Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour

85 reviews

veronicakirchner's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

The most content warnings I’ve ever added for a single book. A deeply troubling, heavy novel with some glimmers of hope; these two women’s stories are interwoven tragically and beautifully. I am devastated and heart broken for the main characters and the pain/traumas they have suffered, yet find solace in the simple pleasure and peace they derive from their love for one another.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Pedophilia, Abandonment, and Child death

Minor: Homophobia and Blood

montsett's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual content, Grief, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Death, and Death of parent

alliereads_'s review against another edition

emotional

2.0

I really wanted to like this book, knowing how popular it was and that it featured a lesbian romance, but I was let down. The plot takes off way too fast; we have no connection to these characters or understanding of why they make the choices they make. I don't empathize over her mother's death, I don't connect to her love for Annie, I don't understand the significance of Sara's relationship with her father, I don't feel the betrayal by Eugene, I don't get why she left so suddenly, abandoning her brother, to go off with a boy she doesn't know or why she suddenly agreed to prostitute herself to support them. It is the definition of telling, not showing. Unfortunately, this never changes. Yerba Buena feels disjointed; less like a cohesive novel and more like a series of vignettes (some of which are quite enjoyable!). Any progress feels swiftly undone from one chapter to the next. I just was never truly able to care about any of the characters or their relationships as a whole.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse and Child death

lenareads75's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Drug abuse

thisbriannahope's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Alcohol, Addiction, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Death of parent

shannahtan's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

4.5

I personally loved this book. I was immediately drawn in and didn’t want to put it down. I read that Emilie’s family is based on Nina LaCour’s dad’s family, which is a fun tidbit. I heard this was LaCour’s first adult novel, and I thought it was wonderful. I loved We Are Not Okay as well.

I could relate to Emilie’s wandering as she was trying out different majors and jobs. Her relationship with her family ebbs and flows. She is forgotten then loved them left. I think both Sara and Emilie are imperfect, and in some ways, that makes them more loveable.

It’s a heart wrenching story with a silver lining at the end. Plus sapphic love. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Pedophilia

Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Child death

ada_rosales's review against another edition

challenging fast-paced

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Child death, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Death, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Rape, Grief, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia

ohmygoshtosh's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Sexual content, Death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Medical content, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

Minor: Racism, Alcoholism, Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

joelletribbiani's review against another edition

Really gross scene where the main character (16) and a new acquaintance agree to get off a family friend for $300. That and the juvenile writing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Child death, and Death of parent

ashtonjamesdean's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Child death