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velorum's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
There’s a ton of Internet jargon and pop culture references and slang, there’s generational trauma among a slew of trigger warnings and love and family and culture. There was so MUCH (please heed the trigger warnings) and yet so much silliness and lightness that framed this story. Maybe that speaks to the author’s point of how life can be jarring and full and sad.
I prefer my epilogues to be ADDITIONAL to the story. Here, the epilogue was doing all the work to wrap up loose ends.
This story between Shane and Eva (Genevieve) is melancholy and a rapid, all-consuming love story. It burns and burns out. Their second-chance encounter makes you want to know what the hell happed that week in June 15 years ago, and it all unravels as the story moves on.
On second note, the last three chapters (epilogue included) were just a RUSH of plot and character development, and not in a good way…
TBC…
Graphic: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
rickireadss's review against another edition
3.0
⚠️: self harm, drug abuse, alcoholism, drug use, addiction, chronic illness, suicidal thoughts, mental illness, suicidal attempt, abandonment, gun violence, death, grief, injury/injury detail, child abuse, child death, violence, sexual assault, toxic relationship, blood, sexual harassment, emotional abuse, racism, medical content, car accident, medical trauma, death of parent, domestic abuse, physical abuse, bullying, panic attacks/disorders, murder, forced institutionalization, pedophilia, vomit, ableism, sexism, adult/minor relationship
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder
jikuuu08'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
4.75
the way the words were constructed into a blade slicing deliciously into my throat, having me in a chokehold.
the way you THOUGHT the back stories lined up, but really the truth comes and you drop to the floor staring at the ceiling, mind blown.
this book was so beautiful to read and it had me grasping for more, WAITING for a moment where i could continue reading, the anticipation to what would happen next.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
marstone'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
5.0
I don’t read romance books, its not a genre I'm very interested in because I find it predictable, but if I were to read any romance, I am so happy it was this. It was not what I was expecting it to be at all and I almost didn’t commit to continuing it, but I cannot stop thinking about this book now.
This is about 2 writers who shared an intimate romance in high school which was very brief. Now, years later as adults they have been reconnected and the main character wants to know why their relationship ended so soon and is trying to navigate trauma, chronic illness, and adult responsibilities while also grappling with her feelings towards him and the past that is being brought up again. As authors of different genres, they have been writing their characters based off of each other, in a way sending each other messages that they are still a part of each other’s lives.
I’m not a fan of stories that include real life social media references or current slang (since I mostly read fantasy) because I feel like it takes me out of the story, but it’s not too over the top in this book and ultimately added a bit of lightheartedness to it.
This was much darker than I anticipated with the themes it explored and the characters backstory and how broken they were but just trying to keep themselves together now yet there is agony and yearning gnawing at them with the intensity of their intimacy of just seven days and how they are forced to face that again and figure out how they fit into each other’s lives now as adults.
This was absolutely beautiful and heart wrenching to see the trauma and sense of abandonment (a lot of trigger warnings listed) and figuring out why everything happened the way it did. I was so invested in their story and cried 5 times. I love it i love it i love it.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, and Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
ashesonthebeach's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
sterreks'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
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood and Car accident
goldenjoy'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
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
honestlybella'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
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Self harm
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment
readingwithjass's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
marena02'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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment