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yikesbmg's review
4.0
Ok I haven’t read YA in a long time. All the stuff I read in high school was about basically white well-off heterosexual girls, so I loved this book for simply having an interesting, distinct plot. It touches lightly on interracial families and religion, and heavily on exploring sexuality, sibling dynamics, and mental health.
I don’t know how accurate the representation of bipolar disorder is, but was happy that Lion wasn’t portrayed to be a caricature of someone struggling to figure out their mental health. The author did a good enough job of incorporating texting/phones/the digital world into the character’s’ lives, and I feel like I got a sense of LA (though not sure if it’s accurate, because I’ve never been). The portrayal of social pressure and bullying in schools was realistic and honest, though the while the tough conversations about racism with friends and fucking up around parents was less so. Even though the latter was more idealistic to me, it’s still good to read something and see alternatives to how sympathetic and understanding parents might be. This is also a work of fiction so I don’t even know if it needs to be realistic when it comes to fiction or parent-kid relationships or anything else.
In any case, this was a great book, I want a sequel, and I intend to recommend it to my little cousins and sister.
I don’t know how accurate the representation of bipolar disorder is, but was happy that Lion wasn’t portrayed to be a caricature of someone struggling to figure out their mental health. The author did a good enough job of incorporating texting/phones/the digital world into the character’s’ lives, and I feel like I got a sense of LA (though not sure if it’s accurate, because I’ve never been). The portrayal of social pressure and bullying in schools was realistic and honest, though the while the tough conversations about racism with friends and fucking up around parents was less so. Even though the latter was more idealistic to me, it’s still good to read something and see alternatives to how sympathetic and understanding parents might be. This is also a work of fiction so I don’t even know if it needs to be realistic when it comes to fiction or parent-kid relationships or anything else.
In any case, this was a great book, I want a sequel, and I intend to recommend it to my little cousins and sister.
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
“‘They were better when they were alive.’ ‘Aren’t most things?’”
👧🏾
Suzette, aka Little, is headed home to L.A. after a year at a New England boarding school. She left because her stepbrother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and her mom and stepdad felt it best she was safer somewhere else while Lionel, aka Lion, got used to his new normal. Now that she’s back, things are different. Suzette was with her female roommate at school, but is crushing on her childhood friend, Emil now. She’s struggling with identifying her sexuality, while also crushing on her brother’s new girlfriend and her coworker. Between all of that Suzette also has the weight of carrying the secret that Lion is off his meds. She tries to figure out her life and protect her brother at the same time.
🧑🏻🦰
What I liked: amazing representation with the Black, Jewish, bisexual main character, her boyfriend who has hearing aides, and Lion’s mental health struggles. The frank way the teens discussed racism, sexuality, and one character’s experience with religion and abortion was probably very ahead of its time when this released in 2017.
What I didn’t like: Because this was probably one of the first books of its kind, there were a lot of bi stereotypes and comments that rubbed me the wrong way. Also I felt like the book was trying to cover soooo many topics that some of the points Colbert was trying to make got lost a little bit. 3⭐️
CW: homophobia, bullying, abortion (discussed), anxiety, racism, homophobic slurs, bipolar disorder
👧🏾
Suzette, aka Little, is headed home to L.A. after a year at a New England boarding school. She left because her stepbrother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and her mom and stepdad felt it best she was safer somewhere else while Lionel, aka Lion, got used to his new normal. Now that she’s back, things are different. Suzette was with her female roommate at school, but is crushing on her childhood friend, Emil now. She’s struggling with identifying her sexuality, while also crushing on her brother’s new girlfriend and her coworker. Between all of that Suzette also has the weight of carrying the secret that Lion is off his meds. She tries to figure out her life and protect her brother at the same time.
🧑🏻🦰
What I liked: amazing representation with the Black, Jewish, bisexual main character, her boyfriend who has hearing aides, and Lion’s mental health struggles. The frank way the teens discussed racism, sexuality, and one character’s experience with religion and abortion was probably very ahead of its time when this released in 2017.
What I didn’t like: Because this was probably one of the first books of its kind, there were a lot of bi stereotypes and comments that rubbed me the wrong way. Also I felt like the book was trying to cover soooo many topics that some of the points Colbert was trying to make got lost a little bit. 3⭐️
CW: homophobia, bullying, abortion (discussed), anxiety, racism, homophobic slurs, bipolar disorder
caseyjwied's review
5.0
5/5 stars!
This was an incredible book. I've read books with representation before, but nothing like this book. Colbert writes beautifully about the struggles of figuring out sexuality and to read through Little's struggles, was like reading through my own.
With writing about mental illness, the writing for bipolar was so phenomenal. Knowing what it's like to live with someone who has been diagnosed, it was like Colbert had opened a window into my life and had seen what I had been through and put it into a story.
I would definitely read this again and I recommend to everyone
This was an incredible book. I've read books with representation before, but nothing like this book. Colbert writes beautifully about the struggles of figuring out sexuality and to read through Little's struggles, was like reading through my own.
With writing about mental illness, the writing for bipolar was so phenomenal. Knowing what it's like to live with someone who has been diagnosed, it was like Colbert had opened a window into my life and had seen what I had been through and put it into a story.
I would definitely read this again and I recommend to everyone
steph01924's review
3.0
3.5 stars, I think. I finally got to read a full-length book from Brandy Colbert! I think her writing itself was great and I loved little bits of this book so much, but I think overall I wasn't in the headspace to a) deal with the love triangle (I was also having some flashbacks to her short story in the love triangle book where the nice, sweet guy got shafted for the bad-boy BFF in jail and I worried for Emil) and b) deal with the subject matter. I did love Suzette's family situation and her parents rocked, and it flowed together really well. I definitely need to read more from Colbert!
alappin's review against another edition
2.0
Short and sweet YA book covering topics like mental illness and bisexuality.
sparkly44's review
4.0
This book is full, completely full of so much of what teenagers are managing, from sex to peer pressure to sexual identity to mixed families to mental health. It’s complex while being accessible. I wish something similar had been available when I was 16!
daisyellejames's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
onceuponthesewords's review
4.0
I had no idea what this book was going to be about when I bought it… I just really liked the cover. But after reading just the first chapter, I knew in my gut that this was going to be one of the stories that I absolutely loved, and I was right.
This book tackles so many issues — mental illnesses, race, family, self-identity, sexuality, religion — in a way that was respectful and informative, and I really liked it. The characters were so lovable, and I felt for all of them and was rooting for them.
It was a pretty quick read, and I loved following along on Little & Lion’s journey. Looking forward to reading more of Brandy Colbert’s books!
This book tackles so many issues — mental illnesses, race, family, self-identity, sexuality, religion — in a way that was respectful and informative, and I really liked it. The characters were so lovable, and I felt for all of them and was rooting for them.
It was a pretty quick read, and I loved following along on Little & Lion’s journey. Looking forward to reading more of Brandy Colbert’s books!
njreadsandwrites's review
5.0
Little and Lion were two amazing kids, who just wanted to live. Little was off living her life and trying to be independent at a boarding school in New England, without always having to be a caregiver to Lion, who has bipolar disorder. When Little returns home for a visit, she realizes some truths about her life that she didn't understand before going away for school. Lion just wants to be okay; a sweetheart in his own right, he walked right into my heart and I haven't been able to forget him
This novel really broke my heart in places. I remember crying at so many scenes in this book. I wanted so badly to pick Little and Lion up so badly and comfort them and make things better. As a nurturer, I will warn all my other nurturers that this will hurt a little. But the plot was amazingly written and left me longing to know what would happen to these babies. I could not put the book down until I completely finished it.
Overall, I think this was one of the most heart-tugging books I've ever read, and I can't wait to read more from author's name.
Drop your thoughts on this book below. If you're pressed for time, and this was a quick read in between tasks, drop a pink heart in the comments.
Love, peace, and dope reading!
-NJ
This novel really broke my heart in places. I remember crying at so many scenes in this book. I wanted so badly to pick Little and Lion up so badly and comfort them and make things better. As a nurturer, I will warn all my other nurturers that this will hurt a little. But the plot was amazingly written and left me longing to know what would happen to these babies. I could not put the book down until I completely finished it.
Overall, I think this was one of the most heart-tugging books I've ever read, and I can't wait to read more from author's name.
Drop your thoughts on this book below. If you're pressed for time, and this was a quick read in between tasks, drop a pink heart in the comments.
Love, peace, and dope reading!
-NJ