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tobereadbookshelf 's review for:
Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home
by Jessa Hastings
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“You can love someone and not have it rule you, not have it dictate your every waking thought and decision. You can love someone and still retain your power and autonomy. You can love someone and have it just be there, a part of you, and still have a completely functional life. Even if it's a life without them. Doesn't sound much like any life I'm interested in, actually.”
What kills me about these books is the frequency at which they intentionally hurt each other. This is not love. Saying things in the moment when you are angry is one thing, but making decisions based on what will cut the other person the deepest, staying in relationships with other people based on pride and spite? This is cruelty and codependency, this is a trauma cycle, but it is not love.
I want to yell at them. Just be single. You don’t need to have a boyfriend or girlfriend all the time. Sex is not equal to breathing. The fact that none of their friends ever coach them to just stay single and work it out is astounding. I think they must all truly live for the drama. They are their own worst enemies. They actively work to systematically dismantle their own happiness and it makes me want to throw something.
I could not spend extensive time with anyone in these books, but the character I loath the most is Magnolia. Get over yourself girl. Why do they continue to inflate her ego at every turn? She is obnoxious and self centered and wants everyone around her to essentially worship her. She needs a few blunt friends to deliver some much needed tough love. Stop playing the victim. If you are going to continue to chase after this relationship, it’s time to own up to your part in its demise. Communicate. Say what you mean. Stop running away and expecting everyone else to chase after you. Game playing at this level is emotional abuse.
The ending was a major cliffhanger. They were in a relatively good place relationally, but I have no doubt they will blow it all up after these new developments.
The thing that makes these novels so compelling is that the characters feel so real. I am angry at them like they are living breathing human beings I am acquainted with. The emotions are so tangible on the page that I sometimes wonder what the author has been through. I would still much rather read about Daisy, but I could see a sliver of hope that BJ & Parks might manage to find happiness together. I feel like they have to or people would riot. Can you imagine being put through all this second hand trauma for nothing?! 😅 It would be diabolical.
————————————————————————-
Pre Read: If Magnolia and BJ can win me over, I will be amazed. I wish there was some way to prepare myself for these books. Bracing myself for secondhand trauma. 😅
What kills me about these books is the frequency at which they intentionally hurt each other. This is not love. Saying things in the moment when you are angry is one thing, but making decisions based on what will cut the other person the deepest, staying in relationships with other people based on pride and spite? This is cruelty and codependency, this is a trauma cycle, but it is not love.
I want to yell at them. Just be single. You don’t need to have a boyfriend or girlfriend all the time. Sex is not equal to breathing. The fact that none of their friends ever coach them to just stay single and work it out is astounding. I think they must all truly live for the drama. They are their own worst enemies. They actively work to systematically dismantle their own happiness and it makes me want to throw something.
I could not spend extensive time with anyone in these books, but the character I loath the most is Magnolia. Get over yourself girl. Why do they continue to inflate her ego at every turn? She is obnoxious and self centered and wants everyone around her to essentially worship her. She needs a few blunt friends to deliver some much needed tough love. Stop playing the victim. If you are going to continue to chase after this relationship, it’s time to own up to your part in its demise. Communicate. Say what you mean. Stop running away and expecting everyone else to chase after you. Game playing at this level is emotional abuse.
The ending was a major cliffhanger. They were in a relatively good place relationally, but I have no doubt they will blow it all up after these new developments.
The thing that makes these novels so compelling is that the characters feel so real. I am angry at them like they are living breathing human beings I am acquainted with. The emotions are so tangible on the page that I sometimes wonder what the author has been through. I would still much rather read about Daisy, but I could see a sliver of hope that BJ & Parks might manage to find happiness together. I feel like they have to or people would riot. Can you imagine being put through all this second hand trauma for nothing?! 😅 It would be diabolical.
————————————————————————-
Pre Read: If Magnolia and BJ can win me over, I will be amazed. I wish there was some way to prepare myself for these books. Bracing myself for secondhand trauma. 😅