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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
I absolutely adored this beautiful and heartbreaking story and read it in one weekend. It hurt my heart but also made me feel seen. "To everyone who was served hatred and told it was love: We deserve better." Growing up in a high control catholic conservative family, isolated and homeschooled, told that I wasn't queer, and if I was, no I wasn't, this book spoke to me on multiple levels. There were so many moments reading this that I felt with such pain and knowing in my chest.
This should be required reading. To anyone that has ever felt alone, not enough, been told you're loved when it's really hate, please read this book and I hope you feel seen and accepted.
Thank you to Quirk and NetGalley for the advanced E-book!
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
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
This one hit close to home for me. I grew up in a home similar to Valerie's, and all the details are painfully correct, down to the Elsie Dinsmore and GA Henty books on the shelves. What a beautiful, redemptive read to see Riley and Val get their cozy escape, and even have Valerie's Mom come around in some ways. It was heartwarming, had tension in all the right places, and the descriptions of the social ostracizing, shunning, and shame were so true to reality I could feel them in my body.
Would love to read a sequel and continue to follow Riley and Val through their early adulthood, as well as Hannah and Daniel updates.
Would love to read a sequel and continue to follow Riley and Val through their early adulthood, as well as Hannah and Daniel updates.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
An insightful story about growing up in a cult, and discovering that you don't fit the mold. Not only because you want to learn more about the world around you, but being gay is not acceptable. This story has a happy ending, but it makes me wonder how many others with similar experiences, do not. My town has a cult that sounds very much like this is described and now I wonder how I can help members escape it, if they choose.
This story also parallels how our current government wants to control the American population. Truly evil!
This story also parallels how our current government wants to control the American population. Truly evil!
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting