bbrewer14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Colleen Hoover’s books are enjoyable to me, but despite how much I enjoyed this book, I will consider it a guilty pleasure since it was kind of poorly written and juvenile. The character names were over the top and despite the decent character development, the ending was so succinct and tidy that it left me wanting. The idea that life in a world as dysfunctional as the one of the characters presented in this book can be wrapped up with a tidy little bow was why I rated the book in the 3’s. It leaves you wanting more from the characters and the author.
The book’s focus is on the Voss family. Twin sisters Merit and Honor, older brother Utah, the father, the mother (Victoria), the stepmother (also Victoria), the young half-sibling Moby, the step-uncle Luck and a family friend Sagan make up the main characters. All of these people live in a remodeled church in a small TX town. The mother lives downstairs and suffers from a multitude of health issues. The father, the kids, the stepparent and stepuncle and friend all live upstairs. The main character, Merit, feels alienated and unwanted. The book explores her journey within her family and other relationships as she discovers the importance of listening, communicating, putting forth the truth, learning to forgive and navigating her teen years. Merit struggles as the self-proclaimed outcast of the family and goes on a journey to discover how to be a part of her family or if she even wants to remain in this world to do so.
It is a good book and is a decent choice to pass the time, but it definitely needed more time to become what it could have been if the author gave it more effort.
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Animal death, and Vomit
Moderate: Suicide, Abandonment, Cancer, Chronic illness, Outing, Infidelity, Death, Drug use, Medical content, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Eating disorder, Grief, Alcohol, Bullying, War, and Cursing
karifaye'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
3.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Drug use, Cancer, and Animal death
denijaaa_s's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Incest
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide attempt, and Animal death
Minor: Mental illness
ugh_itsjane635'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Mental illness and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Terminal illness
spkysi's review against another edition
3.75
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, Drug use, and Suicide attempt
cwatson1234's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Mental illness and Incest
ellissej's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Cancer, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
nbreezy17'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
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Suicide, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Vomit and Animal death
mickeyreads23'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
4.5
Minor: Cancer, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Grief, Medical content, and Suicidal thoughts
kat_rowlen'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Cancer, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Incest, Mental illness, and Animal death