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sarahmae531's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.25
A very pure yet heart breaking book. Loved the simplicity of it, I feel like it’s everything I want Sally Rooney books to be. Watching Sara and Emilie facing their highs and lows, both together and apart, felt like a privilege, like a friend confiding a secret.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Sexual violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer and Pedophilia
patricktreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.0
Yerba Buena started really dark, and I hate to say for the first two chapters, I was a little confused. However, I was in love with the story of our main characters And their back and forth journey full of come and go, missed connection, and ultimate connection. I also loved how the author went about creating closure scenarios.
I am however disappointed that there were no content warnings at all, especially with how dark some of the topics discussed were. Regardless of story or if it’s an “adult” novel, things like assault especially minor assault, and abuse, should be known beforehand.
I am however disappointed that there were no content warnings at all, especially with how dark some of the topics discussed were. Regardless of story or if it’s an “adult” novel, things like assault especially minor assault, and abuse, should be known beforehand.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual assault
caseythereader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.75
Thanks to Flatiron Books for the free advance copy of this book.
- YERBA BUENA is a small book that packs a big punch. It cuts right to the heart, looking both the best and worst life has to offer straight in the eye.
- This book does a great job of showing how trauma stays with you, but that doesn't mean your life will be devoid of joy and growth.
- YERBA BUENA is a small book that packs a big punch. It cuts right to the heart, looking both the best and worst life has to offer straight in the eye.
- This book does a great job of showing how trauma stays with you, but that doesn't mean your life will be devoid of joy and growth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
bandysbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
This is literary fiction that follows two different women as they try to heal the wounds of their pasts with a pinch of mystery sprinkled in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
snowydaze's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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 received a copy of the Audiobook of Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this novel. The dual perspective and riveting tale made for an interesting read. I will admit that it was very dark at times, so I recommend looking up the trigger warnings before starting it. However, I loved that it centered on twenty-something adults trying to find their way in the world, while dealing with their personal trauma. The main characters were fleshed out which helped with connecting to them. They each had dynamic character growth through the novel, with sections that really demonstrate just how human the characters are. Although the story starts when Sarah is 16, the story slowly reveals details that explain why things unfolded how they did, giving needed context to the earlier plot.
If you are looking for twenty-something sapphics trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives spanning multiple years, this book is for you!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this novel. The dual perspective and riveting tale made for an interesting read. I will admit that it was very dark at times, so I recommend looking up the trigger warnings before starting it. However, I loved that it centered on twenty-something adults trying to find their way in the world, while dealing with their personal trauma. The main characters were fleshed out which helped with connecting to them. They each had dynamic character growth through the novel, with sections that really demonstrate just how human the characters are. Although the story starts when Sarah is 16, the story slowly reveals details that explain why things unfolded how they did, giving needed context to the earlier plot.
If you are looking for twenty-something sapphics trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives spanning multiple years, this book is for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
A free ARC of this title was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve enjoyed Nina LaCour’s writing for some time now, but admittedly I haven’t kept up much with her recent works, so hearing about Yerba Buena was an exciting surprise. Following her shift from young adult to adult writing feels oddly fitting and personal—I first read one of her novels as a young teenager, maybe even a pre-teen, and now I too am, at least legally, an adult. Unfortunately, though Yerba Buena is poignant and beautiful, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
I’ve enjoyed Nina LaCour’s writing for some time now, but admittedly I haven’t kept up much with her recent works, so hearing about Yerba Buena was an exciting surprise. Following her shift from young adult to adult writing feels oddly fitting and personal—I first read one of her novels as a young teenager, maybe even a pre-teen, and now I too am, at least legally, an adult. Unfortunately, though Yerba Buena is poignant and beautiful, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
Writing-wise is where the novel primarily shines—it’s been some time now since I last read LaCour’s earlier pieces, so I can’t really recall enough to compare (not that I would be too inclined to if I could), but her style here reads very cleanly and smoothly. Each sentence flowed well, and there was a definite neat balance of showing and telling. The writing is somewhat subdued and laidback, if looked at as a whole, but that adds to the general quiet warmth Yerba Buena exudes.
In substance, Yerba Buena does have a great deal to offer. It’s a very human work, driven by character and emotion. The handling of trauma and healing in particular is very thoughtful and compelling. A great deal of heavy subject matter is present—some of which I wish I had known about in advance, though it fortunately doesn’t affect me too severely—but it’s treated with care, and the note on which things end is a soothing yet realistic one. There is closure, but it is acknowledged and shown that recovery isn’t a simple, linear process. I do wish that some things and their aftermath had been touched upon more, but I’m overall satisfied with how these themes are depicted.
While romance ends up being an important element in Yerba Buena’s narrative, I’d actually hesitate to classify it as a romance outright, which I consider a positive. Its focus ends up primarily just being people’s lives and bonds, including but not elevating romantic relationships. The portrayal of complicated family relationships, from loving to distant to both at once, was interesting and engaging as well.
To speak on the romance in specific, though: Sara and Emilie’s dynamic is very understated and well-written. It doesn’t actually feel like the “star-crossed” type of connection the blurb cites, just two troubled people who have managed to find each other and choose to work toward a relationship, which is super refreshing and nice to see. It’s a fairly minor thing to take note of, but I also liked that it was far from either’s first relationship (even if I have mixed opinions on Emilie’s prior romances). The development itself is a little rushed, but it slows effectively enough to appreciate and enjoy. With a tad more buildup, it would definitely rank as one of the best relationships I’ve seen in fiction as of late.
Getting involved in the characters’ lives and stories was easy enough, but ultimately, I feel that I lack understanding of who they truly are. Their hardships and struggles well outweigh the softer, quieter moments, which makes their exact characterization hard to get a grasp on. This is perhaps the point, as finding identity is a major theme, but it kept me from investing in full. There are some side characters I wish had been delved deeper into as well; though the cast is broad enough in theory, no particular characters are really explored in great detail. With how character-driven the novel is, this is likely its most glaring flaw.
The pacing also felt a bit strained in places; I had some trouble keeping up with the timeline, although this admittedly could have been on my part more so than the book’s, as I got through it far faster than I expected or planned. I did like that certain backstory scenes established early on were embellished upon later, but I’m not certain that their actual inclusion to open the novel was the most effective choice. Some loose ends remain by the conclusion as well, but I wasn’t actually especially bothered by most.
Yerba Buena is a well-written piece with a number of intriguing themes and things to say, but I found it to fall flat in some areas. I enjoyed my time with it—perhaps a bit too much, if my reading speed is anything to go by—but ultimately was not able to take as much from it as I anticipated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, and Blood
Non-graphic overdose from a non-perspective character. Mild descriptions of corpses. Caretaking of a terminally ill relative, including hospice care and other depictions of end-stage illness and process thereof. Past relationship between professor and former student. Pedophilia/CSA (coercion of minors to have sex with an adult) is not shown but is unambiguously discussed.
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