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antireading's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Some of the dialogue was super Riverdale-y but I was having too much fun to care. The ending was impeccable. I also feel like David wasn't in the wrong during the 3rd act breakup. I feel like this happens to me a lot though, and maybe I'm just a bad friend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, Homophobia, Death, and Alcohol
Minor: Violence and Fatphobia
dododenise's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this. Maybe it wasn’t a masterpiece, some things could’ve been worked out better, but I was invested. I’m also just a sucker for band stories.
What I appreciated about it a lot was the balance of the characters being deeply flawed and still having to learn so much, while making both of their perspectives sympathetic. I could always understand where either of them came from, and that was so important.
Chance and David’s relationship is complicated. I can’t tell you where they would be in a few years time. Throughout the book their relationship goes through so many phases while the characters also changed themselves. I loved reading about the changes within their relationship.
My biggest issue was Ridley. For one she was a source of too many pop culture references but most importantly she made me uncomfortable. The way she saw Chance as a sex object instead of a human being was so icky.
I wouldn’t have minded the book to be longer. I would have liked to see the ramifications of queerness within the music industry. But perhaps that would’ve gone beyond what the book wanted to tackle, as its focus was elsewhere.
Overall I just had a fun time reading. A fun YA read!
What I appreciated about it a lot was the balance of the characters being deeply flawed and still having to learn so much, while making both of their perspectives sympathetic. I could always understand where either of them came from, and that was so important.
Chance and David’s relationship is complicated. I can’t tell you where they would be in a few years time. Throughout the book their relationship goes through so many phases while the characters also changed themselves. I loved reading about the changes within their relationship.
My biggest issue was Ridley. For one she was a source of too many pop culture references but most importantly she made me uncomfortable. The way she saw Chance as a sex object instead of a human being was so icky.
I wouldn’t have minded the book to be longer. I would have liked to see the ramifications of queerness within the music industry. But perhaps that would’ve gone beyond what the book wanted to tackle, as its focus was elsewhere.
Overall I just had a fun time reading. A fun YA read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Homophobia
Minor: Sexual content
abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, this book really didn’t work for me. I could see perhaps why someone else may enjoy it, but I couldn’t really get behind a lot of the decisions made in this book.
I didn’t actively dislike it per se, it was fairly easy and quick to read with lots of humour and good banter, which I appreciated! But the things I really liked about the book (David and his carpentry, David & his dad talking about his mom leaving, the impact of grief on our relationships and the damage of losing a friend young) were in short supply and the things I wasn’t as much of a fan of felt a lot more prominent.
I found David to be profoundly unlikeable, especially towards the end of the book. I couldn’t really understand what Chance would see in him and I couldn’t really find a solid reason why David was into Chance either. I found myself suspending a lot of disbelief as the whole situation just felt not believable. David was so selfish, jealous, and resentful that I had a really hard time believing that he had really changed and could be a good boyfriend by the end of the novel, because I didn’t see evidence of much growth throughout the book.
There were also some questionable and frankly problematic decisions made for the year 2023: Chance referring to his mother as “Mom Führer”, two Harry Potter references (in a queer book no less!!), and some flippant comment about how the police would “at least give them a warning before shooting” because the MC is white and the LI is famous.
Overall, I think if you’re really into the pop star / boy band genre and don’t mind a difficult main character, this might work for you, but ultimately I was disappointed by it.
Unfortunately, this book really didn’t work for me. I could see perhaps why someone else may enjoy it, but I couldn’t really get behind a lot of the decisions made in this book.
I didn’t actively dislike it per se, it was fairly easy and quick to read with lots of humour and good banter, which I appreciated! But the things I really liked about the book (David and his carpentry, David & his dad talking about his mom leaving, the impact of grief on our relationships and the damage of losing a friend young) were in short supply and the things I wasn’t as much of a fan of felt a lot more prominent.
I found David to be profoundly unlikeable, especially towards the end of the book. I couldn’t really understand what Chance would see in him and I couldn’t really find a solid reason why David was into Chance either. I found myself suspending a lot of disbelief as the whole situation just felt not believable. David was so selfish, jealous, and resentful that I had a really hard time believing that he had really changed and could be a good boyfriend by the end of the novel, because I didn’t see evidence of much growth throughout the book.
There were also some questionable and frankly problematic decisions made for the year 2023: Chance referring to his mother as “Mom Führer”, two Harry Potter references (in a queer book no less!!), and some flippant comment about how the police would “at least give them a warning before shooting” because the MC is white and the LI is famous.
Overall, I think if you’re really into the pop star / boy band genre and don’t mind a difficult main character, this might work for you, but ultimately I was disappointed by it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
naomi_marshall_murray's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What do you do when one of your ex-band mates(and best friend) dies, and the other hopes to seek solace in the only other person who gets them?
David Holcomb personifies getting bitter AND better when Chance returns to town, after the death of their beatfriend-turned-super star-band mate Eli. Since leaving The Darkhearts before they hit the big time, David has been learning a new trade whilst finishing school - and Chance has been touring the world with Eli by his side.
I couldn’t put this book down, from the moment I picked it up. David’s internal monologues matched with the conversational dialogue within the book make for an easily read second-chance showmance!
Friends - to band mates - to rivals - to friends - to, well thats the million dollar question.
YA meets NA in this Achillean coming of age novel, juggling grief and loss of a best friend with fade to black spicy scenes.
Thank you to Pride Book Tours, Andersen Press & James L Sutter for the physical copy of The Darkhearts ❤️
David Holcomb personifies getting bitter AND better when Chance returns to town, after the death of their beatfriend-turned-super star-band mate Eli. Since leaving The Darkhearts before they hit the big time, David has been learning a new trade whilst finishing school - and Chance has been touring the world with Eli by his side.
I couldn’t put this book down, from the moment I picked it up. David’s internal monologues matched with the conversational dialogue within the book make for an easily read second-chance showmance!
Friends - to band mates - to rivals - to friends - to, well thats the million dollar question.
YA meets NA in this Achillean coming of age novel, juggling grief and loss of a best friend with fade to black spicy scenes.
Thank you to Pride Book Tours, Andersen Press & James L Sutter for the physical copy of The Darkhearts ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Grief
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