Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 is my gut rating right now! What a ride! Conflicting feelings about this one, because I was so pulled into the story, but I thought the writing wasn't the best? Which is maybe hypocritical, because I finished it so quickly; but the dialogue didn't hit for me in a lot of places, and I felt like the prose felt too naked for me. I just wanted more descriptions and moments of showing vs. telling! I think this is just because my favorite thing about the other KH book I've read was her beautiful descriptions of the setting.
That being said, this was a really beautiful look at love and long-term friendships. I did cry at the end, and it made me grateful I really appreciate my friendships out loud and am never afraid to tell someone exactly how much they mean to me. I actually don't think I liked either of these women very much; some things they did to each other, particularly two things from Tully, were so mean and immature lol. At times it was hard to feel touched by their particular friendship because I thought they deserved better from each other, but. Still glad I read it and I'm excited to discuss with Court! I always eat up a book that follows characters through the decades!
That being said, this was a really beautiful look at love and long-term friendships. I did cry at the end, and it made me grateful I really appreciate my friendships out loud and am never afraid to tell someone exactly how much they mean to me. I actually don't think I liked either of these women very much; some things they did to each other, particularly two things from Tully, were so mean and immature lol. At times it was hard to feel touched by their particular friendship because I thought they deserved better from each other, but. Still glad I read it and I'm excited to discuss with Court! I always eat up a book that follows characters through the decades!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent
Moderate: Miscarriage, Abandonment
dark
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
after much contemplation i’m giving this one bc i could not stand any of the characters, except for my girl kate. (she deserved so much better than what she got) also, i need to punch tully bad!!!!😮💨
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, War
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was so full of hope and deep emotions through the story of friendships and trials they have.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Abandonment
Moderate: Miscarriage, Rape, Grief
Minor: Gun violence, Vomit, War
dark
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A well-written, emotional story of two girls/women going through life together as best friends. Quite some tough moments included.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Drug use, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Abandonment
Moderate: Drug abuse, Pregnancy, War
Minor: Death
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Miscarriage
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Gun violence, Medical content, War
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, War
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I know this came out in 2008, so I’m definitely late to the game (to be fair I was 9), but wow this book blew me away. I haven’t been moved by a book in this way in I don’t even know how long and I know it’s one I’m going to be thinking about for a long time.
I think what really hit me was how realistic and raw it was. We saw from the perspective of both girls/women and we really got to learn them and how they became who they are. They are flawed and messy and real and I fell in love with them both.
For anyone wanting to read about friendship and hardship and navigating life, I cannot recommend this enough! Also I feel like I have to call my mom now, idk.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Rape, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: War
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Medical content, Pregnancy
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book. It is between a 4 and a 4.5. I think this was a wonderful depiction of life, of grief, of love and of family and friends.
The characters were very realistic - meaning quite stupid and annoying from time to time.
It is a book that really makes you think about life, how important relationships are, dreams and wants, and how fragile it all is.
The last 30 pages I was sobbing my eyes out... and I definitely think the last 100 or 150 pages were the strongest in the book.
I will be reading the second book, but I need some time to recover from this first...
The characters were very realistic - meaning quite stupid and annoying from time to time.
It is a book that really makes you think about life, how important relationships are, dreams and wants, and how fragile it all is.
The last 30 pages I was sobbing my eyes out... and I definitely think the last 100 or 150 pages were the strongest in the book.
I will be reading the second book, but I need some time to recover from this first...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Terminal illness, Grief, Abandonment
Moderate: Miscarriage, Rape, Pregnancy
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this was a touching story about two very different girls who become best friends and go through the trials of life together into womanhood. at times, the story could get repetitive, particularly during tully's parts, and at other times, i felt like i was getting whiplash by how quickly the story moved forward. i kept anticipating when and what the big betrayal would be and it would never be what i thought it was going to be. issues would be brought up throughout the story but they would each ultimately be resolved by the next chapter and we'd be moving on to the next thing. that being said, i could appreciate the book moving so quickly considering the size of the book.
i really did not like tully. i felt sympathy for her at the beginning because i knew she had a troubled relationship with her mother, but as she grew up and became more and more selfish and ungrateful and emotionally stunted, i couldn't stand her. i feel like she had more potential but ended up just being extremely annoying and unlikeable and her sections of the story because repetitive fast. i was way more invested in kate's story and really just wanted her to be able to have the life she hoped for. but, alas...
i would say i overall enjoyed the book and shed some tears in those final chapters. BUT it could definitely be cliché and cheesy and over-the-top at times, it moved comically fast, and the big betrayal was... underwhelming.
i really did not like tully. i felt sympathy for her at the beginning because i knew she had a troubled relationship with her mother, but as she grew up and became more and more selfish and ungrateful and emotionally stunted, i couldn't stand her. i feel like she had more potential but ended up just being extremely annoying and unlikeable and her sections of the story because repetitive fast. i was way more invested in kate's story and really just wanted her to be able to have the life she hoped for. but, alas...
i would say i overall enjoyed the book and shed some tears in those final chapters. BUT it could definitely be cliché and cheesy and over-the-top at times, it moved comically fast, and the big betrayal was... underwhelming.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction