ghostbird12 's review for:

It's Not Like It's a Secret by Misa Sugiura

2.0

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okay so….what???? i was really ready to go all in on this book until the main character turned into a

racist, slut-shaming, selfish cheater. i don’t know if i’ve ever seen anyone wallow in so much self pity over the consequences of their own, horrible, yet avoidable, actions. jaime (AND caleb honestly) was a literal angel and sana was 100% in the wrong. also, what the fuck was up with the racism? i found the comments on race interesting and a good perspective at first, but then the main character turns around and says some horrible things to her girlfriend’s friends and it is never addressed until the end of the book when the people she was being racist to seem to just forgive her without her really doing anything about that???? inexcusable. if sana had made any effort to apologize directly to the people she had offended and take actions about that i MAY have gotten past it, but she literally did not at all. and sana also uses “slut” as an insult towards herself SEVERAL times. it is so weird- she corrects her mom many times for her mom saying offensive things, but then turns around and is just as offensive. what the fuck? and why did her friends just enable her the entire time? the only things i appreciated were: nuanced and interesting perspective on the parents relationship, no biphobia, realistic mom reaction to sana coming out. and honestly the last two were barely appreciated. idk.

i really wanted to like this because the beginning was really interesting and the romance was well written and electric but then it was literally completely ruined. yikes!!!!