Scan barcode
null4444's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Murder and Hate crime
acasiamae's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Mental illness
Minor: Outing, Vomit, and Bullying
emily_mh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Stalking, Hate crime, Transphobia, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Child death, Self harm, Biphobia, and Gun violence
Minor: Classism, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Cancer, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Suicide, Alcohol, Car accident, Racism, Alcoholism, Addiction, War, Grief, Police brutality, Sexual content, and Ableism
Major: queerphobia, medical emergency, anaphylactic shock Moderate: migraines Minor: foster system, loss of a loved one, drowningthewildmageslibrary's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Grief, Homophobia, Death, Transphobia, and Bullying
Moderate: Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Stalking
Minor: Outing
hobbithopeful's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Cover
I really love the illustration on the cover, it is so great to see the vivid descriptions of Sam brought to life against the gorgeous smoky background. The way their tattoo sleeve smokes from their arm to create the background is just the lovely little cherry on top. I will say they are mentioned as having multi colored dyed hair strands so it would have been nice to see that depicted.
I am not a huge fan of the font, it feels a bit immature to me, especially considering this is a YA novel and deals with heavier topics. I also feel the light blue of the blurb on the front gets lost a bit, especially against the purple background.
It is hard not to be picky about a book that I so enjoyed, I always think an amazing book deserves and equally perfect cover.
Design by Barbara Grzeslo
Graphic: Transphobia, Homophobia, and Bullying
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Alcoholism, Cursing, and Outing
Minor: Murder
merle_bookdragon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I'm usually not big on murder mystery but I guess if you package it in a YA queer contemporary with a wonderful protagonist it works. I really enjoyed Sam's POV, learning more about how they see the world and of course the wonderful realizations they had when they were finally surrounded by good friends. And my god are good friends groups one of my favorite things in literature. Sam, Shep, Sky, Aidan, and Ronnie and Jax, too, are such a wonderful group and I just wish everyone could be surrounded by such a safe group of people.
I think while this might sound cheesy one of my other favorite things was the wonderful representation we had in this book. Sam is autistic and nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, and they also identify themselves as panromantic and being on the ace spectrum. We also see Latina, Black, Vietnamese, bi, and aroace rep (and more I'm sure) in Sam's friend group and in the LGBTQIA+ club at school.
The murder mystery part starts slowly and then grows more apparent towards the second half of the book when it becomes obvious that Sam and Shep have stirred a pot that somebody clearly doesn't want to have stirred. I really liked the dynamic development and without any spoilers - I didn't guess who the murder was.
And just for a little bit of emotional pain, because Sam was really good at inflicting that on me:
"I'm not afraid of the dead, Dad. They're dead. [...] The living are scarier."
Graphic: Transphobia, Bullying, Homophobia, and Violence
Moderate: Biphobia, Death, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Stalking
Minor: Self harm, Alcoholism, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Vomit, and Outing
penguinsquack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Transphobia and Bullying
Moderate: Ableism, Biphobia, Death, Child death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, and Outing
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Self harm
Allergic reaction and anaphylaxislittleblackduckbooks's review
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Death, and Murder
spark_879's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Child death, Toxic friendship, Violence, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Minor: Vomit, Gun violence, Biphobia, Self harm, and Domestic abuse
transphobia = misgendering & harming someone because they're queer • murder = (accidental) attempted murder • sexual content = kissingevelynyle_88'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? Yes
4.0
I love every minute reading this!
Graphic: Transphobia, Bullying, and Homophobia
Moderate: Murder, Biphobia, and Death
Minor: Self harm, Domestic abuse, and Cancer