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dblue236's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Grief, Chronic illness, Cancer, and Terminal illness
Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Sexual content
lucyatoz's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
This novel has issues. Belly is an annoying teenager, with an internal monologue which did get some what irritating. Jeremiah and Conrad, the son's of her Mum's best friend, are the people who she has spent the Summer with, along with her brother Steven, for a long time. They are your typical American boys, who enjoy swimming, football, playing computer games, and teasing Belly.
It is not my kind of read personally, but wanted to read something that I would not normally read. They are some topics that affect teenagers, such as drinking alcohol and using drugs, which are mentioned but not really elaborated on. Both mother's are divorced, or about to be, with one also having a relapse of cancer, which again is touched on but not really part of the story as such. It is mainly centred around Belly and, for me, this lead to very self-centred story, when it could have been so much more.
I borrowed a copy of this book from Taunton Library and listened to it on cloudLibrary. I read this for prompt 10, told in a non-chronological order, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Blood, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
leexpenandpages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Sometimes it's like people are a million times more beautiful to you in your mind. It's like you see them through a special lens. But maybe if it's how you see them, that's how they really are. It's like the whole tree falling in the forest thing.
My dad once told me that Winstone Churchill said that Russia was riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. According to my dad, Churchill had been talking about my mother. This was before the divorce, and he said it half-bitterly, half-respectfully. Because even when he hated her, he admired her.
So this was my power over her: my supposed innocence over her supposed sluttiness. It was all such BS. I would've traded my spot for hers in a second.
β’ This story is warm and cutesy, just what one expects from a romance, especially a teen romance. It follows the story beats you expect from a childhood friends-to-lovers story. Combined with the short, focused chapters, it's an easy read.
β’ The narrator does an amazing job of sounding like a sweet, excited teenager. It's a shame Belly is completely annoying and oblivious, and most of the cast is frustrating too. (Thank you, Susannah, for being the exveption!)
β’ There is a scene in which Belly says asking someone before kissing is awkward. I'd like to remark that consent is important, and Belly is wrong on this subject. If it feels awkward to ask or to say yes, you shouldn't be doing it yet!
β’ Toward the end of the book, the pacing is uncomfortably fast. There is a major reveal that readers hardly get any time to feel.
β’ NOTE: The plot and characters differ significantly from the Amazon series. They're only loosely similar. Amazon does it better, but they're both easy skips.
Graphic: Drug use, Body shaming, Chronic illness, and Cancer
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, and Alcohol
Minor: Cursing
saramoser's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Listened on audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator.
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, Grief, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Drug use
my3bb8's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use
irenemayblack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
On a better note, it wasn't altogether bad if you enjoy a fast paced, light hearted quick read. This would be a good book to blow through for your reading goal in the summer. It just wasn't for me.
Minor: Drug use, Chronic illness, and Alcohol
hjb_128's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Drug use, Terminal illness, Violence, Alcohol, Cancer, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying and Body shaming
Minor: Classism and Homophobia
shay_2522's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Cancer
Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, and Cursing
This book is 12+f_r_e_d's review
I will NEVER read this again. You shouldnβt either.
it was HORRENDOUS.
Moderate: Cursing and Drug use
wavephase's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Moderate: Cancer, Drug use, and Alcohol