stiff. Bad writing always turns me off of a book quite quickly but this time I decided to keep going. (Iām certainly glad I did.)
My other main issue with this book was that it didnāt really have a plot, at all. I was really intrigued by the premise of the haunted house and was expecting a really spooky/ scary read but it was nothing like I imagined it would be. The idea of the haunted house and ghosts was actually fairly irrelevant throughout most of the bookĀ until the end and by the time I was halfway through absolutely nothing had really happened in terms of the plot. It wasnāt until around the last 50 pages that something started to happen and even that felt quite rushed and unnecessary.Ā
This distinct lack of any kind of plot or purpose would normally really put me off, however, despite all of the aforementioned issues I really enjoyed this book.Ā
The Other Ones is an extremely character driven book, with the main focus being entirely on our leading couple. At itās core, itās a gay romance and I think the blurb was slightly misleading. If it had been portrayed as such more in the synopsis I think wouldāve been able to enjoy it even more, without the slight sense of betrayal. In reality, the spooky, haunted house, graveyard, Halloween type feel was really just a backdrop as opposed to a plot.Ā
Once I got past this, I absolutely adored this read.Ā
Our main character Sal is a fairly grumpy introvert who has no real desire to interact with anyone other than his one best friend Dirk (popular football player) and his older sister Asha. This is until Pax comes along.Ā
Pax is extremely weird. He wears strange homemade clothes that are almost exclusively knitted and brightly coloured; has absolutely no concept of social cues and doesnāt really care all the much what anybody thinks about him; he also really loves ghosts.Ā
In the beginning I really didnāt think this pairing would work at all and generally, I am not a fan of romances and hate the idea of forced couples more than anything else. I also hate books where romance fixes everything and Iām so glad this wasnāt the case as I was originally expecting it to be. Itās almost a soft enemies to lovers and it becomes a grumpy bf + sunshine bf type thing which I absolutely adored. It truly did start to feel that these two were made for each other, despite having absolutely nothing in common.Ā
Although, I did feel that some more attention couldāve been put into fleshing out Elsie and Dirkās personalities and backstories a little more as sometimes I felt they were a bit lacking. However there was such a positive and feel good atmosphere in all the scenes where they were all hanging out together that felt really cozy.Ā
My favourite character of all had to be Pax. He was just incredible. He was so content in himself despite being extremely bad a socialising and considered weird by everyone around him. He just constantly gives off this intensely warm and comforting energy that melts my heart and at times nearly brought me to tears with how sweet he is. Heās like a little ray of sunshine.Ā
Now something I have always very vocally hated is unnecessary/forced/ poorly written scenes of physical affection. The first kiss in the book was anything but that. It was so well written and done in a way that I havenāt really seen before. It was so unbelievably sweet and innocent and adorable.Ā
The main thing about all of this that I loved, was that Sal had no idea he was gay and neither did anyone around him, however, it wasnāt a big deal at any point. There was no major coming out, there was none of the post-realisation emotional turmoil, no homophobia, it was no big deal. There were a few small discussions between close friends/family that were fairly easy and uneventful but that was it. It wasnāt seen as this huge dramatic thing as it often is, it just wasā¦ he was gay and that was it. It was honestly so refreshing to see it done like this, queer joy all the way through. Yes there was drama, but none of it had to do with being gay. I think it is so important to have books like this available that just show queer characters enjoying their lives with no backlash about their identities. Characters where being gay isnāt their only personality trait.Ā
Despite what I consider to be poor writing and a lack of time to fully develop the characters and plot, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I truly could not stop smiling and giggling the whole time. It was warm and comforting and peaceful and so easy to get lost in that I finished it in almost one sitting. Itās one of those books thatās calling for me to reread it already and return to the peace and comfort that it brought me.Ā
If you are a critical reader who desperately needs good writing and a distinct plot to be able to immerse yourself in a book, then I donāt think The Other Ones is for you. However, if you loved heartstopper and enjoy queer, character driven, comforting reads, or need something quick and easy to make you smile and get you out of a slump I really recommend.Ā
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, Car accident, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Mental illness, Alcohol, and Bullying
emmasmithbooks's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
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
3.75
I really really liked this book, and I'd absolutely recommend it to anyone who loves Heartstopper or anything like that. It was wholesome and sweet and had some of the most beautiful description, and I so want to reread when it comes back to autumn :")
I loved the characters. I loved Pax. He's one of the sweetest characters I've read in a long time, and his relationship with Sal is the loveliest thing, and beats Nick and Charlie's by a long shot. I loved the twist, loved Asha and her development. I loved so so many things about this book, and I'm so glad books like this exist and feature characters this unique and diverse.
I just wanted more. More ghosts, more mystery. More of Elsie, who was kind of shoved in as an afterthought, it felt, not as a whole character. More of the sad stuff, the heavy stuff. More of Pax and Sal's relationship. More memories, more trauma. And more British! The high school was a weird hybrid of British and American schools, with the weird canteen and old building and winter ball, the way the village was supposed to be small and close-knit, yet with a... secondary school? It felt a bit like the plot was something meant for small town America, shoved into a random village in the English countryside. And while I love UKYA, I was confused. I didn't need to be confused.
This is one hundred percent going to be my top rec next autumn, because I always want to read about rainy days in Pax's attic bedroom and pumpkins bursting, Halloween parties and cornfields dying, crunchy leaves, bonfires and s'mores. Never have I read such a wholesome book... but it should've been a hundred pages longer.
I loved the characters. I loved Pax. He's one of the sweetest characters I've read in a long time, and his relationship with Sal is the loveliest thing, and beats Nick and Charlie's by a long shot. I loved the twist, loved Asha and her development. I loved so so many things about this book, and I'm so glad books like this exist and feature characters this unique and diverse.
I just wanted more. More ghosts, more mystery. More of Elsie, who was kind of shoved in as an afterthought, it felt, not as a whole character. More of the sad stuff, the heavy stuff. More of Pax and Sal's relationship. More memories, more trauma. And more British! The high school was a weird hybrid of British and American schools, with the weird canteen and old building and winter ball, the way the village was supposed to be small and close-knit, yet with a... secondary school? It felt a bit like the plot was something meant for small town America, shoved into a random village in the English countryside. And while I love UKYA, I was confused. I didn't need to be confused.
This is one hundred percent going to be my top rec next autumn, because I always want to read about rainy days in Pax's attic bedroom and pumpkins bursting, Halloween parties and cornfields dying, crunchy leaves, bonfires and s'mores. Never have I read such a wholesome book... but it should've been a hundred pages longer.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent
nicole_zx's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Car accident, Abandonment, and Misogyny
Minor: Homophobia, Blood, and Toxic friendship
xtsukix's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This was not at all what I expected and I loved every second of it.Ā
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Abandonment, and Car accident
Moderate: Vomit, Violence, Outing, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Blood, and Medical content
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