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elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
While underdeveloped, this revenge-fantasy thriller proves grimly satisfying with compelling characters and intriguing twists.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Child death, Sexual violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse and Rape
xmel99's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
2.5
The book was not at all what I expected it to be and I found it really hard to get into during the first half of the book. Whilst the overall theme of the story was good, I felt like this book had a lot more potential. The last few chapters were the most interesting, but they felt very rushed. The ending is open-ended allowing for the reading to develop their own conclusion (or for a second book).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual assault
Minor: Toxic relationship and Stalking
kor_1999's review
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, and Murder
takingoverthesun's review
2.75
This book did not have good pacing. I kind of went along with everything for the first 90 pages but when the kid drowned on Tillie’s watch as lifeguard that was too much for me it was just horrible and then when we learned Tillie had already allowed somebody else to drown when she could’ve saved them and she consciously let them die and then turned around to get a lifeguard job? That’s messed up.
It was sapphic but it seemed like a pretty toxic relationship to me. Proof:
• “I could never tell where her hunger for me was going to come from next. I was seeing, though, that it almost always started with a secret. She always wanted me the most when it was most apparent how deadly it would be to have me. We always wanted each other the most in the moments it was painfully clear that we were probably the worst thing for each other. “
Tillie and her love interest Madison told each other their secrets so that they always had something on the other person.
• “We shared secrets now. All that dark magic that had wrapped itself around us now bound us together. It could only be broken if one of us wanted to destroy the other. It was terrifying.”
The characters did seem super flat and when they teamed upTO MURDER SOMEONE? That just proved that these girls are crazy. They kept on saying that Elliot, the boy they eventually murdered because they revealed him to be the antagonist 2/3 through the book, needed punishments for his actions (assaulting a girl, in which he does need to face punishment) but Tillie and Madison are no more deserving than him to get away with what they’ve done Scott free!
It was sapphic but it seemed like a pretty toxic relationship to me. Proof:
• “I could never tell where her hunger for me was going to come from next. I was seeing, though, that it almost always started with a secret. She always wanted me the most when it was most apparent how deadly it would be to have me. We always wanted each other the most in the moments it was painfully clear that we were probably the worst thing for each other. “
Tillie and her love interest Madison told each other their secrets so that they always had something on the other person.
• “We shared secrets now. All that dark magic that had wrapped itself around us now bound us together. It could only be broken if one of us wanted to destroy the other. It was terrifying.”
The characters did seem super flat and when they teamed up
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
clarissaruthless's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I wanted to like and root for the main characters, but while they weren't badly developed, I didn't find them likable in any way. Their relationship is toxic, which is noted numerous times throughout the book but it isn't enough for either of them to make a change. The antagonist of the story is shown to be a horrible person, but in my opinion, the main characters are as well. The writing isn't bad and the fast pace makes you want to keep reading in the hopes something will change, but it never does.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
bloomwithkrystal's review against another edition
2.0
I hate that this book even exists. Do not recommend reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
There's an entire scene where a child drowns in a pool and she's describing trying to save her.bzliz's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
The lower middle class new girl in town catches the eye of the closeted rich girl and they fall hard after sharing some of the skeletons in their closets with each other. Unfortunately that fall doesn’t reach the audience because these girls didn’t have a lot of personality. They get very attached to each other very quickly, as teens tend to do, and they start plotting revenge against those who’ve wronged them.
The blurb on the back is a little misleading. We start with a photo of Madison’s body being sent out and then the majority of the book is seeing how we led up to such an event.
There are several phrases repeated throughout that got a little grating such as girl magic- they felt like pandering, like the author doesn’t know how to communicate with young people and is desperately trying to seem like they do.
It’s a fun enough read that didn’t impact my life one way or the other. If someone is looking for a sapphic toxic friendship/relationship story sprinkled with true crime, I’d send them here. It would make a great mini-arc in a crime show.
The blurb on the back is a little misleading. We start with a photo of Madison’s body being sent out and then the majority of the book is seeing how we led up to such an event.
There are several phrases repeated throughout that got a little grating such as girl magic- they felt like pandering, like the author doesn’t know how to communicate with young people and is desperately trying to seem like they do.
It’s a fun enough read that didn’t impact my life one way or the other. If someone is looking for a sapphic toxic friendship/relationship story sprinkled with true crime, I’d send them here. It would make a great mini-arc in a crime show.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Child death, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a pretty good book. The main characters weren't that likable, but you can understand at least a bit how they got to where they were. This book tackled some tough topics compassionately, which I appreciated, including obsession/ losing yourself in someone else. Overall it was a good sapphic thriller.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Body shaming and Sexual assault