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riosblu'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
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Sexual harassment, Grief, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Self harm, Abandonment, Sexual content, Murder, Emotional abuse, Rape, Pedophilia, and Mental illness
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Stalking
Minor: Car accident
nineinchnails'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Bullying, Car accident, Ableism, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, and Self harm
Minor: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
jadyn_renee62's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Torture, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Suicide, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Child abuse, Car accident, Alcohol, Ableism, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Blood, Drug use, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Gun violence, and Murder
ale9417's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, Bullying, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship
jen1804's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Damon has obviously committed a lot of really bad shit and we cannot excuse some of his behaviour, but this book does an excellent job of exploring his past trauma and layering the reasons behind his decisions. It is heartbreaking to read at times, nobody deserves the childhood that he had.
I absolutely adore his and Winter’s story, the secrecy of their earlier relationship when Winter didn’t know who he was, because he was scared she would hate him if he revealed his identity which is heartbreaking, but the scenes were so beautiful - the driving of the car, the motorcycle ride. I also love that they have this back story from when they were kids, with the fountain and the tree house and how it all comes full circle when they’re older.
I really loved the internal struggle between Winter and Damon, with the slow burn enemies to lovers and them finally giving into each other. I think it made it spicier at times too. I love that they are both each other’s downfalls and yet each other’s saviours. Damon’s confession of his feelings toward Winter was so beautiful. And the fucking poem behind her name and then his tattoo of the decaying snowflake, omg send help I am dead. And the note he leaves her in fucking braille. Stop it!
The disability of Winter being blind is really beautifully explored in this book actually and I just loved it so freaking much. The descriptions of her listening to the rain, the snow, chef’s kiss, her feeling her sandpaper markers on the floor so that she can still dance and do what she loves. There’s kind of a story within this story of self acceptance and how Winter loves how her other senses are enhanced, she also doesn’t let it stop her from doing anything. There are definitely times when her blindness is taken advantage of don’t get me wrong, but I loved how Winter had people who were there for her and took care of her, being her eyes for her when she needed.
Add to the story how Damon finally gets his group of friends back and my heart is happy, thank god because by the end of book 2 I was feeling sad for him, he needs them! Though perhaps he defo needed to do more grovelling than he did…
I loved the further layers about Damon and Will’s friendship too. I think the scene of the car underwater and Will essentially having a panic attack as it brought back the trauma of drowning in the first book was really beautifully done too, with him being calmed by both Damon and Winter. And Damon’s inner turmoil about what his friend has been through knowing that he’s responsible.
Overall a really good book with some extremely complex themes. It’s not a 5/5 for me but it gets a well rounded 4.
Satisfactory ending? Yes.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Murder, Pedophilia, Self harm, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Ableism, Abandonment, Blood, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Rape, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Panic attacks/disorders
jlaz_13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Cursing, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Stalking, Blood, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
Minor: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse
sierrachenee'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? Yes
5.0
This book is confusing for my brain but I loved it. I don’t know how some things got redeemed but this book really does make you think. It’s very morally gray in a lot of areas and extremely dark so I would not recommend for everyone. It was so heartbreaking every step of the way.
Some parts were a bit too much or out of character or tied up too nicely but the good out balances the bad.
Winter is also my favorite lead women in this series so far. She is blind and I liked that Damon didn’t coddle her like a lot of others did. She was very determined, smart, strong, but also very caring. Their relationship was extremely messed up but they worked so well together. His relationship with Will too is my favorite.
If there wasn’t more in a series this book would provide me with a major book hangover and I’d be wandering around for a week or two trying to figure out what to read.
Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Rape, Murder, Gun violence, Bullying, Pedophilia, Incest, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcohol, Stalking, Addiction, Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Drug use