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irenetrexqueen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is my kind of romance, it is there but there is a story that is driving the book. I love that there is so much to the story and it being set down the street from me didn't hurt.
All characters felt like real people and not just ends to a means or ways to more the plot.
I will warn there is a part that I cried and many others would if they have had similar experiences. So be warned it is now all rainbows and romance.
If you love mystery, the supernatural, big dogs, old cats, or Portland Metro you may find a piece of this one you will like.
****Note***
I will say this book talks a lot about death, in MANY ways, as well as the things that cause it. So make sure you're in the right mindspace for this before jumping in.
All characters felt like real people and not just ends to a means or ways to more the plot.
I will warn there is a part that I cried and many others would if they have had similar experiences. So be warned it is now all rainbows and romance.
If you love mystery, the supernatural, big dogs, old cats, or Portland Metro you may find a piece of this one you will like.
****Note***
I will say this book talks a lot about death, in MANY ways, as well as the things that cause it. So make sure you're in the right mindspace for this before jumping in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Dementia, Death, Death of parent, and Car accident
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Miscarriage, Infertility, Medical content, Child abuse, Violence, Mental illness, Terminal illness, and Injury/Injury detail
bookitwithbecca's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
Honestly, I could write a long, in-depth review of this book because there's a lot to say, but I don't want to give it that much space. Usually, when a book disturbs me this much, I'll simply omit it from my public reviews. However, in this case, I do feel a responsibility to say something because both the story and the book, as a thing that is coming out into the world, are concerning, and I don't want anyone to mistake this for something harmless.
Some of It Was Real is baffling and alarming. The author has clearly done her research and understands the murky world of psychics and mediums who promise grieving people a chance at connecting with lost loved ones. The problem is she seems fine with it â or at least with presenting a rosy version of it in fiction. Instead of seriously engaging with the ethical dangers or even attempting to balance healthy skepticism with an open mind, the author fully commits to the idea that her (anti)heroine is the genuine article and doing something good in the world â even when the protagonist herself admits that she fakes psychic connections as often as she makes "real" ones. The result is a bizarrely "feel-good" story about a young woman overcoming (but not seeking actual therapy for!) her traumatic past to embrace her calling as a psychic-medium, enthralling even her biggest skeptic along the way. This approach not only saps any compelling tension from the plot but is also disturbingly close to full endorsement of the "grief vampires" that are existing, manipulating, and thriving in our society. I believe we should leave room for wonder and admit there are things â maybe even supernatural things â that science can't explain, but we still need to be responsible about how we explore those questions, especially when the story is not fantasy but firmly rooted in our real world and how it operates. But this book is not interested in engaging with complexity or even uncertainty, which is a shame because the setup is fantastic and could have been something great. However, the casual whitewashing holds it back as a literary work and also reveals a lack of awareness about what it's contributing to the real-world narrative. At best, Some of it was Real is a cheap spiritualist fairy tale. At worst, it's an irresponsible handling of a delicate subject, with concerning implications related to fraud, manipulation, and mental health issues.
My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Some of It Was Real is baffling and alarming. The author has clearly done her research and understands the murky world of psychics and mediums who promise grieving people a chance at connecting with lost loved ones. The problem is she seems fine with it â or at least with presenting a rosy version of it in fiction. Instead of seriously engaging with the ethical dangers or even attempting to balance healthy skepticism with an open mind, the author fully commits to the idea that her (anti)heroine is the genuine article and doing something good in the world â even when the protagonist herself admits that she fakes psychic connections as often as she makes "real" ones. The result is a bizarrely "feel-good" story about a young woman overcoming (but not seeking actual therapy for!) her traumatic past to embrace her calling as a psychic-medium, enthralling even her biggest skeptic along the way. This approach not only saps any compelling tension from the plot but is also disturbingly close to full endorsement of the "grief vampires" that are existing, manipulating, and thriving in our society. I believe we should leave room for wonder and admit there are things â maybe even supernatural things â that science can't explain, but we still need to be responsible about how we explore those questions, especially when the story is not fantasy but firmly rooted in our real world and how it operates. But this book is not interested in engaging with complexity or even uncertainty, which is a shame because the setup is fantastic and could have been something great. However, the casual whitewashing holds it back as a literary work and also reveals a lack of awareness about what it's contributing to the real-world narrative. At best, Some of it was Real is a cheap spiritualist fairy tale. At worst, it's an irresponsible handling of a delicate subject, with concerning implications related to fraud, manipulation, and mental health issues.
My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Moderate: Violence
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