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inkyinsanity's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ALL THE STARS
ALL OF THEM
AND TISSUES
Ok
Words.
So.
This was beyond amazing. I cried through the last third of it. This is not a light book, and while I found the ending happy and really enjoyed reading it and laughed and marked lines, it’s also not a lighthearted book.
Eliza has severe social anxiety and, although the book names only the anxiety, she’s also very depressed.
I have never read such good representation of anxiety and depression. I mean, I probably have because I read so much I do forget a lot of it most of the time, but this was amazing in the way it voiced things I’ve thought almost word for word. The way it creeped into my mind and everything *clicked.*
I…
I think this might have genuinely helped me when I was a teenager. Maybe not, but. But. I waited so long to get treatment for myself when I knew I needed it and pretended so hard that I was making it all up that I actually started believing my own lies until things started going too far for what I could believe. And this. Is. Everything. This is IT.
I’m not making sense and I’m on too much of a book high to even care.
I’m looking at the cover of the book right now, at the little word bubble saying “her story is a phenomenon, her life is a disaster” and like.
Disaster?
That could have been me.
Not Eliza’s life, but her feelings. Her single focus, the one thing and maybe another thing on a good day that made it possible to do everything else, and still not be able to do enough to be like a person. To be anything other than vaguely functional. Go to school. Eat. Shut down your family when they try to talk you because you can’t let them know how bad it is inside you, and or because you already have to live through it and you’re sure as hell not going to talk about it and have to live through it *again* but you NEED them to see you and talk to you because you're dying and you're trapped and you don't know what to do.
You Find something (in her case, someone) you genuinely like, convince yourself you can be like a real person, you can have fun, you can fall in love, you can talk to people. Only to have everything crashing down by something that you can’t help, but what if you did things differently? Could you have stopped it? It doesn’t matter you were barely able to live, because that’s in the past and you’re in the now.
Because you don’t choose to be so stressed you can’t breathe, or so sad you feel sick. But it’s so, so hard to believe that and this book. Got. It.
Um, warnings of depression, anxiety, panic attacks, mentioned harassment, and suicidal thoughts.
On the bright side, the fandom rep was PERFECT and the bits of Eliza’s web comic that are shown are really cool!
ALL OF THEM
AND TISSUES
Ok
Words.
So.
This was beyond amazing. I cried through the last third of it. This is not a light book, and while I found the ending happy and really enjoyed reading it and laughed and marked lines, it’s also not a lighthearted book.
Eliza has severe social anxiety and, although the book names only the anxiety, she’s also very depressed.
I have never read such good representation of anxiety and depression. I mean, I probably have because I read so much I do forget a lot of it most of the time, but this was amazing in the way it voiced things I’ve thought almost word for word. The way it creeped into my mind and everything *clicked.*
I…
I think this might have genuinely helped me when I was a teenager. Maybe not, but. But. I waited so long to get treatment for myself when I knew I needed it and pretended so hard that I was making it all up that I actually started believing my own lies until things started going too far for what I could believe. And this. Is. Everything. This is IT.
I’m not making sense and I’m on too much of a book high to even care.
I’m looking at the cover of the book right now, at the little word bubble saying “her story is a phenomenon, her life is a disaster” and like.
Disaster?
That could have been me.
Not Eliza’s life, but her feelings. Her single focus, the one thing and maybe another thing on a good day that made it possible to do everything else, and still not be able to do enough to be like a person. To be anything other than vaguely functional. Go to school. Eat. Shut down your family when they try to talk you because you can’t let them know how bad it is inside you, and or because you already have to live through it and you’re sure as hell not going to talk about it and have to live through it *again* but you NEED them to see you and talk to you because you're dying and you're trapped and you don't know what to do.
You Find something (in her case, someone) you genuinely like, convince yourself you can be like a real person, you can have fun, you can fall in love, you can talk to people. Only to have everything crashing down by something that you can’t help, but what if you did things differently? Could you have stopped it? It doesn’t matter you were barely able to live, because that’s in the past and you’re in the now.
Because you don’t choose to be so stressed you can’t breathe, or so sad you feel sick. But it’s so, so hard to believe that and this book. Got. It.
Um, warnings of depression, anxiety, panic attacks, mentioned harassment, and suicidal thoughts.
On the bright side, the fandom rep was PERFECT and the bits of Eliza’s web comic that are shown are really cool!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, Bullying, and Stalking
_persephone's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
Minor: Death of parent and Car accident
alexiconic's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
It is a fun book that took me back to my teenage years and manages to capture the feelings of teenage fandoms without becoming cringy - which is quite impressive! There’s some nice elements of mystery that are tied in well with the other elements of the plot. I didn’t connect with the characters (particularly Eliza and Wallace) as much, though, which made the inner monologue unnecessarily moody. I was a moody, online teenager myself and Eliza’s portrayal was too over the top for me. I would have loved less of the moody, inevitable buildup and more of the final period of the book - what happens in the next Summer?
P.S. Were readers supposed to root for Wallace and Eliza after his anger and inability to understand her block? Because that turned their relationship rather unhealthy to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Toxic relationship
_mariah_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, Bullying, and Suicide
shahdhazem's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-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
3.5
This was such an easy quick read for me I got in literally knowing nothing at all so I was expecting more action and fantasy you know but it was just a normal contemporary it was fun to read tho and I loved the idea that they both were these really famous people online but in real life they're just desperate teens. I think the author managed the topics of suicide and anxiety really well but what made me lower the rating is that I couldn't feel for the characters I really don't know how to explain it but I couldn't sympathise with Eliza or Wallace or even swoon for the romance I don't know if this is a problem with the writing or the characters themselves I have no idea. I'm not "not recommending" it I guess it's a decent book and I understand why people would love it but it's certainly not the best for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Car accident, and Suicide attempt
liz_241's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Cursing, Car accident, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying
pollylovesbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Car accident
bobbiejowoo's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was easy to read, and I liked the characters- mostly. I had a ton of trouble keeping up with the bits from her comic, and ended up just skipping those- which I’m sure means I missed out on some parallels, but that’s okay.
The real problem for me comes in with the way that the mental health issues and character conflicts are concerned. I did NOT like the relationship between Eliza and her parents. Though, I understand that some child/parent relationships are just like this.
The biggest one though, is when Wallace puts all that stress/guilt/pressure on Eliza. Not so much that that happened, because people sometimes don’t realize the burden they are putting on people.
But the fact that even after going to therapy Eliza NEVER confronts Wallace about this. It is never her responsibility to take care of him. It’s not her responsibility to “just finish” so HE can have a book deal and pay for college and have an easier life.
I’m big mad she didn’t stand up to him about this and address the situation.
However that all being said. I did enjoy this book. It’s worth a read for sure.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Death of parent
beccaand's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Medical content, Bullying, Suicide, Car accident, and Death of parent
sparkofash1129's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death and Car accident
Minor: Bullying