Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride, Jo Piazza

28 reviews

nelsvy's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-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

4.25

I almost gave up on this book at first. I personally found it really slow in getting started and I felt like I wasn't going to enjoy it. However, as the story progressed I found myself getting more and more invested in the plot, the characters and the story as a whole. As I approached the end I could barely bring myself to put the book down to go to bed.
This book did a great job at highlighting character flaws and yet never alienating the reader. Overall a great read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Murder, Grief, Pregnancy, and Gun violence

Moderate: Racial slurs, Miscarriage, Infertility, and Medical content

alysereadsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I liked this book, heavy and tough read but liked the focus of women’s friendships. The authors overall dealt well with difficult topics of policy brutally, BLM, and class issues. Not a lighthearted read, but an important one. Not sure if I loved the ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Police brutality, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Pregnancy, Slavery, Classism, Death, Hate crime, and Genocide

Moderate: Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, and Grief

Minor: Torture and Sexual content

agnesg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, Death, Pregnancy, Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Miscarriage

dizzyizzy's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Gun violence, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Medical content, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Car accident, Death, Grief, Medical content, and Miscarriage

melikeread's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

nuanced.
well written.


would be interesting to talk to authors to see why they made kevin murphy’s character into a “good cop” and cameron into a bad cop, although they both shot.
obviously we don’t want to see things in just black and white, but it would be interesting to hear the authors’ intentions.

recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Racial slurs

Moderate: Child death, Grief, Infertility, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Racism

Minor: Sexism

nuanced. well written. would be interesting to talk to authors to see why they made kevin murphy’s character into a “good cop” and cameron into a bad cop, although they both shot. obviously we don’t want to see things in just black and white, but it would be interesting to hear the authors’ intentions. recommend!

briana7's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Child death, Miscarriage, Violence, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Murder, Gun violence, Police brutality, Racism, Pregnancy, and Infertility

lpdx's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Police brutality, Racism, and Murder

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Infertility

martachbc's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

We Are Not Like Them tells the story of Jen and Riley, lifelong BFFs from Philadelphia. Riley is a Black, up-and-coming TV journalist.  Jen is white, married to police officer Kevin, and after years of struggling, finally pregnant with their first child. Lacking a present mom, Jen grew up around Riley’s close-knit family. When Kevin kills an innocent 14-year-old Black kid on the job, Jen’s life falls apart - but Riley has a chance to cover a story that could make her career.

I was drawn in by the timely concept of this book when it came out last year (and I love Jo Piazza’s books) - although now, doesn’t it feel beyond ”timely”? Aside from the fact that IRL I’d be pretty critical of Riley’s decision to cover the story in spite of being directly connected to it, I appreciated how this book didn’t shy away from exploring the uncomfortable, gritty and devastating nuances of its subject matter. 

The writing overall was excellent. But some elements of the friendship rang a little hollow to me - exacerbated by Jen having just a few redeeming qualities - and other elements of the story (Riley’s brother Shaun’s own experience in the criminal justice system, and her interracial relationship) could have been fleshed out more earlier. 

I would describe this as entry-level to the exploration of social justice - I am always happy to support books that get more people reading about important topics. But I’ll note, it was fairly easy for me, a white woman, to find some comfort with the outcome of this book, though no one was let off the hook. While things tie up somewhat neatly, the readers exist in a world where that’s not always the case - and we know that’s likely to be true for Jen and Riley eventually, even if we don’t see it. 

This would be a great book club read because there’s a lot to discuss. I find I enjoy books more when they really give me something to chew on - and this certainly did. I guess in some ways I still am thinking on it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Infertility, and Bullying

Minor: Miscarriage and Grief

franklola's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Murder, and Grief

bookellys's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-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

5.0

This book touched on some sensitive subjects around race but it does so in such a way that it helps you to understand and hopefully open up discussions about race with friends and family.

The one bit that sticks in my mind is when Jen (the white friend) says she rarely thinks about race and actually it made me realise that that is one of the privileges of being white. Whilst I think it’s great to look at my friends and family and just see people (not colour, race, sexuality etc) I understand now that these are things they have to deal with on a daily basis, often behind closed doors and I will strive to be more attuned to that.

I’m my opinion, a book everyone should read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Gun violence

Minor: Sexual content and Pregnancy