Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

37 reviews

ash19_3's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

This is the best book I have ever read! It discusses important topics such as purity culture and body insecurity. 

It's a beautiful enemies to lovers as well as a book about finding ways to love yourself. This is amazing representation for disabled and gay people, as well as for people of color. It's a beautiful book about finding beauty within one's self. This is criminally underrated and if you think you want to read it, you should. The chemistry between all of the characters was beautiful and the romance was powerful. The relationship between the main character and the love interest took my breath away. I found comfort in this book that I have never felt anywhere else. To Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, this was a masterpiece.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Ableism

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Fatphobia

bialves's review

dark emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

4.5

One cute book that talks about serious matters. I was waiting for a very light book, but it had some dense stuff. Their relationship with her body had a huge impact on me...

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Car accident, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Bullying, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

lindsbrarian03's review

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia

alliei's review

emotional

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Gorgeous. Absolutely amazing. 

I love Moon’s character so much. How her mind works, her love for what she does, and how she understands it aaasskskwkd. 

I wish I had this book when I was younger. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual harassment

Minor: Pedophilia and Vomit

samthebookdevotee's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

 

This is one of the books that have sat on my tbr cart for a long while and I am honestly upset it took me this long to read it. I absolutely loved this book. I loved how it was written, the characters, and the plot. I literally could not get enough. I was almost late for my movie showing because I didn't want to wait to finish the book.

I absolutely loved Moon. I struggle a lot with my own weight and used to make a lot of self-deprecating jokes or comments about myself. Sometimes I still have those thoughts but I am working on them. I enjoyed seeing her bond with Santiago and seeing her grow confident as an artist and a creator while on the bus tour. I also connected a lot with the sister dynamic. I am not a twin but I and my younger sister were often compared by our parents. I was the golden child and my sister the scapegoat. I didn't realize it at the time. I couldn't understand why my sister held animosity towards me which in turn made me resent her. We're a lot better now, but I couldn't help but think of my sister often throughout this book. It's why I couldn't hate Star. Some of the things she did were so messed up, but I understood what drove her to that point. 

I have a few mixed feelings about Moon's romance with Santiago. While I am glad they were there for each other, there were times they pitted their own insecurities against each other causing toxic behavior from both parties. This was addressed towards the end a bit which I did like. I do wish there was more talk about it though. I guess I didn't hate it, but it's something to take note of.

I absolutely loved the writing style. I liked how almost lyrical the writing got, especially when Moon thought of the past. I thought the inclusion of bugs was a fascinating approach and brought a touch of magic to the story. I also liked how the author played around with the length of chapters. 

Overall, if you have not read this book already, you absolutely must. It's not only a great story but also one that includes an important life lesson. I will warn you it might be hard for some readers. There is depression, suicide, abuse, and talk about slut shaming. So please keep this in mind if you are sensitive to these topics. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Body shaming, Religious bigotry, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Ableism and Suicide

toffishay's review

emotional hopeful reflective tense 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? No

3.75

A really powerful, emotional read. The style of writing is so beautiful; you can really tell that the author is also a poet. I love Moon and Santiago, the exploration of them as characters and them together. Moon is an awesome character too, so quippy and fun. The book also explores really important themes of depression, emotional abuse, physical abuse, insecurity, and identity. How religion can harm us and opening ourselves up can save us. What brings the book down for me is that there are just so many themes being explored. It makes for a really intense read when so much is happening. Definitely check content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Fatphobia, and Grief

Minor: Rape, Racism, Outing, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

kirasofia's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

tonally kinda weird, but it made me want to fall in love with living, so props for that

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

Moderate: Body shaming

panickat123's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

I adored this book. Plus size character who overcomes her own insecurities and learns to stand up for herself while finding love? Sign me the hell up. Cherry on top that she’s Mexican too. Just adore. Some very heavy topics in this also so please read triggers if you want to know. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Suicide, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Body shaming, and Grief

Minor: Toxic friendship and Racism

theromanticace's review

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Suicide

Minor: Outing, Sexual content, Racism, and Medical trauma

literarylocd's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

5.0

IF I COULD GIVE IT A MILLION STARS I WOULD

This book awakened something in me I never realised was dormant. It’s as if a part of my inner is now alive, whole, breathing and craving sustenance. 

Gilliand explores the very concept of identity through the unticking of both religion and divination. Regardless of where you fall on the spirituality spectrum, one thing is for certain, you will fall in love with the universe. It may be through something small, like seeing a rainbow on a gloomy day. Perhaps it’ll be grander, your father waking up from his coma after 6 months making you believe in God and miracles once more. Maybe you fell in love with the universe as a child, and it shaped your very existence. Or, maybe you’ll live many years without finding your way. Moon Fuentez yearned for a higher understanding, of why her father left, why her mother couldn’t love her, why she was the ugly duckling in a sea of beautiful white swans. This is a book young girls need to read. This is a book that will challenge your idea of what it truly means to be you. It may take something out of you, but what it leaves in its place is magical. Its flung open, unbounded. Scary and dark and new, but so worth it. 

It took something from me. Something I don’t ever want back. 

(Also, prose that reads like poetry)

full review: https://medium.com/@isareadssalot/have-you-ever-seen-a-prettier-moon-9fe2ce544eba

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

Moderate: Death of parent