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lizalovereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨”So much of my life was spent fixated on you.”✨
As soon as I started this book I knew it would be 5 stars and books are rarely 5 star for me. I immediately wanted to start annotating every line and just savoring it. Villareal-Moura truly doesn’t waste a single line. This is not only my favorite of the year, but a new favorite of all time.
✨”What better way to stay spellbound than to orbit the magician.”✨
This story centers around a woman who developed a relationship with a (much older) famous author while she was still in college. Their relationship continues up until her 30th birthday. It isn’t until a journalist contacts her saying that another young woman has reported allegations against him that she realizes just how toxic their relationship had been. The story is mostly written in a letter to him recounting their time together.
✨”I doubted you would be capable of feeling genuine joy for me in any scenario where you weren’t the recipient of my adoration.”✨
This book centers on being in a one-sided relationship. She spent her youth waiting to be seen and appreciated by him, which was never going to happen. She wastes the best years of her life waiting for him while he is off living a full, beautiful life. The book delves into power dynamics, race, sexism. She basically exists to stroke his ego and fill the void in him. She is there to serve him and for him to see himself reflected back. So many women have dated men like this and the author captures his every nuance so well.
✨”People are drawn to optimism, so I projected hope as often as possible since that’s what we both needed.”✨
If you’re a fan of Taylor Swift’s Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve or All Too Well (10 min version) you’ll love this.
✨”Everything about me was a colossal mistake.”✨
Thank you to @celadonbooks for the ARC and to the author for writing this one 😭
✨“My young life simply wasn’t that valuable, a realization both reassuring and devastating.”✨
✨”So much of my life was spent fixated on you.”✨
As soon as I started this book I knew it would be 5 stars and books are rarely 5 star for me. I immediately wanted to start annotating every line and just savoring it. Villareal-Moura truly doesn’t waste a single line. This is not only my favorite of the year, but a new favorite of all time.
✨”What better way to stay spellbound than to orbit the magician.”✨
This story centers around a woman who developed a relationship with a (much older) famous author while she was still in college. Their relationship continues up until her 30th birthday. It isn’t until a journalist contacts her saying that another young woman has reported allegations against him that she realizes just how toxic their relationship had been. The story is mostly written in a letter to him recounting their time together.
✨”I doubted you would be capable of feeling genuine joy for me in any scenario where you weren’t the recipient of my adoration.”✨
This book centers on being in a one-sided relationship. She spent her youth waiting to be seen and appreciated by him, which was never going to happen. She wastes the best years of her life waiting for him while he is off living a full, beautiful life. The book delves into power dynamics, race, sexism. She basically exists to stroke his ego and fill the void in him. She is there to serve him and for him to see himself reflected back. So many women have dated men like this and the author captures his every nuance so well.
✨”People are drawn to optimism, so I projected hope as often as possible since that’s what we both needed.”✨
If you’re a fan of Taylor Swift’s Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve or All Too Well (10 min version) you’ll love this.
✨”Everything about me was a colossal mistake.”✨
Thank you to @celadonbooks for the ARC and to the author for writing this one 😭
✨“My young life simply wasn’t that valuable, a realization both reassuring and devastating.”✨
shanntastic's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.0
muse692's review
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.25
mettie_am's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
I liked this! I didn’t notice what was going to happen with the book… but men are trash so. There we are.
carolinerosereads's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
sofiesbooked's review against another edition
4.0
4⭐️
I binged this audiobook in less than 12hrs. Like Happiness by Ursula Villareal-Moura.
Like Happiness is an emotional journey following Tatum, a girl who finds herself in a rocky relationship with a book she adores, and the man who wrote it. The two form a friendship, transitioning into a relationship that takes many forms, but usually becomes a toxic on-again-off again relationship. The book chronicles her life, relationship and the journey of self-discovery.
I loved how we got a glimpse of Tatum's life in the present while she is also recalling the actions she took in her past. The writing was wonderful, though Tatum took a bit for me to like - she was a bit insufferable at first, however, she was in her teens then so it was understandable.
Tatum's life is an absolute wild ride and it was extremely enjoyable to see where life took her. I gasped at the last 10% - it caught me by surprise and honestly I loved that it did.
Exploring Latinx heritage
Emotionally charged
Toxic, obsessive relationship
Coming of Age story
Audible Gasp while listening
Bisexual rep
Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the physical ARC and ALC of Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura.
—-
Initial thoughts - 3.5⭐️
Toxic, obsessive relationship that honestly was addicting to listen to but also made me feel icky throughout the listen. Tatum makes me so mad but also I loved her experience. I’ll have to mull on how I really feel on this one.
I binged this audiobook in less than 12hrs. Like Happiness by Ursula Villareal-Moura.
Like Happiness is an emotional journey following Tatum, a girl who finds herself in a rocky relationship with a book she adores, and the man who wrote it. The two form a friendship, transitioning into a relationship that takes many forms, but usually becomes a toxic on-again-off again relationship. The book chronicles her life, relationship and the journey of self-discovery.
I loved how we got a glimpse of Tatum's life in the present while she is also recalling the actions she took in her past. The writing was wonderful, though Tatum took a bit for me to like - she was a bit insufferable at first, however, she was in her teens then so it was understandable.
Tatum's life is an absolute wild ride and it was extremely enjoyable to see where life took her. I gasped at the last 10% - it caught me by surprise and honestly I loved that it did.
Exploring Latinx heritage
Emotionally charged
Toxic, obsessive relationship
Coming of Age story
Audible Gasp while listening
Bisexual rep
Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the physical ARC and ALC of Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura.
—-
Initial thoughts - 3.5⭐️
Toxic, obsessive relationship that honestly was addicting to listen to but also made me feel icky throughout the listen. Tatum makes me so mad but also I loved her experience. I’ll have to mull on how I really feel on this one.
lindamortland's review
3.5
It’s 2015 and Tatum Vega is peacefully enjoying the life she built in Chile with her partner Vera. One day, she is contacted by a US reporter for an interview regarding her relationship with M. Domínguez, a famous author who has been accused of sexual assault. This compels her to recount and re-examine the relationship she once had with the older and established author.
Tatum and M connect after Tatum falls in love with his book and writes him a fan letter. At the time, Tatum was an undergraduate student in Massachusetts and M was a professor in New York. As Tatum continues to recount her 10 year history with M, it is clear that the one-sided relationship caused Tatum to struggle to freely explore her identity and advance in life.
Like Happiness is a powerful novel that explores topics such as cultural identity, sexual orientation, self-discovery, grooming, power dynamics, and power imbalances.
Although the storyline dragged on for a bit, the writing was beautiful. The author did a superb job portraying the ways M subtly manipulates Tatum and the long-lasting impact he had on her. I especially enjoyed the second-person writing because it made Tatum’s experience feel more personal. My heart hurts for Tatum.
“For the longest time, I felt like everything would remind me of you – that I was doomed to relive our story and never regain my footing. What I’ve shared with you is proof that I still remember, but in writing this, I find that my memories are releasing their hold on me.”
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tatum and M connect after Tatum falls in love with his book and writes him a fan letter. At the time, Tatum was an undergraduate student in Massachusetts and M was a professor in New York. As Tatum continues to recount her 10 year history with M, it is clear that the one-sided relationship caused Tatum to struggle to freely explore her identity and advance in life.
Like Happiness is a powerful novel that explores topics such as cultural identity, sexual orientation, self-discovery, grooming, power dynamics, and power imbalances.
Although the storyline dragged on for a bit, the writing was beautiful. The author did a superb job portraying the ways M subtly manipulates Tatum and the long-lasting impact he had on her. I especially enjoyed the second-person writing because it made Tatum’s experience feel more personal. My heart hurts for Tatum.
“For the longest time, I felt like everything would remind me of you – that I was doomed to relive our story and never regain my footing. What I’ve shared with you is proof that I still remember, but in writing this, I find that my memories are releasing their hold on me.”
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
bioteacherbooknerd's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
rungemaille's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
whamydid's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0