sophie42's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Racism and Infidelity
Moderate: Homophobia and Outing
Minor: Alcohol
wynterwonderland's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racism, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, and Infidelity
Moderate: Alcohol and Outing
eeriewater's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I went into reading this book expecting a cliché love story, and it did not disappoint, but at the same time it managed to take up issues like internalized racism in something I found to be a very thought provoking way. Going through your life, it can be easy to think "I'm not racist," just because you don't use the n word, and that you speak up for black people. But racism is, as this book shows, about so much more than that. Racism is also those small, seemingly "innocent," stereotypes or expectations most people have for people of different ethnicities, and this is something you have to take a moment with yourself and think about. Which one of these stereotypes have you internalized? This is one of the topics this book, in my opinion, tackles very well. As a white person, who feels she's quite woke, and very much not a racist, this book made me realize that I should take a moment and think through what sorts of stereotypes I may have internalized and never challenged over the years of my life. I can't say weather this books representation of "casual" racism was accurate or not, I'm not the right judge of that, but, I think the authors goal was making people take a sec to consider these internalized stereotypes etc, and do something to remove them from your life, and in my case, this book definitely did just that. Now, this is in no way the absolute main thing of the book, firstly It's not like it's a secret is about a young girl experiencing love for the first time, with all the complicated and messy things that comes with it.
LGBTQ+ rep: Lesbian mc (mentioned with word), Lesbian love interest
LGBTQ+ rep: Lesbian mc (mentioned with word), Lesbian love interest
Moderate: Infidelity and Racism
Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, and Mental illness
emmaward55's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
I need to go on a silent retreat to think about this book and cry, oh my god.
Read it. Read it now.
Read it. Read it now.
Graphic: Infidelity and Racism
Minor: Alcohol and Lesbophobia
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