Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour

59 reviews

lily1304's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I just read this whole novel start to finish without getting up from the couch. I got so absorbed! Definitely sad but ultimately hopeful and romantic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Child death, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

hln's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

I could read 500 pages more of this and would still love it.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Sexual violence

elizj____'s review against another edition

3.5

It was pretty cute. A few things that I think could have been explored more, or tied up better; a few things I wasn't sure what to think of. But I felt 100% pandered to as a queer woman, which was nice, lol. Actual bisexual representation, for a change! (Not just a character sleeping with men but "knowing it was wrong" until she got seduced by the right woman, lol.) 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use

Minor: Sexual violence

merylas's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death, Abandonment, Death of parent, Drug use, and Addiction

Minor: Racism

nahae's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

A book that scores the heart. A story of disturbing complex histories, bleeding into who we are in the present. A tender love story & yet it is so much more than that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

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

caitlynva's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

A wonderful book where two women’s separate stories come together as one over a shared location. Each comes with their own struggles and complex issues that leads you to never take a “side” throughout the book. Beautifully written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Child abuse

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting

nerdy_book_mom's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

Moderate: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Addiction, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcohol

indydc's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Child death, Drug use, Addiction, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

Minor: Cancer

rgibbons's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.5

This book started out rough with very emotional and challenging life situations and didn't really improve from there. Just too heavy for me

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Death, Trafficking, Terminal illness, Alcohol, and Sexual violence

Minor: Homophobia