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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
emotional
tense
slow-paced
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a lot different than I thought it would be, I feel way differently about the character than I thought I would, but this story has so much potential.
The thing I don’t understand about myself is that Jessa does something when she writes about love that I usually hate and makes it so I don’t buy the feelings the characters supposedly have for each other. She tells us how in love they are without really showing us or giving us any reasons why. I truly could not tell you why Joah and Ysolde love each other, but goddamit I believe they do wholeheartedly. However, if you asked me if I think they should be together I’d tell you no. I’d even go as far as to tell you I don’t want them to be together right now. That’s where the potential lies though, Joah has so much growing up to do and I think that’s why this is going to be a series bc you can’t wrap this up in one or even two books.
In this book, Joah is straight up toxic, but I think he’s supposed to be. My understanding of Jessa’s writing in the past is that she’s never romanticized toxicity, despite her male leads definitely being so in past books. Before her characters get a happy ending (if they ever do, not something Jessa promises), they have to complete their redemption arc, which I think is her plan with Joah bc oh my does he ever need one.
I’m excited to see where she goes with this, but this book was definitely the groundwork, so while I enjoyed it, I need more.
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
With every release post-MP, the original couple loses their zingy-ness and special characteristics. I think JH writes toxic characters so well that they are starting to get overwritten a bit.
I loved jumping back into a similar storyline, but it truly did lack the depth that I’ve come to expect in JH’s books. I still enjoyed the story, and I don’t agree with most that the writing was clunky (you just need to understand JH’s style), but I needed more. I felt that Ysolde’s friends could’ve provided a lot of that depth that was needed, but they were non-existent for like half of the book.
I loved jumping back into a similar storyline, but it truly did lack the depth that I’ve come to expect in JH’s books. I still enjoyed the story, and I don’t agree with most that the writing was clunky (you just need to understand JH’s style), but I needed more. I felt that Ysolde’s friends could’ve provided a lot of that depth that was needed, but they were non-existent for like half of the book.
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
wtf is this????? Just nope. Cringe.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
tense
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:
Yes
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was ROUGH to get through. The way she wrote the dialogue was so confusing to me cause I aint from the UK, it was literally like she wrote this book and put it through ChatGPT to make it sound like someone from Manchester wrote it.
The insta-love and toxicity was crazy as per usual but these guys were a bootleg Magnolia and BJ
The insta-love and toxicity was crazy as per usual but these guys were a bootleg Magnolia and BJ
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fuck it. I’m just going to say it. I absolutely ate this up. Now, granted, I love Jessa’s writing style and how her characters feel so lived in and authentic. Does this have similar vibes to Magnolia and BJ? Yes. Was that a deal breaker for me? No. It might be for you, but I actually think there’s enough that’s different about it, specifically the general concept overall, that it worked for me.
It almost feels like the early years of Magnolia and BJ (like the traumatic ones that we see some in flashbacks, but that’s not where we start our story). And I think the 90s setting is just as fun as her contemporary stuff.
P.S. I think people need to touch some grass with the Jessa bashing. The Acknowledgments in this book clearly explain what she has personally been dealing with - and that led her to write this book for herself. Just cut her a modicum of slack. You don’t need to love everything she writes, but you don’t need to bash her in the process of you deciding a certain book isn’t your vibe. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.
It almost feels like the early years of Magnolia and BJ (like the traumatic ones that we see some in flashbacks, but that’s not where we start our story). And I think the 90s setting is just as fun as her contemporary stuff.
P.S. I think people need to touch some grass with the Jessa bashing. The Acknowledgments in this book clearly explain what she has personally been dealing with - and that led her to write this book for herself. Just cut her a modicum of slack. You don’t need to love everything she writes, but you don’t need to bash her in the process of you deciding a certain book isn’t your vibe. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes