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blakeandbooks's review
emotional
funny
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
4.0
This book felt so genuine to me from conversations/arguments between friends, mental health struggles as a teenager, and the MMC exploring his sexuality (he identifies as bisexual). I saw one of the people I follow on Instagram recommend this book to me, and I’m so glad they posted about it! I know some people aren’t interested in young adult fiction, but it is seriously some of the most genuine literature I read! It can be so difficult not to feel comfortable in who you are and have a crush on your best friend.
Fabiola is Afro-Latina, Quique’s best friend, and she is also bisexual! Some of their dialogue had me cackling! I love seeing great banter between friends. AND I also love seeing realistic arguments/disagreements between friends in books and how they made up. Friendships are not black and white! They’re complicated and messy and beautiful, and Aceves did such an incredible job at showing so much nuance in these characters and their relationships with one another.
Figuring out who you are in the world, especially as a teenager can be so overwhelming. Hell, it’s even difficult now for me sometimes at 26. Quique’s experiences felt so real and easy to relate to. Over the summer, he’s trying to get over his best friend, Saleem, who is visiting his family for 3 weeks, so Quique is hoping he can find ways to spend time with some of the boys he has crushes on to find out whether or not they feel a bit of the same. I personally thought the sex scenes were tasteful, and it wasn’t smut, but it was just realistic representations that teenagers do in fact have sex.
Saleem and Quique’s relationship from the get go is full of tension! I love how they can understand each other by just looking at one another, and I love how realistic it is to be so terrified that your best friend won’t feel the same as you do that you just don’t say anything at all… until you do !!
I loved Qique’s relationship with his parents, especially his mom. One of the quotes that made me cry was, “‘I wish I could say something comforting and wise,’ my mom begins, ‘but I can’t think of anything. This is gonna hurt, kid. It’s gonna continue to hurt. For a while.’ I’m about to make a sarcastic response about the dour nature of her words, but she continues. ‘But one day it won’t. And it won’t be because someone else has taken his place, and it won’t be because you’ve forgotten him. It’ll be because heartbreak, like any other injury will heal when you give it time.’”
The mental health representation in this book made me feel so seen 😭 As someone who has chronic depression, it is such a breath of fresh air to see other characters, and be able to read their inner thoughts about how they feel and their exploration into their own thoughts, mental health, and growth. When he asks to return to therapy, I was SO happy to see this. We need these type of books out in the world! Where everyone, no matter your age range, understands that it’s okay not to be okay, and sometimes we have to ask for help and seek guidance through therapy. The discussion around medication was so appreciated. I take antidepressants for my depression and obsessive compulsive thoughts, and it has made all the difference in my life. Luciana prefaces that medication is “not a miracle solution,” and work still needs to be put in!
There are so many great quotes in this book! Highly recommend.
Fabiola is Afro-Latina, Quique’s best friend, and she is also bisexual! Some of their dialogue had me cackling! I love seeing great banter between friends. AND I also love seeing realistic arguments/disagreements between friends in books and how they made up. Friendships are not black and white! They’re complicated and messy and beautiful, and Aceves did such an incredible job at showing so much nuance in these characters and their relationships with one another.
Figuring out who you are in the world, especially as a teenager can be so overwhelming. Hell, it’s even difficult now for me sometimes at 26. Quique’s experiences felt so real and easy to relate to. Over the summer, he’s trying to get over his best friend, Saleem, who is visiting his family for 3 weeks, so Quique is hoping he can find ways to spend time with some of the boys he has crushes on to find out whether or not they feel a bit of the same. I personally thought the sex scenes were tasteful, and it wasn’t smut, but it was just realistic representations that teenagers do in fact have sex.
Saleem and Quique’s relationship from the get go is full of tension! I love how they can understand each other by just looking at one another, and I love how realistic it is to be so terrified that your best friend won’t feel the same as you do that you just don’t say anything at all… until you do !!
I loved Qique’s relationship with his parents, especially his mom. One of the quotes that made me cry was, “‘I wish I could say something comforting and wise,’ my mom begins, ‘but I can’t think of anything. This is gonna hurt, kid. It’s gonna continue to hurt. For a while.’ I’m about to make a sarcastic response about the dour nature of her words, but she continues. ‘But one day it won’t. And it won’t be because someone else has taken his place, and it won’t be because you’ve forgotten him. It’ll be because heartbreak, like any other injury will heal when you give it time.’”
The mental health representation in this book made me feel so seen 😭 As someone who has chronic depression, it is such a breath of fresh air to see other characters, and be able to read their inner thoughts about how they feel and their exploration into their own thoughts, mental health, and growth. When he asks to return to therapy, I was SO happy to see this. We need these type of books out in the world! Where everyone, no matter your age range, understands that it’s okay not to be okay, and sometimes we have to ask for help and seek guidance through therapy. The discussion around medication was so appreciated. I take antidepressants for my depression and obsessive compulsive thoughts, and it has made all the difference in my life. Luciana prefaces that medication is “not a miracle solution,” and work still needs to be put in!
There are so many great quotes in this book! Highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Biphobia, Alcohol, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Homophobia, and Outing
Minor: Islamophobia
tkhenry99's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars is probably generous
the writing is really weird and cringey a lot of the time. there are random scenes that almost make it feel like the author is tackling too much (like when quique reflects on his “dad bod” for the first time, or the accidentally arranging a hook up with a teacher thing, or the crazy/psycho commentary).
the way quique repeatedly outs several characters was also just. not it. and for some reason randomly reflects on how he doesn’t want to out someone in the middle? as if he hadn’t been doing that all along?
also, quique probably should’ve been ✨institutionalized✨ for suicidal ideation with a plan…. multiple times….. especially at the end…..
the writing is really weird and cringey a lot of the time. there are random scenes that almost make it feel like the author is tackling too much (like when quique reflects on his “dad bod” for the first time, or the accidentally arranging a hook up with a teacher thing, or the crazy/psycho commentary).
the way quique repeatedly outs several characters was also just. not it. and for some reason randomly reflects on how he doesn’t want to out someone in the middle? as if he hadn’t been doing that all along?
also, quique probably should’ve been ✨institutionalized✨ for suicidal ideation with a plan…. multiple times….. especially at the end…..
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Hate crime, and Alcohol
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Islamophobia, Racism, Biphobia, and Outing
lim's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Misogyny, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Biphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, and Outing
Minor: Mass/school shootings, Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol
Sexualizing underage characters, biphobic stereotypes, Christian supremacist undertones, pro traditional marriage message.
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