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aj_igoe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
3.0
To say this was a wild ride is an understatement.
First, I was very upset because there are no trigger warnings. And they’re definitely needed to be some. While there’s not much that triggers me, there is a form of SA, and as a survivor, sometimes I do get emotionally triggered. When the protagonist, Lennon, thinks she’s having a wet dream and wakes up to a girl going down on her. A girl that she doesn’t know. Being told to do so by the male lead, Phoenix, and so on. It was the most questionable scene and out of place seen in the book and they just gloss over it— no discussion on it and forget it ever happens except like one mention.
Second, there’s there’s literally on page child abuse - the prologue and later one. This alone warrants a TW. Plus the toxicity of the relationship and death of a parent, dementia, all these things needed to addressed in the beginning.
Lennon I loved her. Second, I read some other reviews bothered by her losing weight. I’ll you what, my skinny was a size 10 and I wasn’t skinny at all. I just wasn’t obese and I appreciated her being at that size because I felt like I could relate to her 100% at that size. She was still plus size. At that size I was told I was plus size at ducking forever 21 at 19. I wasn’t even large, I was more like average but I always had breasts and huge hips.
I want to address some of Phoenix behavior. There were some reviews addressing how poorly he acts. But to this, as someone who studied child development (pregnancy thru 25) and how trauma affects the brain — working alongside kids as a former preschool teacher, a few with traumatic childhoods, his actions are normal behavior for someone who never received therapy or help. While I agree some of his behaviors are abhorrent they are not out of the norm for a broken individual.
Those things aside I really really enjoyed the book. I read dark fantasy’s and dark romance. So other than needing TW — which if the book had them, I might have rated it higher — it could never be 5 stars with the SA on page unless it had been discussed in book and actually like spoken about as SA.
But I loved all the characters, and I was extremely invested in them. I really did care for all of them, I’m a Stormy stan for sure. I wish I could give this more stars but my conscience will not allow. I finished it hours ago and can’t stop thinking about it and even considering purchasing the audio and listening to
It. I really did love the characters and story itself.
First, I was very upset because there are no trigger warnings. And they’re definitely needed to be some. While there’s not much that triggers me, there is a form of SA, and as a survivor, sometimes I do get emotionally triggered. When the protagonist, Lennon, thinks she’s having a wet dream and wakes up to a girl going down on her. A girl that she doesn’t know. Being told to do so by the male lead, Phoenix, and so on. It was the most questionable scene and out of place seen in the book and they just gloss over it— no discussion on it and forget it ever happens except like one mention.
Second, there’s there’s literally on page child abuse - the prologue and later one. This alone warrants a TW. Plus the toxicity of the relationship and death of a parent, dementia, all these things needed to addressed in the beginning.
Lennon I loved her. Second, I read some other reviews bothered by her losing weight. I’ll you what, my skinny was a size 10 and I wasn’t skinny at all. I just wasn’t obese and I appreciated her being at that size because I felt like I could relate to her 100% at that size. She was still plus size. At that size I was told I was plus size at ducking forever 21 at 19. I wasn’t even large, I was more like average but I always had breasts and huge hips.
I want to address some of Phoenix behavior. There were some reviews addressing how poorly he acts. But to this, as someone who studied child development (pregnancy thru 25) and how trauma affects the brain — working alongside kids as a former preschool teacher, a few with traumatic childhoods, his actions are normal behavior for someone who never received therapy or help. While I agree some of his behaviors are abhorrent they are not out of the norm for a broken individual.
Those things aside I really really enjoyed the book. I read dark fantasy’s and dark romance. So other than needing TW — which if the book had them, I might have rated it higher — it could never be 5 stars with the SA on page unless it had been discussed in book and actually like spoken about as SA.
But I loved all the characters, and I was extremely invested in them. I really did care for all of them, I’m a Stormy stan for sure. I wish I could give this more stars but my conscience will not allow. I finished it hours ago and can’t stop thinking about it and even considering purchasing the audio and listening to
It. I really did love the characters and story itself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Dementia, Car accident, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Child death
Minor spoilers in review but nothing of plot or character development