Reviews with content warning for Drug use - Alone with You in the Ether

I was quite literally sobbing and shaking after finishing this book. A MILLION STARS.

This is the best romance I've ever read and I honestly think it will be near impossible to top. Olivie Blake's writing is STUNNING. This book is supremely real. I honestly cannot form more words.

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ohennui's review against another edition

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emotional slow-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

3.5

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anusha30's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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anitaforthewin's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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? Yes

4.75

I don't think I can adequately review this book. It was written so utterly beautifully, you can feel the emotions and moods of the characters. You can feel the frenetic energy, the mania, the rush of it all. It's been a long time since words have evoked so many emotions. I loved reading it so so much, but that doesn't mean I can freely recommend it to a lot of people. It was haunting, and sad, and hopeful all in one. There was little to no plot, it was just vibes. And I mean that in the best way possible.

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thestorydoer's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I have never been so entranced by two characters.

This book revolves around 2 characters for most of it, and the side characters, true to their name for once, are cast to the side as less important. This is usually a flaw which I'd criticise if it weren't for the fact the dialogue and prose between these characters was so intensely electric. Every bit of them talking was entrancing, addicting, and emotional all in one. This is because the two characters are each intensely interesting with their unique ways of thinking.

Of course, this book is comments on romantic relationships with mental disorders/health issues. It does it extremely well. But I also find that it favors Regan's over Aldo's which makes sense as the author draws from Regan with her own bipolar disorder, but I think the book would've benefitted from treating them in equilibrium.

The author is also extremely creative in her prose. The book usually benefits from this. But there are a few times where the prose feels needlessly creative, adding flair to descriptions which simply didn't need it. However, the prose is also most of what makes this book such a beautiful and heart wrenching read.

I also think that the pacing also has a few issues as well, as the stages of their relationship go by at quite the accelerated pace which may be intentional, but I also think it could've been handled better.

Overall, a creative, imaginative read with two extremely interesting characters whose synergy is impossible to ignore. 4.25/5

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