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paceyxposey 's review for:
Midnights With You
by Clare Osongco
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
WARNING: Only read if your mental health is stable and/or you have healthy coping mechanisms ready to go LOL. This book will have you revisit trauma or make new trauma...
Rating: 4/5
Spice: 0.5/5 (YA)
Recommended for: Although this book is considered YA, I don't think I would have fully grasped its content as a middle or high schooler. It's an important read though, possibly for college and up or the more emotionally intelligent high schoolers. Especially for people with mommy issues or have friends who have mommy issues.
Emotional Investment: Tears and trauma!
Book Hangover: I had to sit with this one for a bit.
How did I learn about this book?: Currently on the hunt for Filipino authors and found this gem!
Audiobook Comment: I showed my Filipino-born mother the Filipino accent done by the audiobook narrator, which my mom didn't really appreciate. I was fine with it.
Clare Osongco's debut novel is unfortunately relevant and tearjerking. Osongco eloquently writes about two Asian-American high school seniors with heavy burdens on their shoulders. Both dealing with the stress and trauma of abusive single parent households. Filipino-white Lourdes "Deedee" Zamora Walters feels like she has to keep everything she's going through to herself, unable to share it with her Korean-American best friend Suzy Jang. Her nocturnal neighbor Vietnamese-white Jason "Jay" Hayes works into the night to help his mom pay the bills. A clandestine friendship blooms between Deedee and Jay as Jay teaches her how to drive in exchange for tutoring. Mangos with bagoong and eggs with fish sauce, Filipino myths, and many midnights spent together, their secret friendship turns romantic but the pressure they feel from their respective home lives only intensifies, ready to threaten the friendship that finally made them not feel so alone in this world.
RaNdOm CoMmEnTaRy:
I think this is the first time I'm glad I didn't relate to the FMC and that it doesn't detract from the book. However, I had so many friends with abusive mothers that reading Deedee's story, I could finally step away from my privilege and walk in their shoes. And I could finally understand why it was so hard for them to open up or if they did open up, this book made me feel bad that I couldn't have been a better friend for them.
This isn't a five star read for me because it was too stressful for me and definitely triggering - anger issues, substance use. But for people who enjoy heavier themes, this could be an easy 5-star read. Osongco really made me feel like I was getting emotionally abused and broken up with.
Favorite characters were Suzy and Candace (Jay's older sister)!
Memorable Quotes:
Rating: 4/5
Spice: 0.5/5 (YA)
Recommended for: Although this book is considered YA, I don't think I would have fully grasped its content as a middle or high schooler. It's an important read though, possibly for college and up or the more emotionally intelligent high schoolers. Especially for people with mommy issues or have friends who have mommy issues.
Emotional Investment: Tears and trauma!
Book Hangover: I had to sit with this one for a bit.
How did I learn about this book?: Currently on the hunt for Filipino authors and found this gem!
Audiobook Comment: I showed my Filipino-born mother the Filipino accent done by the audiobook narrator, which my mom didn't really appreciate. I was fine with it.
Clare Osongco's debut novel is unfortunately relevant and tearjerking. Osongco eloquently writes about two Asian-American high school seniors with heavy burdens on their shoulders. Both dealing with the stress and trauma of abusive single parent households. Filipino-white Lourdes "Deedee" Zamora Walters feels like she has to keep everything she's going through to herself, unable to share it with her Korean-American best friend Suzy Jang. Her nocturnal neighbor Vietnamese-white Jason "Jay" Hayes works into the night to help his mom pay the bills. A clandestine friendship blooms between Deedee and Jay as Jay teaches her how to drive in exchange for tutoring. Mangos with bagoong and eggs with fish sauce, Filipino myths, and many midnights spent together, their secret friendship turns romantic but the pressure they feel from their respective home lives only intensifies, ready to threaten the friendship that finally made them not feel so alone in this world.
RaNdOm CoMmEnTaRy:
I think this is the first time I'm glad I didn't relate to the FMC and that it doesn't detract from the book. However, I had so many friends with abusive mothers that reading Deedee's story, I could finally step away from my privilege and walk in their shoes. And I could finally understand why it was so hard for them to open up or if they did open up, this book made me feel bad that I couldn't have been a better friend for them.
This isn't a five star read for me because it was too stressful for me and definitely triggering - anger issues, substance use. But for people who enjoy heavier themes, this could be an easy 5-star read. Osongco really made me feel like I was getting emotionally abused and broken up with.
Favorite characters were Suzy and Candace (Jay's older sister)!
Memorable Quotes:
I try not to talk to her when I'm too sad, in case I won't be the version of me she likes (Ch. 2)
he laughs -- a sound with a low center of gravity, a sound like warm fresh laundry and crisp autumn leaves. One that says I added to his life for a second (Ch. 2)
I guess... I came because I've been feeling pretty good lately. Like I'm a version of myself I like. I kind of wanted to wait for that, before showing up again (Ch. 58)