Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

103 reviews

katelynprice's review

emotional 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

3.5

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. I almost DNF'd at 50% because I was having trouble connecting with and investing in the characters. The second half was much better; toward the end I finally started buying into their love for one another. I think I needed the book and characters to acknowledge the dysfunction and codependency of the relationship, because once that happened, I was able to fully embrace it. All throughout the writing was beautiful, and I loved the mother-daughter relationship as well as Eva's journey of self-discovery. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Self harm, Addiction, Chronic illness, Sexual content, and Cursing

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, and Suicide

Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, and Sexual assault

mheiling's review

dark hopeful lighthearted 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Medical trauma, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: Child abuse, Classism, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Car accident

startjpw23's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-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

This book is about two people who had an intense, weeklong romance when they were 17 that didn't end well. They both went on to become successful authors. They hadn't spoken in 15 years until they meet at a book discussion event. They both had very difficult upbringings that have affected them their whole adult lives. The book details their efforts to reconnect. The process doesn't go smoothly. The book goes back in time to their childhoods to show what they had to endure. One of the characters has a serious medical condition that she has to deal with on a daily basis. The book shows how they attempt to deal with their childhood traumas as part of trying to build a new relationship. I loved the book. It was messy and I really cared about the characters. The supporting characters were interesting too. And sometimes funny.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Death of parent, Child death, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Sexual content

Minor: Sexism

hannahrl's review against another edition

2.75

I couldn’t get into this book very much. I felt like the pacing was off and I couldn’t quite get into connecting to the characters. Each character had a good story and I felt like I was missing so much of each one. I mostly wanted more. More detail and less extra busyness that didn’t add to the story. I enjoyed another perspective, though and appreciated that a lot. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Self harm, Chronic illness, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

eggfartz's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Murder, Child death, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Addiction, Grief, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

risemini's review

dark emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Drug use, Self harm, Misogyny, Alcohol, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, and Racism

readingwithjass's review against another edition

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Car accident, Drug abuse, Grief, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse

shayna14's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

3.75

i have a chronic illness/invisible disability and i felt so represented by eva. 

so close to 4 stars but it was hard to get into at first and some parts felt slow to me because of the jumping around to different character storylines. the romance genre isn't my thing tbh but i enjoyed this!

i wish eva's book about her family was real, i would definitely read it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Addiction, Death of parent, Drug use, and Mental illness

Moderate: Grief, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Gun violence

Minor: Car accident

marena02's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Alcoholism, Blood, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Death, Mental illness, Bullying, Sexual content, Rape, Chronic illness, and Car accident

penandpaper's review

dark emotional 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

3.0

This book had so much potential, which is why I’m so sad to say it was disappointing. The premise was incredible, and there are moments of insightful depth and beautiful prose. But when you leave those moments, it’s startling. The other characters in the book feel like caricatures of fun friends, and their interactions are so one-dimensional and poorly structured that it feels like a different book altogether. Many of the once-relevant references are dated and come off cringey, and the central relationship is ultimately a case of “Insta love.”  After spending 15 years apart, they fall back together without any resistance at all. The saving grace of this book is that the seven days they spent together in high school is beautifully crafted and heartbreaking. I wish I could say the same about the rest of the book because I agree with the book’s philosophy— black characters should be able to have fun, lighthearted interactions and not just be exploited for their pain. I wish I could say I loved this book, but it’s just fine.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Addiction

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Death and Death of parent