Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
5 reviews
_al's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
2.5
I honestly wanna give it 2 stars, bc the plot was kinda dull, even though I wad interested in the story. But the last 180-150 have some interesting stuff, although very rushed and underdeveloped for me. The characters are okay with some shining moments (conversation Lilliac with her father? kinda banger ngl)
But I also recognize that I'm far from targeted audience and the book wasn't horrible and it distracted me, so solid 2.5-3 stars. I will give a go the rest of the trilogy, bc im interested in the world.
But I also recognize that I'm far from targeted audience and the book wasn't horrible and it distracted me, so solid 2.5-3 stars. I will give a go the rest of the trilogy, bc im interested in the world.
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
karissahodge's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
One of the best audiobooks I’ve ever read! Lilac and Tarver are complex and easy to root for once you get to know them. Cutting to Tarver’s post-rescue interview/interrogation between each chapter was what kept me engaged when I wasn’t super invested in the first few chapters. It made me question very early on what was happening in the main plot and whether Lilac was going to survive, since she was the subject of every question but we knew nothing about her condition throughout the interview. The narrators were incredible and I couldn’t listen to the story fast enough!
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Body horror and Sexual content
liz_ross's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
After reading this book I don't think I will ever let myself trust a pretty cover again. Well, I probably won't be able to stop myself from doing that - pretty covers are my weakness -, but this book made me wish I could.
I still can't believe that a book with such a pretty cover can be so, so bad. It's just... I can't even describe how bad it is. There's just not a single thing that can save this book. And this is said by someone that always tries to find at least one positive thing about every single book.
Let's see... The world? Typical science-fiction world. But it could have been interesting, you know? It had a lot of potential. But it wasn't developed at all. It was just a background for the characters to move and the story to be developed.
A story that is nothing but a romance, by the way. Every single thing that happens is meant to force Lilac and Tarver to get closer to each other. There's this whole world to be explored, all these unimaginable possibilities, all these dangers that could have showed up, all this discoveries that could have been made. And it's all ignored for the sake of romance. Nothing happened if it couldn't help Lilac and Tarver's relationship.
It gets to the point of having no action whatsover. Every single thing is an excuse for them to profess their 💫love💫 for each other. It's sappy, it's unbearable. It made me wish I could have my eyes removed just so I had an excuse to stop reading (because my stupid ass seems to have no idea what DNFing is and insists on finishing every single book, no matter how bad it is or how long it takes).
It could have been a great romance even if it's sappy, couldn't it? Well, it could. But it isn't. It starts with Tarver and Lilac hating each other for no good reason. Actually they seem to hate each other for no reason at all. Unless we can count Lilac's stupidity as an acceptable reason.
I mean, Lilac and Tarver meet and it feels like this whole thing will be instalove (which would most likely have been better, because worst than this would have been impossible). And then the authors seem to think, "Oh wait! Why shouldn't they hate each other before falling in love?!". And bam, out of nowhere and for no good reason, Lilac and Tarver hate each other and are making my reading experience misarable, because they do nothing but complain about each other. Eventually they start making peace and I found myself dealing with the unbearable sappy romance I was complaining about before.
And as I said, it could have been good. Just like the world, it had potential. If Lilac and Tarver could have found a reasonable explanation for hating each other and the plot was more than excuses for them to fall in love and then profess that love, this could have been great. I mean, two survivors who hate each other in an unknown planet, not sure what they could find or if there was any chance of them being rescued? IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO GOOD!!
Of course, it would also need characters that could be interesting on their own. Which doesn't happen either. Lilac is the sterotype of a rich girl who is not "like other girls". Tarver is another sterotype - the boy from a poor family who does something memorable and heroic but feels like he doesn't deserve the fame and praises he receives. The problem with sterotypes is that their personalities are sterotyped as well, making everything they do predictable. Along with that, they are also annoying as they do nothing but complaining about being stuck with each other.
After all this, I bet you are thinking that it can't get worse. Well, it can. And it did. You see, as I've already said I don't DNF books. So, there I was, still reading, believing there was no way it could get worse, my last brain cells still working begging me to stop. And finally I reach the last chapters. And WHAT THE FU-- HELL?! If the body was gone, if there was an explanation, if it could make just a little sense, I wouldn't have complained. But the body is there, there's no explanation, it makes no sense. The plot was destroyed for the sake of love. So was the ending. The book could have redeemed itself in the end. Instead it only got worse. Beyond any salvation. Whatever the Lilac in ending of the book is, it's wrong. Tarver seriously needs therapy. And I need a new set of brain cells, because the ones I had commited suicide after reading that.
Overall, one of my biggest regrets ever. There's just no salvation for this book. Nothing about it is developed enough or makes enough sense for this book to be interesting. And I am quite sure too many of my brain cells commited suicide while I was reading for me to ever fully recover from the experience.
I still can't believe that a book with such a pretty cover can be so, so bad. It's just... I can't even describe how bad it is. There's just not a single thing that can save this book. And this is said by someone that always tries to find at least one positive thing about every single book.
Let's see... The world? Typical science-fiction world. But it could have been interesting, you know? It had a lot of potential. But it wasn't developed at all. It was just a background for the characters to move and the story to be developed.
A story that is nothing but a romance, by the way. Every single thing that happens is meant to force Lilac and Tarver to get closer to each other. There's this whole world to be explored, all these unimaginable possibilities, all these dangers that could have showed up, all this discoveries that could have been made. And it's all ignored for the sake of romance. Nothing happened if it couldn't help Lilac and Tarver's relationship.
It gets to the point of having no action whatsover. Every single thing is an excuse for them to profess their 💫love💫 for each other. It's sappy, it's unbearable. It made me wish I could have my eyes removed just so I had an excuse to stop reading (because my stupid ass seems to have no idea what DNFing is and insists on finishing every single book, no matter how bad it is or how long it takes).
It could have been a great romance even if it's sappy, couldn't it? Well, it could. But it isn't. It starts with Tarver and Lilac hating each other for no good reason. Actually they seem to hate each other for no reason at all. Unless we can count Lilac's stupidity as an acceptable reason.
I mean, Lilac and Tarver meet and it feels like this whole thing will be instalove (which would most likely have been better, because worst than this would have been impossible). And then the authors seem to think, "Oh wait! Why shouldn't they hate each other before falling in love?!". And bam, out of nowhere and for no good reason, Lilac and Tarver hate each other and are making my reading experience misarable, because they do nothing but complain about each other. Eventually they start making peace and I found myself dealing with the unbearable sappy romance I was complaining about before.
And as I said, it could have been good. Just like the world, it had potential. If Lilac and Tarver could have found a reasonable explanation for hating each other and the plot was more than excuses for them to fall in love and then profess that love, this could have been great. I mean, two survivors who hate each other in an unknown planet, not sure what they could find or if there was any chance of them being rescued? IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO GOOD!!
Of course, it would also need characters that could be interesting on their own. Which doesn't happen either. Lilac is the sterotype of a rich girl who is not "like other girls". Tarver is another sterotype - the boy from a poor family who does something memorable and heroic but feels like he doesn't deserve the fame and praises he receives. The problem with sterotypes is that their personalities are sterotyped as well, making everything they do predictable. Along with that, they are also annoying as they do nothing but complaining about being stuck with each other.
After all this, I bet you are thinking that it can't get worse. Well, it can. And it did. You see, as I've already said I don't DNF books. So, there I was, still reading, believing there was no way it could get worse, my last brain cells still working begging me to stop. And finally I reach the last chapters. And WHAT THE FU-- HELL?! If the body was gone, if there was an explanation, if it could make just a little sense, I wouldn't have complained. But the body is there, there's no explanation, it makes no sense. The plot was destroyed for the sake of love. So was the ending. The book could have redeemed itself in the end. Instead it only got worse. Beyond any salvation. Whatever the Lilac in ending of the book is, it's wrong. Tarver seriously needs therapy. And I need a new set of brain cells, because the ones I had commited suicide after reading that.
Overall, one of my biggest regrets ever. There's just no salvation for this book. Nothing about it is developed enough or makes enough sense for this book to be interesting. And I am quite sure too many of my brain cells commited suicide while I was reading for me to ever fully recover from the experience.
Graphic: Death and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent
nubiarivera's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
it's really just meh
Graphic: Death and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child death, Gore, and Suicidal thoughts
sara_dimby's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Soo underrated!! This is my comfort read. AMAZING charachters. Multiple POVs?? Outer space dystopia?? Shared trauma???? FORCED PROXIMITY??? ENEMIES TO LOVERS??? Who did this to you trope??? ONE BED TROPE?? LOVE???
YES YES YES ALL THE WAY!!
GO READ THIS NOW YOU WON’T REGRET IT!!!
YES YES YES ALL THE WAY!!
GO READ THIS NOW YOU WON’T REGRET IT!!!
Graphic: Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting
More...