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unusuallyy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
the little things i didn't like were:
- that jameson is a slightly drained version of keefe sencen, but way more vague. normally i'd like characters like keefe, but this one? nah. where he lacked in character, he made up for in many riddles and somewhat poetic words that i didn't mind, but i was kind of like, "can someone give this man a personality, please? he seems likeable. but like. a void."
- the ages. bestie, this is a high school junior, seventeen, and she's romantically interacting with an eighteen- and nineteen-year-old with no regards for their age. no one else seemed to care that this was happening illegally either. they were just like, "gossip, gossip, gossip."
- nash also seemed a bit empty?? is that just me?? dunno
- avery's life before the inheritance. it feels like it wasn't developed enough and that part of the story was just kinda skipped over.
- avery's name. i get that
Spoiler
it was a puzzle and scrambled thingamabob in the endthat's about all the bad things i had to say about this book, so now for some good things!
- the puzzles???? this man made nothing easy, and this woman wrote them in the best way possible.
- the brothers????? if their magnetic traits were ramped up any further, this could've been a thriller
- the
Spoiler
near-death experiences????- max! what the elf?? this and many other phrases are bound to be inside jokes between me and my friend for a long time.
i might add to this later because it's almost nine thirty at night and i am t i r e d. mainly made this review for my friend to become a discussion point, so i might add to it later if i remember! stay cool y'all
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, and Car accident
Minor: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Death
siglerbooknook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
The dialog was top tier. I truly enjoyed the quippy back and forths throughout the story.
The mystery aspect is entertaining, but you the reader are definitely just along for the ride. You aren't given enough pieces to solve it in advance.
The ending is a cliffhanger, so I'm glad I already have book 2. It is a great ending that leaves me wanting to dive into the next book. All the little puzzles are tied up nicely by the final pages and a new one has just begun.
I can't wait to see what the next book brings.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Classism, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Homophobia
emmajh91's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Child death, Grief, Domestic abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, and Blood
emilymax21's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Abandonment, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Minor: Homophobia, Domestic abuse, and Stalking
purplepenning'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
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Abandonment, Gun violence, Violence, Alcohol, and Car accident
Minor: Biphobia, Racism, Homophobia, Sexism, and Chronic illness
Underage drinking and drunkennesssome_froggish_lad's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Lesbophobia, Grief, Car accident, Gun violence, Chronic illness, and Homophobia
terrik_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death and Homophobia
foxo_cube's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Most of my qualms with the book are more down to personal taste. There are four Hawthorne brothers - the grandsons of the billionaire who left his property to our main character, Avery. Three of them are of an age range to make them romanceable options for her.
Nash, the oldest, is a cowboy. Why? I do not know. I like him and I was actually really rooting for him and Libby, Avery's older sister, to get together - I felt like they'd be cute together. Yeehaw.
Grayson is an arrogant twat
Jameson is... I don't know. He has a personality. I just don't really get what it is. He starts out being drunk and speaking weirdly cryptically like he thinks he's the Sphinx who tells riddles. I was severely put off him when he used a secret passage to go to Avery's room and go "I am in your walls, let me in, let me in" in the middle of the night, and then, when she let him in, he was like "it would be a shame if we were related [with euphemistic intent]". That's nightmare fuel, and she's just like "he's kinda hot, though". What?! Although he becomes more likeable, I never really felt any real chemistry between them beyond her swooning over him occasionally. I just couldn't feel invested in them getting together even though that's clearly what the book's getting at.
Xander is a good boy, a sweet boy, and a boy of many talents. For some reason, despite acknowledging he is tall and attractive (both traits commonly deemed attractive by straight female protagonists in YA novels), he is never swooned over. To be fair, this goes both ways. Xander is much more concerned with eating scones.
Avery is definitely a little bit of a blank slate in the YA protagonist kind of way where you're meant to project yourself onto her, but she experiences her own character development and she feels believable.
I feel as though I'd have enjoyed this more if it weren't for the romance elements, which felt a little forced.
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Physical abuse
Minor: Homophobia, Infidelity, and Biphobia
_gabi_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, and Death
ashybear02'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? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Homophobia, Cancer, Death, and Death of parent