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judeb0x's reviews
82 reviews
- 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
5.0
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Abandonment
Moderate: Religious bigotry
- 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
3.5
The main topic of the book (the relationship between Zach and Ruben) was my least favourite part of the story. I love a found family trope, and I'm not found of romance, so that's totally on me.
I had no problem with the writing, though some sentences were clumsy, and the time skips were too numerous and very bad, it felt a bit awkward and first draft -ish.
The stakes were stated from the start, so why wasn't I invested and thrilled by the possibility of Ruben and Zach to be caught? I don't really know. Maybe the fact that the story is from their POV made me forget about a bigger threat.
I loved the relation between the four members (I cared about Angel and Jon more than the main two), and the last 60-70 pages were simply amazing! I was really thrilled and hooked, I finished the book in an evening without break (something I rarely do).
Anyway! I would recommend this book to romance lovers, especially queer ones! It wasn't my cup of tea :P
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, Outing
- 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
The story was refreshing, seeing it from the eyes of a 15-year-old was interesting, and everything felt close to home.
I'm sure I will find myself coming back to some of the poems in the books, the one that helped me put thoughts into words. Thank you Elizabeth Acevedo for making me feel us teenagers heard and for opening my eyes to a different culture.
Graphic: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment
Minor: Homophobia
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is so easy to read yet so hard. We want to close our eyes and move on to something lighter and happier, but the truth is : we must remember history.
For someone like me, a Jewish, French girl who has no knowledge of Malasya and its history, I'm glad to have learned something and to be a part of this remembrance of history.
The main character, a teenager with OCD felt different from a typical character you'd see in books and media, yet, she was the perfect protagonist to tell a story such as this one.
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation
Minor: Pedophilia, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A good book is a book that makes you question your morals and values, that puts something (an action, a fact, a question) in front of your own eyes, and makes you think hard, until you and the main character become one.
That is how I felt reading Guided by Emma Smith. I felt like a scared teenage girl from England who had done something terrible, and had to live with the thoughts that someone can be good in principle but can become a murderer with a simple act... or lack of one.
The story was original, the characters were realistic and not stereotypes, Macey - the main character - was the perfect basic white girl from your school, but entering her head felt like opening myself to a whole new perspective on life.
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gaslighting, Alcohol
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Blood, Death of parent, Classism