Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - I Wish You All the Best

Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

113 reviews

americattt's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.25

“You always point out the problems with the paintings or the drawings. But what about the things you got right?”
“What about them?”
“Don’t they mean something?”
His words make my stomach drop. I don’t know, maybe he’s right. But I don’t think he realizes how difficult it can be to forget all the mistakes when I know they’re my fault. When I know I should have caught them. “It’s hard to be proud of something you messed up, even if everything around it is perfect.”
“Don’t ignore the problems,” he says. “Learn from them. But also, don’t knock what you get right. Every success deserves a celebration.”

Content Warnings

asipofcozy's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

At the end of I Wish You All the Best I was left wanting more. More of Ben, more of Nathan, more of the dynamic between everyone because I absolutely adored this book. That beginning left me feeling so many things - anger, connection, frustration, hurt, jarred. And throughout the book I felt like I was being swept away with so many emotions and following along with Ben and their feelings.

What I think this book does really well at is showing the other side of reality and coming out. We are starting to really see an uptick in LGBTQIAP+ literature (which I am very grateful for). However, many of the books out there portray a lot positive coming-outs, which we need to feel hopeful, but at the same time we also need the ones where there isn't a positive coming out, like in the case of Benji coming out to their parents and being kicked-out.

I am not saying we shouldn't have all the positive examples of coming-out but for some of us coming-out was not a positive experience and we are left wondering, hoping will it get better? How can we move on from this? Can we still be accepted? Benji feels all of this and more, struggling through anxiety and depression and fear of coming out ever again. I connected with them on such a large scale.

My only critique would be that I wanted more, I wanted more of the characters, of the ending plot, of Nathan and Benji. More of Benji growing and gaining confidence. However, it seems like there is a Novella that is available to us so definitely picking it up :).

Content Warnings

mortalmarz's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional inspiring 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

4.5

Oh wow! I can't believe how much I cried and enjoyed this. First of all, romance genere is probably not the overall branching umbrella for this. It's fantastic and reminded me of me. The trials and tribulations I went through with my own sexual and gender identity and that's what so well done about this book. Despite the underlying story of could-be romance, the true focus is seeing how an enby child can come to terms with themselves. Support systems and welcoming family.

You even erase Ben's former and embrace his true. It's beautifully written. Took forward to more from the author

Content Warnings

bookishmillennial's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

disclaimer if you’ve read other reviews by me and are noticing a pattern: You’re correct that I don’t really give starred reviews, I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless if I add stars or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial

I thought this was a heavy but precious read about an 18-year-old senior year student who comes out to their parents as nonbinary. Mason explains that they needed this story when they were younger & I hope that young readers who may be questioning the road ahead in coming out to those they love find some hope and comfort in this book.

Are there challenging and heartbreaking parts of Benji’s journey? Absolutely, and I’m sure there’s still more to come as they grow up beyond the epilogue of this book (of what I’d imagine haha) but I really enjoyed this coming-of-age and reunited sibling story so much. I appreciated the representation of going to talk therapy, and normalizing medication, rather than demonizing and stigmatizing it.

Thank you for a lovely read and sweet characters who are trying their best, Mason!

Content Warnings

axel_p's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

I really like it at first, but after a while it got boring to hear the main character complain so much.

Content Warnings

danielle2121's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring fast-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? No

4.75

This was exactly what I needed right now, and I loved every second of it.

Me and probably 90% of my friends all fall into the lgbtqia+ spectrum somewhere so, sooo much of this book was extremely relatable in many ways, but also very educational too! I love learning new things about this beautiful community I’m in and I will never say no to a queer book about a non binary character written by a non binary author too! You could really tell the authenticity of every word written, it was wonderful to read.

Ben and Nathan please get in my pocket so I can protect you and let you be happy for the rest of eternity. I adore them both.

Content Warnings

rickireadss's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.25

this was heartbreaking but also it put my heart back together so nicely. i cried a lot while reading, especially the scenes between ben and their parents. their parents are absolute TRASH, and it hurt to see them mistreat ben. there is a romance subplot (and it made my heart very happy!!), but it’s not the main focus.

⚠️: transphobia, panic attacks/disorders, homophobia, emotional abuse, abandonment, child abuse, religious bigotry, disordered eating, grief, mental illness, dysphoria, suicidal thoughts

Content Warnings