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breeisreading_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
Wow what the heck I’m still reeling from this and I am crying!!
Very teeny, very YA, but so so quick and easy to read and addicting, I couldn’t put this down. I Needed to find out what happened, and the reveal was so perfectly done and I didn’t see it coming at all, it absolutely broke me!
I loved the writing style, it was simple but worked so well for the story being told, and Cadence’s personality was so clear in the way it was written, and made the reveals we got so much better.
Very teeny, very YA, but so so quick and easy to read and addicting, I couldn’t put this down. I Needed to find out what happened, and the reveal was so perfectly done and I didn’t see it coming at all, it absolutely broke me!
I loved the writing style, it was simple but worked so well for the story being told, and Cadence’s personality was so clear in the way it was written, and made the reveals we got so much better.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Animal death, Chronic illness, Grief, Child death, Death, and Alcohol
theresacordova's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
This book was AMAZING. The author really showed the growth of and between characters. The plot twist was written FLAWLESSLY.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal death, Grief, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Alcohol and Addiction
emilyzzzzzzzz's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
I felt too mean to give it 0/5 but WHAT THE ACTUAL FU-
I really tried to like this, but the thought of his book alone angers me. I read this about a year ago and I'm yet to find a book I hate with the same amount of passion as I do with this book.
Summary of the plot (my memory is a little hazy so I cant remeber the names):
There's the main character (Cadence) visits the family island every summer with the 'liars' (they're literally just her cousins). Anyway, you get this whole background but the big mystery: she can't remember the last summer with the liars/cousins. Her family also won't tell her and the liars haven't been in contact with her, so the book follows her summer and shows her trying to piece together the previous summer.
So why is it shit???
Just because there is a plot twist, doesn't mean its good. I read it and just thought WTF but not in a good way. I just regretted wasting hours of my life on this book.
Whenever I've mentioned disliking this book, the fans always say "You just didn't understand it". So what, I'm stupid because I didn't like it?! Like girl, do you hear yourself?! Sorry to break it to you darling, but I did understand it and I still hated it. If you like it, then love that for you, but I didn't.
It gave the same vibe as "I woke up and it was all a dream". I hate that.
A main focus is the family, but there SO unlikeable. They were racist towards one of the characters and the family just didn't get on. There was also lots of unnecessary character with ridiculous names. Every time a character was with Cadence, I had to go back to the family tree to figure out who she was talking to. Some of it was just pointless.
I felt like the author wanted us to sympathise for family, and I did after the plot twist, but girl you're family are billionaires with a private island. Sure, you haven't spoken to the liars/cousins for a couple months, and I get that the mystery of last summer looms over her, but until the end, I couldn't give any less of a shit.
The liars apparently caused trouble, but they really didn't.
It wasn't until the last 15 pages that it finally made sense, so you just had to read the entire thing confused with no real answers, then BAM! It was like "Then this happend, and that caused that, and thats why that happend, and remeber that thing, oh yeah, this is why". Honey, take a breath, let me process. I had to take a moment to just think and consume what I was just bombarded with, so that's a slight positive I guess.
There is a slight romance between Cadence and this guy (can't remeber his name so we'll call him Dave). But why is this bad you ask? Dave is treated as part of the family since he's not quite, but might as well be, one of the cousins adopted brother. Dave's uncle is dating Cadence's Aunt or something, but he's almost treated as one of the cousins and part of the family. This might seem fine for some, but personally, it felt like she wanted to date a step/adopted cousin. Are they related? No. But it feels like they were. I felt the same vibes as step sibling dating. Personally, not a fan of the incest-like-trope were there technically not related, but it's set up to seem like they are (Sorry that was really poorly described).
It wasn't all bad. I did enjoy the writing style and the techniques used, such as fairytales to describe characters and personifying emotions, but I just didn't enjoy the execution of it.
To sum up, I expect E. Lockhart to refund me, as well as 20% interest for everyday since I finished the book. A tree should be planted for every waste of paper that the publishers used to print this. I also expect therapy. My lawyers will be in touch. X
I really tried to like this, but the thought of his book alone angers me. I read this about a year ago and I'm yet to find a book I hate with the same amount of passion as I do with this book.
Summary of the plot (my memory is a little hazy so I cant remeber the names):
There's the main character (Cadence) visits the family island every summer with the 'liars' (they're literally just her cousins). Anyway, you get this whole background but the big mystery: she can't remember the last summer with the liars/cousins. Her family also won't tell her and the liars haven't been in contact with her, so the book follows her summer and shows her trying to piece together the previous summer.
So why is it shit???
Just because there is a plot twist, doesn't mean its good. I read it and just thought WTF but not in a good way. I just regretted wasting hours of my life on this book.
Whenever I've mentioned disliking this book, the fans always say "You just didn't understand it". So what, I'm stupid because I didn't like it?! Like girl, do you hear yourself?! Sorry to break it to you darling, but I did understand it and I still hated it. If you like it, then love that for you, but I didn't.
It gave the same vibe as "I woke up and it was all a dream". I hate that.
A main focus is the family, but there SO unlikeable. They were racist towards one of the characters and the family just didn't get on. There was also lots of unnecessary character with ridiculous names. Every time a character was with Cadence, I had to go back to the family tree to figure out who she was talking to. Some of it was just pointless.
I felt like the author wanted us to sympathise for family, and I did after the plot twist, but girl you're family are billionaires with a private island. Sure, you haven't spoken to the liars/cousins for a couple months, and I get that the mystery of last summer looms over her, but until the end, I couldn't give any less of a shit.
The liars apparently caused trouble, but they really didn't.
It wasn't until the last 15 pages that it finally made sense, so you just had to read the entire thing confused with no real answers, then BAM! It was like "Then this happend, and that caused that, and thats why that happend, and remeber that thing, oh yeah, this is why". Honey, take a breath, let me process. I had to take a moment to just think and consume what I was just bombarded with, so that's a slight positive I guess.
It wasn't all bad. I did enjoy the writing style and the techniques used, such as fairytales to describe characters and personifying emotions, but I just didn't enjoy the execution of it.
To sum up, I expect E. Lockhart to refund me, as well as 20% interest for everyday since I finished the book. A tree should be planted for every waste of paper that the publishers used to print this. I also expect therapy. My lawyers will be in touch. X
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Racism, and Death
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Fire/Fire injury
pianoplayer279's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Definitely not one of my favourite books but it was very mysterious and I definitely didn’t see the plot twist coming. Age 14+
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Grief, Death, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury
jordan_noel's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I thought the plot twist in this book was good, and there were a lot of interesting points to think about (e.g., Cast’s grief process and her understand of her own grief, the way the teens think about the Sinclair family wealth, and the family dynamics).
However, I didn’t feel that I really knew the characters. I knew what Cady felt, but I didn’t know any of their interests and true motivations beyond their love for each other. This made it difficult for me to be engaged in the book.
However, I didn’t feel that I really knew the characters. I knew what Cady felt, but I didn’t know any of their interests and true motivations beyond their love for each other. This made it difficult for me to be engaged in the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Death, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Abandonment, Drug use, Alcohol, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Self harm, Racism, and Blood
leah08855's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
fcksnotfound's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Grief, Drug use, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Dementia and Death
Minor: Racism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Animal death
milakzm's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
rich people
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Mental illness
yelena_mila's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
aidareads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
i read this in two sittings and felt like i was on crack the whole time. i kinda guessed the plot twist, but just because i knew there was one. still, i liked how the author makes use of an unreliable narrator. a solid 4 stars!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Racism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Self harm, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death, Animal death, Dementia, Alcohol, and Grief