Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour

176 reviews

madanxiety's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

An interesting narrative. I liked how it was as much about the characters as individuals (or more so even) than their relationship. In fact, I think by spending so much time on their individual journeys, it made me see them as truly compatible partners.

My biggest gripe was the whole Jacob relationship. It was difficult to be sympathetic of Emily tbh, and I just wanted to get back to Sarah 😂. Like how are you going to knowingly get involved w a married man and then get butt hurt about it? I know there was a power dynamic at play with him being her boss, but still like it was excruciating listening to her literally say "mm, I don't wanna do this" and then do it anyway 😭. But I suppose that was the point. Character growth and all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Homophobia

shelbyeallen13's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Addiction, Sexual assault, and Murder

bencaroline's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Blood, Child death, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual assault, Cancer, War, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Racism, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Homophobia

oliviajemi's review

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I was really hooked in the first third of the book but it lost me after that. I wish we learnt more about Sara’s past because it felt like there were a lot of holes in the story and at times it was very rushed. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse and Sexual assault

orangeslices's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Sexual assault

reb_curt's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Child death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Drug use

lovealwaysadi's review

emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Cursing, Medical content, Murder, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Abandonment

Minor: Toxic relationship and Terminal illness

devmerc's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Sexual assault

erinoco's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Terminal illness

smillas_tales's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

Vulnerable, inspiring, and unapologetically queer are all things that come to mind when I think of Yerba Buena. I read this back in February and while literary fiction usually doesn’t draw me in, this one did and has stayed with me since! 

This is not a book about queer joy, but it’s a book about the many ways queer joy prevails through hardships. It’s a book about enduring trauma, living with grief, and, most of all, about finding your path in life despite all of it. 

In less than 300 pages we follow the slowly converging paths of Sara and Emelie from their adolescence and well into their adulthood, through all the heartbreaking events they experience and the difficult choices they have to make along the way. This book touches on so many difficult topics, so be mindful of the trigger warnings, but it is so worth the read! 

I often have a hard time immersing myself in character-led stories, but this was an exception. Sara and Emelie are both so realistically flawed and so so lovable. I loved following their journeys, and I was deeply inspired by their willingness and determination to make a life for themselves, to thrive. 

The romance between them was also wonderful, but, considering the time frame of the story and the detail with which their separate traumas and personal growth were explored, it felt somewhat rushed, and it didn’t stand out to me as the strongest part of the story. 

All in all, I adored this book, so whether you’re looking for a brilliant work of literary fiction, something to add to your pride (or all year) TBR, or something to break your heart and put it back together again, I highly recommend this! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Grief, Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Child death