mikathereviewer's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

Summary of my review: Emotional, not only about diseases (other types of problems), great character development, heart-wrenching, correct information about the diseases, weird wording, sometimes unrealistic, sometimes a bit slow


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In Depth Discussion/The Review

Likes: Medium paced book. Gets excited around 60 pages in. 

A lot of character development (Will) and backstories of characters making them more relatable and connected. 
Reference: Chapter 1, 'feel anxious, restless even. Because instead of just wanting to get healthy, I need to get healthy. For my parents’ sake.'
Reference 2: Chapter 1, 'Multicolored patches are sewn over spots where he ripped open, his stuffing pouring out when I squeezed too hard during the most painful of my treatments.'

The characters all have their own unique quirk like Stella needing to be in control of everything or Will trying to have freedom no matter what and might show it by doing risky things or Poe liking to drink milkshake and donuts. 

We don't just only get to know the main characters and their friends, but also the parents who care about their child's sickness, which is quite important for me as it doesn't only show how friendships are affected by a disease, but whole families too. 
Reference: Chapter 1, 'Thirty-five percent is a number that keeps my mom up at night. She doesn’t say it, but her computer does.'

This book is dark and emotional which is perfect for this topic. I wouldn't be able to take a book serious about diseases if the genre would be comedy. So the genre choosen here might upset some, but it is very well conveyed. Also, the subject is not only diseases, but other problems that one may face in their life. 
Reference: Chapter 1 'When you have CF, you sort of get used to the idea of dying young.'
Reference 2: Chapter 1, 'People are always looking at my cannula, my scars, my G-tube, not at me.'

The romance in this book was slowburn but with lots of action. Won't spoil it of course, but I am sure everyone will like it. The emotions and their attachment and little promises, all made me feel flattered!

Great and correct information about the diseases (the author either did some research or had the disease themselve). 
Reference: Chapter 1, 'For cystic fibrosis patients, cross-infection from certain bacteria strains is a huge risk. One touch between two CFers can literally kill the both of them.'
Reference: Chapter 2: 'Pretty much all guys with CF are infertile'



Dislikes: Sheepishly. Way too often used word in this book. 

Sometimes weird wording, like 'My heart feels so full, it’s disgusting.' (Chapter 20) Also: 'You know how anal I am.' (Chapter 1)

Sometimes the book felt a bit slow. Like the beginning was of course an introduction but the first thing being exciting also felt like everything was about to end (I talk about the scene around 60 pages in) and overall there were sometimes moments that felt unnecessary or over-explained/described. 

I don't know how it is to have CF, but there is no way you go normally to school and stuff with only 35% lung volume. That is servere lung disease and at this rate you can't walk for longer than like 10-15 minutes until you are exhausted. It's like having asthma all the time. But maybe it isn't, but that just sounds unrealistic. 
Reference: Chapter 1, 'About 70 percent of the time, things are pretty normal for me. I go to school, I hang out with Camila and Mya, I work on my app. I just do it all with low-functioning lungs. But for the remaining 30 percent of my time, CF controls my life.'


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Rating

How it works: Only everything that is lower than 9 gets reduced from the final rating. Depending on how strong it inflicted the overall enjoyment of reading it effects differently. 

[ Story 8 / 10 ]

[ Characters 10 / 10 ]

[ Triggering 0 / 10 ]

[ Topic/Genre 10  / 10 ]

[ Writing style 7 / 10 ]

[ Grammatic and spelling 10 / 10 ]

[ Ending 10 / 10 ]

Final Rating

4/5


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Final thoughts/Questions

This story wasn't triggering for me, but I will add a trigger warning list for this book on StoryGraph. In case you don't have StoryGraph, but you want to read this book you may write a comment down below and I will send it here too. 



Started the book: 25. May 2024
Finished the book: 26. May 2024
Wrote the review: 27. May 2024

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eggbytes's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


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chelle22's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted sad

4.0


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joey1914's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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ishouldbereading's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

4.5


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lilydoan1125's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring 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

5.0

Ok if you’re reading this and trying to decide if you want to read this book, please do. It’s amazing, it will change your life!

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