Reviews

Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

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dreaming_ace's review against another edition

5.0

Thank You for writing a story Featuring a Biromantic Ace WOC. As an ace, it means a lot to me. Here is the poem I wrote today.

2/15/18

Just finished a very cool book
Featuring a Biromantic Ace WOC
Called Let’s Talk About Love
We so need more books about
Biromantic Ace WOC,
Writers go write, write right now
I want to read more such stories

tatish's review against another edition

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5.0

I identified a lot with Alice, TV buff, quirky, weird, indecisive about school... Her journey throughout the novel with her different relationships was well written. Takumi was a loveable character from his introduction until his last words. A great summer read.

bookschaosnart's review against another edition

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4.0

It was great to get a story with an Ace main character and how that influences relationships (family, friends, and romance). An awesome debut for the author. Sometime it felt clunk and harsh but that's probably due to the feelings it pulled out as an ace reader. A great NA read.

deanne10's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

wildbookbear's review against another edition

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I didn't like the writing, and the characters felt very immature and toxic.

jessiecat's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.5

hannahkeen22's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

cassimiranda's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring medium-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

4.0

This is a single POV romance novel focusing on an asexual woman named Alice, her post-breakup love interest, her best friends, and her search for a career path. It is marketed by a YA imprint, but I'm not sure why given that the protagonist is halfway through college. Is it the lack of explicated sex? If so, that's disappointing given the focus of the book is very much on her asexuality. I also found several early scenes painfully cringe worthy - by which I mean they caused major secondhand embarrassment for me as the reader.

Still, I think that there is a lot to love here. It isn't about Alice discovering her aceness or about coming out. She knows who she is and what she wants. The author explains Alice's sexuality, but it doesn't feel overly didactic. Takumi, the love interest, is a cinnamon roll. Their relationship is the best part of the story for me. Her two best friends... well, I wished I liked them more.

Their possessiveness is infantilizing, and I really wished Alice had asked them why they don't get a dog and name it Seymour Asses if they wanted a devoted shadow who would sit and wait for their attention forever. [Think Alice would be proud of my Futurama reference?]

The final conflict is between Alice and her parents. I'm torn here, because I think it was done well - but on a surface level. I wanted more depth because

what we did get also felt like Alice was being treated as a tween not a college aged woman.

That is a repeat theme in the book, clearly. I wish it hadn't been, given the stereotypes about ace people. I smiled a lot, I liked Alice, and I loved Takumi. Also, the low-key Buffy reference gets bonus points! So despite the disappointing elements this is still a four star for me.

katiemetzroth's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Stayed up far too late finishing this one!!! LOL

Content Warnings

badbadwolf's review against another edition

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medium-paced

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

1.0

Content Warnings

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