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erikagibson126's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Abandonment, Death of parent, Stalking, Racism, Classism, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Animal death, Alcohol, Cursing, and Car accident
Minor: Antisemitism and Police brutality
clovetra's review
adventurous
funny
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
i feel like if i had actually watched the movie this is based on i'd get some more of the context or the ending, but i didnt so this review has zero bias relating to the movie!
this was an incredibly addictive book. damani is so witty, and the short chapters drew me in (me and my homies LOVE books with short chapters fr)
i will say the first half of the book i defo thought this was going to be a 5-star book, but tbh the ending lost me a bit. maybe it would make more sense if i'd seen taxi driver (1976)? but im also a believer in if your book cant explain it to me without outside sources im sorry im not going to seek out supplemental works. and i shouldn't have to! the ending really felt like a massive tonal change from a romcom to a thriller? which was insane. a lot of things came out of left field which i didnt love but hey. the last chapter was quite sweet. except literally the last sentence. i still cant work out wtf damani was actually trying to do!
other than that tho i loved this book. i loved that one of the key themes was "white activism" (if theres a better term forgive me for not remembering it.... my ass is tired). i liked seeing the big differences between jo & damani - jo, who is extremely left-wing and an activist, but does not see the intersectionality of activism and being a person of colour, and damani, who is really apolitical, just focused on keeping a roof over her & her mother's head, but also knows jo is being a bit of a pompous dick.
i did really enjoy the chemistry between jo & damani even with how their "relationship" ends (its not a spoiler if its in the blurb shut up). god they were so dazzling to read about.
what else can i say? i liked reading about damai & her mum. seeing her be this bad ass brazen vulgar woman by profession and then coming to care for her mum was really sweet to read. i love reading books about people who are carers (me when i enjoy books similar to my own circumstances 🤯).
what else did i love? the pacing. god was it SO FAST!!! i love me a fast-paced book god theyre orgasmic.
like i said the ending was a bit.... out of place? i feel like im gonna have to read other reviews to know wtf was going on there. but doesnt mean i hated it! my ass binged this book and god i had a fun time.
i dont really know what else to say because tbh i didnt have many thoughts about this book! like i fully was just enjoying the ride. i was live laugh loving reading this and most times my thoughts did not go deeper!
and you know i love me a bi/lesbian pairing! i also loved seeing damani so comfortable in her own skin!!!! we love to see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
anyways damani makes me want to speed the next time i get behind the wheel (which is in 30 minutes..... lets pray i have self-control) (i wont speed i cannot afford a fine my ass is financially ruined from purchasing car insurance)
this was an incredibly addictive book. damani is so witty, and the short chapters drew me in (me and my homies LOVE books with short chapters fr)
i will say the first half of the book i defo thought this was going to be a 5-star book, but tbh the ending lost me a bit. maybe it would make more sense if i'd seen taxi driver (1976)? but im also a believer in if your book cant explain it to me without outside sources im sorry im not going to seek out supplemental works. and i shouldn't have to! the ending really felt like a massive tonal change from a romcom to a thriller? which was insane. a lot of things came out of left field which i didnt love but hey. the last chapter was quite sweet. except literally the last sentence. i still cant work out wtf damani was actually trying to do!
other than that tho i loved this book. i loved that one of the key themes was "white activism" (if theres a better term forgive me for not remembering it.... my ass is tired). i liked seeing the big differences between jo & damani - jo, who is extremely left-wing and an activist, but does not see the intersectionality of activism and being a person of colour, and damani, who is really apolitical, just focused on keeping a roof over her & her mother's head, but also knows jo is being a bit of a pompous dick.
i did really enjoy the chemistry between jo & damani even with how their "relationship" ends (its not a spoiler if its in the blurb shut up). god they were so dazzling to read about.
what else can i say? i liked reading about damai & her mum. seeing her be this bad ass brazen vulgar woman by profession and then coming to care for her mum was really sweet to read. i love reading books about people who are carers (me when i enjoy books similar to my own circumstances 🤯).
what else did i love? the pacing. god was it SO FAST!!! i love me a fast-paced book god theyre orgasmic.
like i said the ending was a bit.... out of place? i feel like im gonna have to read other reviews to know wtf was going on there. but doesnt mean i hated it! my ass binged this book and god i had a fun time.
i dont really know what else to say because tbh i didnt have many thoughts about this book! like i fully was just enjoying the ride. i was live laugh loving reading this and most times my thoughts did not go deeper!
and you know i love me a bi/lesbian pairing! i also loved seeing damani so comfortable in her own skin!!!! we love to see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
anyways damani makes me want to speed the next time i get behind the wheel (which is in 30 minutes..... lets pray i have self-control) (i wont speed i cannot afford a fine my ass is financially ruined from purchasing car insurance)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deportation, Classism, Death of parent, Police brutality, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Islamophobia, Violence, Vomit, Hate crime, Alcohol, Car accident, and Drug use
Minor: Colonisation and Cultural appropriation
mcf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence
henlovesbooks's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Death of parent
the_lesbrarian's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Chronic illness, and Grief
Moderate: Xenophobia, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Drug use, Racism, and Vomit
binghebun's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
i really liked the start of this book, didn't like the middle, then really liked the last third. this novel has a lot to say and i think it's very successful at it, if a little unsubtle at times. damani is a great protagonist, and her struggles at home, her descriptions of her car and its riders and her strong belief in herself really invested me in her character. i loved her friends too. my main barrier to completely falling in love with this book is the writing style, which i have no way to describe other than 'contemporary first person' — it just really just doesn't work for me as i find things are overexplained when they don't need to be. the writing itself was solid, however, so overall a really good debut by priya guns and i'd be very interested in checking out whatever she writes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Stalking
the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Sexual content, and Racism
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Animal death
saint_eleanor's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
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
ALL I’m saying is i knew jolene was the worst from the start! Super gay, super funny, super lit. 🇱🇰 🏳️🌈
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
trashboatwinter's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Sexual content
shesreadingagain_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This was a very quick read and rather entertaining but if I have to hear Domini talk about her biceps and pecs on more time I may just simply pass away. I love an unhinged fmc just as much as the next person but she was essentially stalking her love interest the last half of the book. I had a major problem with that, I feel like that scenario alone is a trigger for some people. I don’t feel like the author truly addressed the racism and xenophobia presented in the book. I saw the situation developing from a mile away and yet we were just suppose to accept it and with Jolene calling the police on Sharif and getting him arrested and more people of color deported all because she thought the protest MAY be a bit violent. I feel like the whole time Jolene was virtue signaling and our FMC was still chasing after her? That didn’t sit well with me. Not mention the white knighting that Jolene was trying to pull. Ugh. I really feel like she was not challenged enough.
Sorry that half of this review is essentially spoilers for the plot but there were some plot points I felt needed to be addressed deeper and to combat those ideologies. This is the authors first book so I’m interested to see what others she releases in the future.
Sorry that half of this review is essentially spoilers for the plot but there were some plot points I felt needed to be addressed deeper and to combat those ideologies. This is the authors first book so I’m interested to see what others she releases in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, and Classism