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dblue236's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Grief, Chronic illness, Cancer, and Terminal illness
Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Sexual content
leexpenandpages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Sometimes it's like people are a million times more beautiful to you in your mind. It's like you see them through a special lens. But maybe if it's how you see them, that's how they really are. It's like the whole tree falling in the forest thing.
My dad once told me that Winstone Churchill said that Russia was riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. According to my dad, Churchill had been talking about my mother. This was before the divorce, and he said it half-bitterly, half-respectfully. Because even when he hated her, he admired her.
So this was my power over her: my supposed innocence over her supposed sluttiness. It was all such BS. I would've traded my spot for hers in a second.
β’ This story is warm and cutesy, just what one expects from a romance, especially a teen romance. It follows the story beats you expect from a childhood friends-to-lovers story. Combined with the short, focused chapters, it's an easy read.
β’ The narrator does an amazing job of sounding like a sweet, excited teenager. It's a shame Belly is completely annoying and oblivious, and most of the cast is frustrating too. (Thank you, Susannah, for being the exveption!)
β’ There is a scene in which Belly says asking someone before kissing is awkward. I'd like to remark that consent is important, and Belly is wrong on this subject. If it feels awkward to ask or to say yes, you shouldn't be doing it yet!
β’ Toward the end of the book, the pacing is uncomfortably fast. There is a major reveal that readers hardly get any time to feel.
β’ NOTE: The plot and characters differ significantly from the Amazon series. They're only loosely similar. Amazon does it better, but they're both easy skips.
Graphic: Drug use, Body shaming, Chronic illness, and Cancer
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, and Alcohol
Minor: Cursing
1721egp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I would've liked to see more character development, for Belly to take some accountability for her actions, but again, I didn't dislike it. The concept is there for a great YA novel with some substance but it just doesn't perform.
Moderate: Chronic illness, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent and Body shaming
alicesayshi's review against another edition
3.0
Minor: Chronic illness, Cancer, and Grief
my3bb8's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use
irenemayblack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
On a better note, it wasn't altogether bad if you enjoy a fast paced, light hearted quick read. This would be a good book to blow through for your reading goal in the summer. It just wasn't for me.
Minor: Drug use, Chronic illness, and Alcohol
scarlett_f's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
Minor: Blood
icedlemonade's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Cancer, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia and Blood
bookish_bae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Minor: Death of parent, Cancer, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical content, and Alcoholism
mels_reading_log's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Terminal illness, Alcohol, Cancer, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Grief