Scan barcode
freadman666's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
bootsmom3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Mental illness, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse
jreads2me's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Body shaming, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Death of parent, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
happilywilted's review against another edition
- 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
1.5
The only characters I didn't dislike were Donal, Leslie, and Darrin, the guy that Renee dates at the end.
I spent the whole book wondering if the author was for or against grooming and sexual abuse, as she writes the perspective of both supporters and people against the two main characters being together, but at the end of the book on the authors note she talks about how making them not platonic was the only option and tries to justify it in some way.
Every page made me deeply uncomfortable in a way that I haven't felt since I read Lolita in 2019, which isn't surprising, because the author recommends Lolita as saying it is similar. Horrid.
I hated Kellen so much, as he was a groomer and child molester. I could’ve done without reading the descriptions of his smell, his sweat, and the graphic sexual descriptions of him, an adult, touching Wavy. I had bought this book back in October after it had somehow gotten in to my TBR pile on Goodreads, and I bought it having read no spoilers, just seeing that it was a "beautiful and provocative love story". Well, it was provocative, but it wasn't anywhere close to beautiful or a love story. It was a story about a groomer who sexually assaults a child and makes her think that the relationship they had was a family and safe. But really, he was a creeper.
I despised reading Amy saying that Wavy wanted him to touch her, as if that excuses what he did to her at thirteen. Also, the judge taking back the protective order because Wavy said she was a "real person". As if being real excuses a pedophile and allows him to contact his victim.
I mean, they met when she was eight. When they first met, he was described as a giant and I was confused because I assumed this was the guy in the love story, and wondered how a child could be giant, when much to my chagrin I found out he was around twenty years old. I wish the age gap could've been at least just four years if she wanted him to be arrested for what he did to further the plot.
I almost DNF'd, but since I owned the book, I wanted to give it a chance, but every page of people ignoring the grooming and allowing it to continue pissed me off and made me almost throw the book across the room. Also, mama didn't raise no quitter.
Thankfully, now I'm done, and can attempt to scrub my brain clean of this frustrating and uncomfortable read.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
morganmoore's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Abandonment, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Death of parent, Death, and Child abuse
kuhliloach'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
4.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Classism, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Pedophilia, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Drug use, and Death of parent
ryebread225's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Rape, Physical abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Domestic abuse
mtehan7'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Sexual content, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Minor: Gun violence, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Cursing, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
pain_org's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Like I said, this book had no meaning behind it, and I’m not someone who wants to read this type of book with rose tinted glasses on like so many other readers did. This book was easy to read in black and white because that’s how it was told.
Also, “love knows no boundaries” on the back of the book is disgusting. Boundaries can definitely be set for “love”, especially when it’s an 8 year old and a 24 year old falling “in love.” That’s just not okay. Read “My Dark Vanessa” instead if you don’t want to read about pedophilia being romanticized.
Two stars because the writing and story telling was good. Three stars subtracted because this book was vile and uncomfortable and just felt like the author was grossly sexualizing an actual child.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Drug use
shibaunited's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Car accident, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Emotional abuse