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leafblade's review
1.0
This book fucking FLOPPED
First of all, it made me feel like liking girls is a dirty, teenage-only thing. And I like girls, and I fucking hate that it made me feel like that. Girls liking their best friend isn't drawing them naked time and time again over the years, isn't boycotting their relationships, isn't jerking off to the thought of being with them instead of their girlfriend, isn't looking under her shorts or cleavage at every chance you get. It's daydreaming about holding hands, and forehead kisses, and tv marathons, and coming out together. Its not strictly sex-related, and I'm so fucking angry that this has to be said.
Second, every single character was just so freaking stupid. If every teenage was as stupid as these, the life expectancy worldwide would be thirteen years, top.
Third of all, whAT THE FUCK WAS THAT CHANGE IN NARRATION. What was she trying to do with the change from first to third person, other than confuse the reader???? That's not how unreliable narrators work. Oh, and the ending. Jesus. Christ. That's not how unreliable narrators work, either. You can't just omit a whole fucking lot of what happened (WHILE NARRATING IN FIRST PERSON AS THE GIRL WHO SAW IT HAPPEN) and then be like oooohhhh I bet you weren't expecting this!!!!! No, of course we fucking weren't, because that wasn't there before and that's just not how mysteries work.
Also we had like maybe a dozen characters which we didn't get to know more than superficially, who weren't suspects nor useful for the story. And like, honestly, why.
I can't believe I put myself through this in less than 24 hours and survived.
Second #sapphicathon read, btw. Really sad it flopped.
First of all, it made me feel like liking girls is a dirty, teenage-only thing. And I like girls, and I fucking hate that it made me feel like that. Girls liking their best friend isn't drawing them naked time and time again over the years, isn't boycotting their relationships, isn't jerking off to the thought of being with them instead of their girlfriend, isn't looking under her shorts or cleavage at every chance you get. It's daydreaming about holding hands, and forehead kisses, and tv marathons, and coming out together. Its not strictly sex-related, and I'm so fucking angry that this has to be said.
Second, every single character was just so freaking stupid. If every teenage was as stupid as these, the life expectancy worldwide would be thirteen years, top.
Third of all, whAT THE FUCK WAS THAT CHANGE IN NARRATION. What was she trying to do with the change from first to third person, other than confuse the reader???? That's not how unreliable narrators work. Oh, and the ending. Jesus. Christ. That's not how unreliable narrators work, either. You can't just omit a whole fucking lot of what happened (WHILE NARRATING IN FIRST PERSON AS THE GIRL WHO SAW IT HAPPEN) and then be like oooohhhh I bet you weren't expecting this!!!!! No, of course we fucking weren't, because that wasn't there before and that's just not how mysteries work.
Also we had like maybe a dozen characters which we didn't get to know more than superficially, who weren't suspects nor useful for the story. And like, honestly, why.
I can't believe I put myself through this in less than 24 hours and survived.
Second #sapphicathon read, btw. Really sad it flopped.
burkbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like this one was just ok in my head... The twist was good but I just didn't find myself caring about the characters all that much. It was just fine. I am not a big thriller girly though I just love Malinda Lo's newer stuff so I wanted to give this one a try. I think thas was just a "wasn't for me" situation...
evis8008135's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rainyamy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
icaruscurse's review
4.0
4.5 really bc i loved it i really did but uhh... the twist kinda fell flat.
i think i would have loved it more if jessica really set margot up? they were building her up as something more sinister and it just kinda fell flat when it came to deliver. also jessica and emily? emma? the girl she made friends with on the art program? had a good chemistry.
still love it tho.
i think i would have loved it more if jessica really set margot up? they were building her up as something more sinister and it just kinda fell flat when it came to deliver. also jessica and emily? emma? the girl she made friends with on the art program? had a good chemistry.
still love it tho.
max05's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
shaunareads's review
2.0
This book was disappointing.
There were so many ways the mystery could have gone that would have been so much more fulfilling. But, I won't get into the could have's. Let's talk about the book.
What I liked.
1) I loved that mom focused on Jess lying and not that she was a lesbian.
"I see the way you act with her. I see everytime. Jessica, you--you are my daughter. I want you to be happy. If you are lesbian, it's okay. But don't lie to your parents. You don't let your friends control you like that. You have to tell the truth." Pg 156
2) LGBTQ Rep
Asian main character.
Okay... onto my dislikes.
1.) Jess's obsession with Angie is not okay. Like in any sense of the word. She literally stalks the girl. I actually thought we were seeing Jess's mental health spiral.
2.) Angie.
Why? Why does Jess even like her. She is described as being such a "nice person". She is not.
1. She is manipulative.
2. She strings Jess along.
3. She's so in love with Margot that she kisses Jess.
3.) Weird 1st/3rd person shift half way through the book.
I'm not really sure what the intention was for this, but it didn't work for me. It could have easily stayed first person with the transcripts.
SPOILER AHEAD
4.) The ending.
I like to guess whodunit when I'm reading but it's like I the author didn't even lay breadcrumbs so I was off traipsing through the woods thinking of all the (better) ways this story could have gone and she was still holding all the bread in your hands.
Honestly, after I read the confession I felt ripped off, it didn't feel remotely satisfying. AND then in the epilogue we get what really happened that night and I was still really annoyed because instead of actually getting to see it play out and the real killer discovered we get told it and everyone is just trying to protect "sweet" Angie.
There were so many ways the mystery could have gone that would have been so much more fulfilling. But, I won't get into the could have's. Let's talk about the book.
What I liked.
1) I loved that mom focused on Jess lying and not that she was a lesbian.
"I see the way you act with her. I see everytime. Jessica, you--you are my daughter. I want you to be happy. If you are lesbian, it's okay. But don't lie to your parents. You don't let your friends control you like that. You have to tell the truth." Pg 156
2) LGBTQ Rep
Asian main character.
Okay... onto my dislikes.
1.) Jess's obsession with Angie is not okay. Like in any sense of the word. She literally stalks the girl. I actually thought we were seeing Jess's mental health spiral.
2.) Angie.
Why? Why does Jess even like her. She is described as being such a "nice person". She is not.
1. She is manipulative.
2. She strings Jess along.
3. She's so in love with Margot that she kisses Jess.
3.) Weird 1st/3rd person shift half way through the book.
I'm not really sure what the intention was for this, but it didn't work for me. It could have easily stayed first person with the transcripts.
SPOILER AHEAD
4.) The ending.
I like to guess whodunit when I'm reading but it's like I the author didn't even lay breadcrumbs so I was off traipsing through the woods thinking of all the (better) ways this story could have gone and she was still holding all the bread in your hands.
Honestly, after I read the confession I felt ripped off, it didn't feel remotely satisfying. AND then in the epilogue we get what really happened that night and I was still really annoyed because instead of actually getting to see it play out and the real killer discovered we get told it and everyone is just trying to protect "sweet" Angie.
moo_shea's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
chemwitch's review
1.0
5/20/18: I feel like this book tried to get a creepy, intense Sapphic atmosphere going but it just... didn't work for me. Rtc