Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Goodbye Earl: A Revenge Novel by Leesa Cross-Smith

8 reviews

darsana8's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • 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? It's complicated

3.5

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cmvilleneuve's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

TW: domestic abuse, alcoholism, substance abuse 

I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It took a while to dive into the thick of the plot, but the world building made you love the girls so so so much more. A sisterhood of the traveling pants meets the chicks song, this was really great. 
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jammons's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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catnapping's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad slow-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 wanted to love this book, but it was just too slow. It really needed some additional editing. It's a nice coming of age story among the four friends as they grow and begin to deal with the difficulties of adulthood. It's a cute ode to the chicks. But I'm not really sure how the story manages to have TOO MUCH GOING ON and yet also NOTHING HAPPENING. 
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lemurdance's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

5.0

I don't think I'll ever run out of nice things to say about Leesa Cross-Smith books. Incidentally, I've been saying so many nice things that my phone predicts both her first and last name when I start typing it. 😂

Rosemarie, Ada, Caroline, and Kasey (or RACK, as they call themselves) have been more sisters than friends for their entire lives. Even when life takes them in different directions, even though Kasey hasn't set foot in their small hometown in fifteen years, and even though they come from vastly different backgrounds, their love is immutable. And  now that they are finally all in Goldie together, it's a flood of memories, traumas, lost loves, and renewal of everything that is RACK. As their few secrets come to light, the women face them fiercer than ever...together.

I am marveling, yet again, at Cross-Smith's deftness at capturing, defining, and exploring human relationships. Lasting friendships like the four women in GOODBYE, EARL are rare, and the use of flashbacks alternating with present day gives the reader a solid familiarity with how they embrace each other through their flaws and disagreements. Even though the book wraps up nicely, I feel a little sad saying goodbye to them. RACK FOREVER, indeed. 
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nukie19's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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heatherv's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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ehoffman563's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad 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? No

2.25

Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

Like other readers, I expected this to be a dark comedy in line with the song/lyrics by The Chicks. While there were loose similarities, the plot focused more on the friendship between four girls/women from high school to early 30s: Rosemarie, Ada, Caroline, and Kasey (RACK). Rosemarie moves away after high school and travels the world. She has a semi-open relationship with both Esme and Leo. Ada runs the family business and married her high school sweetheart - they now have 4 sons together. Caroline went to pastry school and runs the local bakery. She recently married the town's rich kid. Kasey left for New York the night of graduation and is returning for the first time with a lot of secrets of her own.

Growing up in a small town is hell - I personally don't understand why people stay or return. But, this book tries to make the point that it's the people there who will support you through thick and thin that make all of the difference. 

The beginning was slow, the middle sped along, and the ending was really not my style. I didn't care for some of the tropes that were included
Rosemarie's cancer was not necessary. Nor was Caroline's pregnancy.
The small town religious aspects also weren't my style and didn't really seem appropriate in the plotlines. 2/5 stars. 
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