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unreadbass's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Car accident, Death, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Suicide
samantha7815's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, and Car accident
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Car accident, Death, Grief, and Child death
Moderate: Pedophilia, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion
katherinesreadingalot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Stalking, Death, Alcohol, Car accident, Grief, Domestic abuse, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, and Child abuse
Minor: Abortion
rebecca_spain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Murder, Gore, Grief, Suicide, Abortion, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, and Death
s_lorenz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Rape, Death, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Abortion, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
allisonplus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Murder
ruthypoo2's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
In the current timeline, the main character, Monica, is struggling not only with a personal crisis, but the upcoming 5-year anniversary of her sister’s death that was determined to be a suicide. Monica has never been convinced that her popular and happy cheerleader sister, who was planning a bright future, would end her own life. The fact that immediately preceding her sister’s death, four other girls on the same cheerleading squad had died from either a car accident or as a murder victim leads Monica to suspect there are a lot of unanswered questions that the police, including her beloved stepfather, have ignored. Monica accidentally uncovers some items hidden away in her house and this sets her off on a personal quest to find out if there’s any connection between the cheerleaders’ deaths.
As for the secondary timeline, peppered in between Monica’s chapters are flashbacks that reveal what was happening in other characters lives five years earlier, including the cheerleaders and their friends. This insight helps the reader connect to the victims and become more invested in seeing Monica succeed with her amateur sleuthing.
The story moves along at a fast pace, even though there’s minimal action. Most of the book is character development and conversation. There’s definitely satisfaction when Monica gets some insight through snooping and research, which really is as much as can realistically be expected since she’s just a teenager with a bicycle and not Magnum, P.I.!
The author, Kara Thomas, includes difficult and complex issues into the story, such as substance abuse, bullying, body image, abortion, statutory rape, and suicide. I feel these topics are handled well, but get lost in the story as it progresses. For example, one character seems to be headed down a path leading to misuse of prescription pain meds, but gets distracted and never voices another craving or complaint about the pain that was causing them to take up to 4 pills at a time. This is just a side note though because I didn’t get too hung up on this oversight and stayed glued to the progression of story regardless.
Overall, a very good book. I listened to the audio and really like the narrator, Phoebe Strole, who did a great job voicing teen and adult characters, as well as different temperaments and emotions. Her voice was well suited to this book.
Graphic: Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicide, Abortion, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Car accident
ellesbells1510's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Overall the flimsy plot and paper thin characters did nothing to justify what could have been a very interesting idea.
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Stalking, and Suicide
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Abortion
mollyyy1's review against another edition
5.0
Minor: Abortion, Car accident, and Domestic abuse