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bookaholics_anonymous's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment and Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcoholism
sor3n's review against another edition
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
ava_jane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse, Eating disorder, and Panic attacks/disorders
gmoneyyyyy's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape
allylund9's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Rape, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
hmlongstreet'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I picked up this book because the cover had a review by Rainbow Rowell (author of Fangirl and Eleanor & Park) and she said it was a good read. This is my usual book genre, a fluffy college romance. I got invested in the story, I really did but after I had finished the book I was left with the feeling of "That's it?". The book has a promising beginning, a going somewhere middle, and a disappointing end.
Themes, characters, and stories are brought up only to be dropped in the next few sections, never to be heard from again. Even some conflicts remained unsolved and even when it was resolved I felt zero satisfaction. This is the book where you could leave out full characters and the story would not change one bit. And the main characters are just okay, the story is character-based but the development to me felt so small. I also could not find the plot, as I went through three ideas of what it could be, it is revealed so far towards the end it makes the whole story feel pointless.
I will mention something about the main character, will place a spoiler as it reveals things in the book.
I really wanted to love this one, but after I finished it and sat with it for a few minutes I couldn't.
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault
lesbianfrankiero'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
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Pregnancy, and Mental illness
Minor: Abortion, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Drug use, Medical content, and Miscarriage
i would've loved to see more character development tbh, BUT i did love the discussion of mental health, socioeconomic disparity, vulnerability, and the focus on the bond or lack thereof between parent and child thatdorothymae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Moderate: Sexual assault
soupstix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Sexual assault
annika_maree's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
This book is about Sam and Penny, young adults with big dreams. When they meet and exchange phone numbers, making each other their emergency contact which evolves into constant texts and a friendship over their secrets they would never share in real life.
Tw for anxiety (panic attacks), depression, unavailable parents, rape/sexual assault and alcoholism
Key ideas
-I loved how realistic these characters were, Sam and Penny are not the most likeable characters, they are judgmental and pessimistic. These qualities just made me love them more.
-The conversations in this book between Sam and Penny were the most genuine and natural that i have ever read
-The author put parts of herself in the book which amplified our empathy for the characters and made them feel so much more real
-I loved the maturity, this is classed as ya which I feel as if it should be na/a, the characters are in college and have mature issues eg financial, pregnancy, drugs and alcohol
-both Penny and Sam’s voices felt distinct and i was rarely bored
-They had things going on outside of the romance which i believe had the perfect ratio (Pennys writing class and how what she wrote reflected how she felt and Sam and his ex girlfriend trouble as well as the bakery
Quotes
“Penny believed with her whole heart that there were moments - crucial instances - that defined who someone was going to be. There were clues or signs, and you didn't want to miss them.”
“I like knowing that you exist. It doesn’t make me feel any less lonely, because life is lonely, but it makes me feel a lot less alone.”
“Sam enjoyed texting Penny. They talked about work, sleep, food, random facts. It didn’t need to be anything important. Their last text had been what to eat for breakfast. Since Penny had seen him at his lowest, there was no reason to act cooler than he was. It felt easy.”
“Sam wanted to tell Penny everything. He wanted a record of his thoughts and feelings and stories to exist with her. Like a time capsule for this strange period of his life. With her, he felt less lonely. He hadn't even realised he was lonely. He hadn't let himself. “
“Does he say good morning to her in a way that is reassuring? To where it feels as if he is holding her hand for the entire rest of the day until he says good night?”
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Abandonment and Alcoholism
Minor: Body shaming, Drug abuse, and Eating disorder