Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet

Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp

10 reviews

mysterymom40's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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? It's complicated

4.0

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library_kb's review

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emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.25

This was a great book to finish out my Nerdy Bookclub Reading Challenge. The character development of Pen and Xander was so amazing, that very early in the story I was invested in them and their challenges and lives. Pen's struggles with depression and Xander's struggles with being undocumented and not feeling like he belongs were treated with such care, but also honesty. I liked the setting of the restaurant and cooking. The one critique I have is that I think the ending wrapped up a little quickly--I would have been willing to read a more drawn out and deeper ending.

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maya_reads_books's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional

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

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beb989's review against another edition

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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

4.0

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azyef's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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amandalorianxo's review

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

So I know there is romance in this book but I felt more connected with Pen and Xander when they weren’t being coupley. I liked both of their separate storylines as we experience both their POV’s (more Pen then Xander) Kemp doesn’t shy away from police brutality / mannerisms with immigrants. The slight scare/ horror that you could be deported with a simple stop. The ways in which anxiety and depression could mess with you in more ways than one. I wasn’t the biggest believer in the romance - it felt abrupt without a lot of buildup. Overall, as a debut this was great if you are looking for generational Chicano representation set in Texas.

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wordrevel's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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ashlightgrayson's review

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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

3.5

This story was incredibly heartwarming, and as a Latinx person myself, made me feel like I was joining a family and a new home. The way Kemp describes the atmosphere in the restaurant makes you feel like you are there in-person. She also has an accurate depiction about how a lot of Latinx families are not great at addressing mental health concerns and male figures in Latinx culture have difficulty expressing emotion. Pen and Xander embody the struggles of many Mexican and Mexican Americans youths in the United States. Pen wishes to follow her dream of owning her own business as her parents have done. However, she must fight against her family's expectations that she obtain a college education and take advantage of the opportunities that they have worked so hard for her to have. Xander deals with the abandonment of his parents as well as surviving in an atmosphere where illegal immigrants are not welcome. The characters also feel genuine and relatable and are independently engaging. I'm looking forward to future books published by Kemp. Hopefully her previously independently published The Girl in Between series will be traditionally published, or something similar in the future. I'm always down for a fantasy story.

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abbie_'s review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

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marissasbooks's review

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challenging dark emotional 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

4.75

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