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missytwrites's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
I did have a great time reading this, and so much representation is really nice. However, it feels weird that it's ~*~the future~*~ and people are still -phobic? Or like... there's really weird discussions about pronouns. Like, not saying that everyone has to be queer and up with the lingo, but as another reviewer stated, it felt rather modern in such a futuristic setting.
Like I appreciate the parents being chill with a bisexual daughter who has a girlfriend and the girlfriend's mum is chill with her gay daughter. And that Jess' parents are (possibly) chill with their son being (possibly) gay or bi. But yeah it just feels so weird to have folks be -phobic about something that doesn't feel like a big deal. I mean tbh, it's not a big deal here in 2023 but apparently to some it is.
The worldbuilding IDEAS are great, but they feel so like, weird? I love the whole setting, the ideas in this is super neat, but they're not super fleshed out tbh. But I'm glad that C.B. Lee didn't just focus on worldbuilding America which often happens in these books. Immigrants is a huge component of Jess' story, so talking about other countries was sweet (Australia representation!!! Fallout could never).
The plot twists were pretty predictable. Like,
The "villain" felt rather one dimensional too tbh. I know sometimes it's great to have a basic villain, but like... "rahh I'm a bad guy, so I must hate the queers and anyone who isn't white and blahh! I'm secretly a bad guy this WHOLE TIME!". That and the ending felt so rushed and the last ten pages felt like an afterthought.
I enjoyed the romance, a lot, and the characters are great, very cheesy but that's what life is like as a 16 y/o.
Overall, it was a good book to read, but yeah... I just wish it could've been better in some spots. Also noticed some, not just spelling mistakes but there was one section of the book where there was an extra full stop (period). So minute but still weird.
Graphic: Kidnapping and Racism
Moderate: Biphobia and Toxic friendship
piphux's review against another edition
2.75
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, and Confinement
Minor: Racism and Homophobia
bluberrybooks's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Xenophobia, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
mengzhenreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Kidnapping and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Confinement, and Xenophobia
Minor: Forced institutionalization
yvonne_cl's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping
foreverinastory's review against another edition
- 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
Rep: Vietnamese-Chinese bisexual female MC, sapphic female love interest, Black trans male side character, Latinx side character.
CWs: Forced imprisonment/confinement, drugging of characters against their will, kidnapping, racism, violence, discussions of coming out, physical assault that leads to injury/scarring.
Graphic: Confinement, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Outing
bluejayreads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Confinement and Violence
Minor: Kidnapping, Racism, and Xenophobia
Misgendering (one instance, accidental and immediately corrected), being injected with something without consentoutcrye's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Violence and Vomit
Moderate: Drug use and Kidnapping
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Racism
maplewrites's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is very much a book about high school kids. I'd give it a reading range of about 8th to 11th grade probably.
This book isn't a romance, there is romance and discussions of romance throughout but it isn't set up like a romance. We get plenty of time before and after the characters get together to appreciate their relationship. It's not about the fact that they're in love at all.
Just because this book is set in the distant future doesn't mean that it isn't relevant to today. Media bias is a theme within the story.
I love reading books about queer children. It makes me feel like a person. I'm not Bisexual, I'm not a trans man, I appreciated seeing a wlw and a trans character none the less. Being seen is fantastic.
Graphic: Kidnapping
needles used for violence, if you don't have a phobia it shouldn't be an issue it's brief.whysomanysams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Kidnapping, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia