Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

If Tomorrow Doesn't Come by Jen St. Jude

29 reviews

nightmarebees's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.5

“There is no one so broken they are completely unsalvageable. There is no life so hopeless tomorrow can’t be at least a little better.” 

i’m gonna be thinking about this one for a while. the first half i could tell i’d need to pace myself for the heartache, but by the second half i sped through bc i HAD to know what would happen. this author’s writing is so simple and yet poetic: they give voice to things i’ve often felt but haven’t had the words for. i’ve been lucky enough to get treatment for my comorbid conditions, but avery’s narration perfectly captures how clinical depression feels. 

“‘Why is anyone depressed?’ Hell if I knew. It was in the soul of who I was as a person. It wasn’t something that had roots and therefore a way to weed it out.”

the flashbacks tracing avery and cass’s friendship from the ache of figuring out to the realization they’ve loved each other all along. avery’s relationship with aisha. TEDDY. the ways people grow more vicious or more loving when they realize they have nothing left to lose. 

i’m glad i went into this knowing it would be an open ending, bc i was able to prepare myself for it. this isn’t the kind of story that’s about resolution, because mental health is never fully resolved. you just choose to keep trying. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Homophobia and Gun violence

Minor: Sexual content

fairynanook's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

4.0

Really good read. Harrowing look at depression that can be triggering at times, but I greatly enjoyed the family and friend dynamics in this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Homophobia and Suicide attempt

Minor: Suicide, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, and Drug use

spaghettii's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• 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

Incredibly well written. One of few books that has made me cry. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Gun violence, Lesbophobia, Bullying, Chronic illness, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Biphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Death, and Suicide attempt

falibat's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Suicide

Minor: Gun violence

adrianas65's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Violence

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Bullying, Religious bigotry, and Medical content

alsira98's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Grief, Religious bigotry, and Gun violence

teawitchontravel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Alcohol, Homophobia, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Outing, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Gun violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Death and Suicide

Be warned, this book will probably make you cry more then once. It is a beautiful story about pain, hope and love, not only others but also self love. It's a story about the light in our darkest moments. I personally really enjoy the writing style and use of flashbacks to give even more insights on the character's relationships and past. Those were the perfect addition to the story and as interesting as the main part of it, neither their content nor how much they appeared distracted from the main story or was boring. While I was reading the novel I felt like I was there with them and it definitely pulled me in. The diverse cast made me personally really happy and I think shows a beautiful represantation for the LGBTQIA+ community. I loved everything about it and can't wait for more books from this author.

beaky's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this book is heartbreaking in the best possible way. Please read it, although be very careful of the trigger warnings and stay away if the topic of suicide would be triggering for you! Avery is so much and all her family and friends are the most wonderful people! The book’s emotive and metaphorical language was so beautiful and well done! FIVE F*CKING STARS!!!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Gun violence, Grief, Death, and Cursing

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Abortion

deadgirlwalking23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide, Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Cursing

Minor: Sexual harassment and Gun violence

planner5002's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

I haven’t read a book that made me feel as much as this book did in a long time. The characters are well developed, the plot is compelling, and I had a hard fun putting it down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Outing

Minor: Gun violence