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akvolcano's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Awesome book! Defintely gives space for reflection on your own life and you fall in love with the characters
it is super sad at the end,but I think it’s quite worth it</ spoiler>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Self harm, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content, Confinement, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, and Car accident
abbeyroad1410's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I went into this book knowing what was going to happen but wanting an emotional release. What I didn't expect, was becoming so invested in the characters from the start. Louisa is such a well-developed and dynamic character, and watching her come to terms with the world around her and discover herself is wonderful. I do have to say that once Louisa's trauma is revealed, we rarely hear about it again which was kind of strange.
This is a beautiful book with a beautiful message to live life to the fullest and choose how you live. Additionally, Will and Louisa have amazing banter that will make you laugh throughout.
If I had one true critique, it was that there was some very abrupt point of view jumping which could be jarring.
This is a beautiful book with a beautiful message to live life to the fullest and choose how you live. Additionally, Will and Louisa have amazing banter that will make you laugh throughout.
If I had one true critique, it was that there was some very abrupt point of view jumping which could be jarring.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
Moderate: Car accident and Death
Minor: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
abitofapoet's review against another edition
sad
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I’m sad lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Ableism, and Death
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, and Vomit
maim_mona's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I cried so many fat ugly years but also laughed so much, and i then i remembered why I had put off re reading this book for years. Jojo has this innate ability to make her characters creep into your heart and make a little home in there well before you'd even know it, the banter between Will and Lou makes this book that much more memorable, the feelings so real so wonderfully described. Unputdownable, heading straight to reading 'after you' now.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Self harm
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Drug use
akkun's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Medical content, and Self harm
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
iris_garden's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Sexual assault and Car accident
katharina90's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
This book hasn't aged well and is even more problematic than I remembered. It's an emotional read but impossible to look past the raging ableism and saviorism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicide, Medical content, and Sexual assault
Minor: Infidelity, Classism, and Body shaming
alyssadavis's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Don't think of me too often. I don't want to think of you getting all maudlin. Just live well.
Just live.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Suicide, Car accident, Death, Suicide attempt, and Self harm
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Sexual content, Medical content, Infidelity, Alcohol, Classism, Sexual assault, and Rape
cutelilcryptid's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I read this alongside an Eric Larocca novel because I needed something fluffy to distract me from my visceral disgust but honestly this one might have triggered my gag reflex more.
1. We've all read a book with a character like this before: attractive but aloof, ~damaged~ in a way that makes them deep and sensitive, perhaps even a victim of circumstance. They push others away because they're afraid of being hurt/hurting someone else/being misunderstood. Maybe they're quirky or their behavior is otherwise off-putting to normies (but they're still like SUPER attractive, we can't forget that part). No one quite "gets" them until the protagonist stumbles along, and they form a ~connection~. There's a certain ~spark~ you could say. But alas! The only purpose this character serves is the personal growth of the protagonist, so now this unconventional side character must leave, disappear without a trace, or die tragically. It's the classic manic pixie dream girl--quirky person changes the main character through their love and through being ~different~. There is a manic pixie dream girl in this book.His name is Will Traynor.
I find this super hilarious because the main character (Lou) really gives manic pixie dream girl vibes--quirky fashion sense, works in a coffee shop (until she doesn't), and even shows up with the "I can fix him" attitude. Only she gets manic pixie dream girled by this motherfucker who pulled an uno reverse and said "No I can fix YOU".
2. Goddamn the writing was just not enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting prosaic genius from this one, but there were just some writing quirks here that I feel should have been caught in editing. The writer uses the word "loo" an EXCESSIVE number of times. Reading this as an American, it felt like the writer was trying to SOUND British the same way that people writing period pieces constantly hit you in the face with the word "corset" to remind you that it's a period piece. I can see no reason the writer needed to mention "going to the loo" so goddamn much it honestly got to be immersion breaking for me.
3. I'm not even touching on the main plot and the implication of "disabled life isn't worth living" that people find super ableist and disturbing. Other people have said it in their reviews much better than I can. I will say that something about the plot of the book made me feel...icky. Like there's something about sitting in the lap of a paraplegic man who you are literally a paid caretaker for and making out with him without even like... Having any conversation about consent? Maybe I'm picking the wrong bone here, but the whole dynamic of caretaker x patient gives me bad vibes. It feels predatory. I'm not saying disabled people are unable to have consenting romantic relationships, but there was never one conversation of consent here before this lady put her whole pussy in this ship (I'm using that phrase metaphorically, there is no erotica in this book).
I'm not going to say I recommend it, but it is a better love story than anything Eric Larocca has written. Then again, Larocca writes splatterpunk horror, so that's not saying much. It was the brain break I needed, but at what cost.
((This review was posted to my Goodreads account before being posted here))
1. We've all read a book with a character like this before: attractive but aloof, ~damaged~ in a way that makes them deep and sensitive, perhaps even a victim of circumstance. They push others away because they're afraid of being hurt/hurting someone else/being misunderstood. Maybe they're quirky or their behavior is otherwise off-putting to normies (but they're still like SUPER attractive, we can't forget that part). No one quite "gets" them until the protagonist stumbles along, and they form a ~connection~. There's a certain ~spark~ you could say. But alas! The only purpose this character serves is the personal growth of the protagonist, so now this unconventional side character must leave, disappear without a trace, or die tragically. It's the classic manic pixie dream girl--quirky person changes the main character through their love and through being ~different~. There is a manic pixie dream girl in this book.
I find this super hilarious because the main character (Lou) really gives manic pixie dream girl vibes--quirky fashion sense, works in a coffee shop (until she doesn't), and even shows up with the "I can fix him" attitude. Only she gets manic pixie dream girled by this motherfucker who pulled an uno reverse and said "No I can fix YOU".
2. Goddamn the writing was just not enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting prosaic genius from this one, but there were just some writing quirks here that I feel should have been caught in editing. The writer uses the word "loo" an EXCESSIVE number of times. Reading this as an American, it felt like the writer was trying to SOUND British the same way that people writing period pieces constantly hit you in the face with the word "corset" to remind you that it's a period piece. I can see no reason the writer needed to mention "going to the loo" so goddamn much it honestly got to be immersion breaking for me.
3. I'm not even touching on the main plot and the implication of "disabled life isn't worth living" that people find super ableist and disturbing. Other people have said it in their reviews much better than I can. I will say that something about the plot of the book made me feel...icky.
I'm not going to say I recommend it, but it is a better love story than anything Eric Larocca has written. Then again, Larocca writes splatterpunk horror, so that's not saying much. It was the brain break I needed, but at what cost.
((This review was posted to my Goodreads account before being posted here))
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual assault
cassiereadsbooks_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual assault, Car accident, and Suicide