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kumquats87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Colonisation, Murder, Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Grief, Alcohol, Confinement, Hate crime, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Kidnapping, Medical content, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny
Minor: Police brutality, Vomit, Infidelity, and Homophobia
zoiejanelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
i am not a thriller girlie but i happened to see Stephen King’s tweet recommending this book and i said, “romantic thriller? okay, let’s do this.”
and OH MY GOD was it worth it.
this book is REAR WINDOW meets GET OUT, Hitchcock meets Peele. it carries all of the best parts of the classic thriller genre, but was driven by a timely subject: gentrification.
i was immediately obsessed with both narrators and how unreliable they both were, even when they tried to be truthful. Sydney and her many secrets and insecurities was lovable from the get, and Theo—poor Theo—was simultaneously hilarious and romantic in all his goofy, well-meaning but off-putting gestures. somehow the combination of the two, one extremely distrusting and suspicious woman and one extremely maleable and dishonest man, was perfect. i was rooting for them the entire time.
the plot twists were very well timed. twist after twist, i audibly gasped. at one point i had to pause to soak in the information i’d just read.
overall, a true thrill that made me glad i genre-hopped. thanks Stephen King for the rec.
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Murder, Classism, Police brutality, Death of parent, Death, Alcohol, Racism, and Blood
Moderate: Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, Cursing, Colonisation, Gore, Slavery, Addiction, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Xenophobia
Minor: Racial slurs and Deportation
toorsdenote's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Racism and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Terminal illness
exlibrisabigaillee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Police brutality, Sexual content, Death of parent, Drug use, Gun violence, Murder, and Terminal illness
Minor: Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Classism, and Gore
vasha's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Murder, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Gun violence, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Police brutality
Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide, Vomit, and Blood
Minor: Addiction, Slavery, Cultural appropriation, and Genocide
vmgonzalez1003's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical trauma, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
taelights's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I loved the general concept and what we found out was going on was very interesting and fucked up. However, it took forever to get to that element of the book and nothing really seemed to happen until the later 75% of the book. There seemed to be way too much filler in this book and not enough of the payoff. In fact it felt like there wasn't a true conclusion to the book at all with it stopping abruptly and the epilogue leaving so many unanswered questions.
Sydney I thought was underdeveloped and I hated Theo. His POV was always so annoying to read and I thought he was a major creep. Like he's always watching Sydney in the apartment across the street and getting boners for her and acting like a teenage boy going through puberty with how often he's getting horny for her and it's like dude.... Yet he's supposed to be seen in a good light and as like the only non racist and non threatening white person who moved in…. Yikes. Like sure he's not part of the overall group of bad guys but. The bar is in hell.
The romance between Sydney and Theo was unbearable too. Like I hated them together and thought Theo didn't deserve her and her suddenly wanting him after treating him like a crap until they hooked up made the romance make zero sense. So much of the book is developing this boring gross romance though. Like I know now that this author is a romance author trying her hand at thrillers but my god this seemed like a romance with a side of a fucked up plan featuring gentrification and racism rather than an actual thriller.
I didn't vibe with the writing style. I saw someone say it read like a YA and I kind of agree. The characters felt very immature and Theo's especially it felt like reading a teenager's POV.
Overall this thriller really disappointed me and was lacking in so many areas. I have way more complaints about this book than praise unfortunately.
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, Racism, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Sexual content, Stalking, Terminal illness, Violence, Addiction, Classism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Colonisation and Cultural appropriation
cheye13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think this genre in general – the horrors of gentrification, the racism and eviction at play – is a deep well of content, and I haven't seen/heard of many other stories like this. It's a great way to bring attention or a perspective shift to a topic while also providing a good story.
From reviews, and knowing Cole is a romance author, I expected a lot more on the romance front. I didn't exactly like the romance scenes, but it didn't take anything away from the story imo. Theo fell a little flat as a character, but I liked them as a pair, and I was very relieved that Sydney wasn't alone/totally isolated through everything.
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Genocide, Kidnapping, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Confinement, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, and Police brutality
additionally: bugsmostlyliterate's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Medical content
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Vomit
girlonbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The residents of Gifford Place are disappearing. One by one they are being pushed out of their homes - some forced to sell to highfalutin property investors while others just up and vanish. Sydney Green knows that there’s more going on here than meets the eye and is determined to get to the bottom of what’s happening to her friends and neighbors.
"People bury the parts of history they don't like, pave it over like African cemeteries beneath Manhattan skyscrapers.”
✨ Rep in this book: Black author, Black protagonist, own voices
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Racism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Murder, and Police brutality