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| 1542030374
| 9781542030373
| 1542030374
| 3.83
| 1,699
| Nov 01, 2021
| Nov 01, 2021
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really liked it
| thank you SO much to NetGalley & Skyscape for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This was a lovely book full of mom thank you SO much to NetGalley & Skyscape for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This was a lovely book full of moments to smile, but also to reflect on, I'm so glad I got to read this book unexpectedly this month. It was also refreshing to meet characters with interesting personalities and strong opinions, but also characters that have a lot of growth by the end, which I found realistic and well done. Plus, many beautiful scenes and a twist of its own that makes it very unique despite being a plotline we've read before. A great book with a cover worthy of having on our shelves! [image] You can find more book reviews & fun content in my blog A Book. A Thought. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ In this story, we follow Tahira, a girl who dreams of becoming a fashion designer and after her internship falls through, she decides to go for the summer to work at her aunt's boutique in Bakewell, Ontario's capital, to get the experience she needs for her college application. Once there she meets Rowan the rugged gardener of next door and although she wants nothing to do with him she finds herself needing the "plant-boy" skills to win Bakewell's flower arranging contest, a contest that promises to take the winner to New York City and as Rowan could also benefit himself from the prize he agrees to help her. No one is more surprised than Tahira herself to discover that flower design is as amazing as fashion design and Rowan could be so much more than the arrogant boy next door. For of all places, it's in this part of the world that Tahira begins to blossom. This book was a breath of fresh air, I loved having the chance to read it even though it wasn't in my plans since I was approved last minute with an ARC. What I appreciate most about the book is that it has little details that make it stand out from other contemporary romance books, such as the fact that Tahira's parents are super supportive of her and I also like the honesty with which this book speaks without fear of being "too much", I feel that the dialogues themselves bring a lot of realism, but also a lot of awareness with the topics that are touched upon such as racism, the pressure of social media and the damaging side of it, and the prejudices within the fashion world. I think in this book those little details are what makes a great story. The writing style is great, I actually liked it a lot. The beginning of the book is a little flat, I think it needs some work, but then it picks up very quickly giving us a lot of great moments, a lot of information, and a clearer picture of the situations that makes you want to know what will happen to the characters, but always enjoying the journey, you know? I didn't feel in this book that I wanted to finish it because honestly, I was having an amazing time reading it. It has a very relaxed vibe, portraying the lives of these guys in a very realistic way, but also breaking some beliefs along the way, and that, coupled with the diversity that this book gives us is a winning combination . By the end, I was totally on board with the story, loving the characters and nodding emotionally, so... mission accomplished! As I was saying before, this book has a great focus on diversity with South Asian characters, very positive Muslim representation, and black characters, among others. We can say that we have been blessed to see diversity grow in books a lot over time, and in this book, you can really see the author's commitment to writing about it, and that made me very excited. We also have mentions of bisexual & pansexual characters, and also blind characters. So, basically, we can say that not only it's a diverse book with a lot of representation, but it's also rich at this point, because of the depth in touching on certain themes. The romances with the enemies-to-lovers trope can be a hit or miss for me these days, it must be because I've read it a lot in the past or something, but I feel picky about it. This book luckily ended up being amazing in romance, but at first, it took me a little bit to get into it, even so, I can tell you that you have nothing to worry about because if this romance managed to win me over by the end, I know you'll love it. We also have some friendship portraits and some interesting discussions in these aspects as well. Another point that stands out a lot is the discussion the characters have about the future, and which path is the right one to follow. They ask themselves questions such as whether it is okay to change your mind once you have everything "planned" and whether it is worth giving up because of unexpected external factors. The topic of discussing the future, and how it's touched upon is charming and I think it's one of those contemporary romances that goes a bit beyond that, by talking about issues that concern young people. A really lovely book, with the use of flowers that I had never seen before, in a way that makes an interesting and engaging plot become a very pleasant aesthetic to read, which gives way to photographic situations. Other than that, as a contemporary it's very solid, discuss important things that are very current, and also give us a wide range of representation and diversity. The romance is lovely, and even as someone who's quite picky about romance, I was very pleased with it, and of course, the characters are wonderful, characters with very unique and distinct personalities, strong opinions with a lot of conviction, but most of all... and best of all, in my opinion, they're characters that learn from their mistakes and grow a lot. A story about understanding that life doesn't always go as planned and that's okay, about accepting that there are many ways to reach the same goal, that you have to appreciate the little things, and that the very romantic romance hasn't gone out of fashion yet lol, which I love. I hope you decide to read it, it's worth it and if you're not convinced, just take a look at the cover!> First Thoughts 11/16/21 This was a very lovely book!!! from time to time I enjoy this type of story that although it touches on important issues is mostly fun and light, and this book isn't only that, but it also has a very strong growth in the characters. I liked it a lot, and I'm happy that the cover is just as beautiful! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 07, 2021
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Nov 16, 2021
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Oct 27, 2021
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593309642
| 9780593309643
| 0593309642
| 3.85
| 3,305
| Sep 05, 2021
| Sep 07, 2021
|
really liked it
| This book is a crazy ride, if you can say so, it's really a roller coaster of emotions, as it has a very dynamic plot where things are happening from This book is a crazy ride, if you can say so, it's really a roller coaster of emotions, as it has a very dynamic plot where things are happening from minute one, so I'm happy to say that I enjoyed it even more than I expected, I found it super addictive, and also very easy to read even though it has so many moments of tension and a rather heavy atmosphere due to the tragic events it covers. A very well-thought-out execution for a book full of mystery and plot twists, which is definitely worth reading. [image] 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ You can find more reviews & fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought. In Lies, Like Wildfire we follow a group of five friends, the main character being Hannah Warner, who's also the sheriff's daughter of Gap Mountain, California, where most of them live. It's summer, so Hannah and the others decide to get together at their favorite spot on the lake, but it doesn't take them long to realize that this won't be a summer like any other when by accident they start a fire, and while they all agree to hide what has happened and lie to the police, everything starts to get out of control when the fire takes a dimension that no one expected consuming much of the rural area where they live, taking with it everything in its path. Because of this some of Hannah's friends begin to regret, and alliances begin to break down. In this context, Hannah's capable of everything to keep her friends safe because sometimes good people do bad things, right? I'm super grateful to be part of the blog tour for this book, it's always a pleasure to be able to share such an amazing story with many other readers, Thank you so much to Dave for the chance! so I'm super excited to bring you my thoughts today. Needless to say, I obviously liked it a lot, I think when it comes to YA mysteries/thrillers I know I'll go for it, and even when it's a genre I've already read a lot, it never ceases to surprise me, which I love! In this case, I came across a very ambitious plot that not only wants to tell an intriguing thriller but also explores a lot of other interesting and dark themes. We explore toxic friendships, we explore how tragedies can affect people's mental health, we explore what a person is capable of doing to save themselves, among other things. On the one hand, we have the obvious main theme which is the fire, but the book itself starts with the search for a body, so from the beginning, we know that something very tragic happened, and although at the beginning it's not clear what one thing has to do with the other, it all ties together towards the end making sense and making it even more interesting. I think the author's choice to reveal a detail that could have been used later in the book as a great plot twist, was incredibly wise because it's a factor that will keep you wondering what happened, I even felt that since I knew it was going to happen I couldn't stop reading because I felt that as the book gets more and more into the climax you can sense that it's about to happen, you're about to figure everything out, you know? and it's even more exciting. I also have to admit that the way the author has handled the revelations is brilliant, as she makes sure we get just the right amount of information, but in small measures, to give us the whole truth in the last few pages from the main character's hands. That alone makes this book SO GOOD! I loved the writing style, this is my first time reading this author, but it certainly won't be my last. I love how this book has been compared as being for fans of Karen McManus and E. Lockhart because I agree 100% with that, so if you like those authors you should definitely give Jennifer Lynn Alvarez a chance. Without a doubt, her style is very dynamic, things are always happening, and that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and always wanting to know what's going to happen next. I also feel that it has a less descriptive style and is more focused on the characters as such, which in this type of plot is a great choice. Also, the dialogues are very good , I always think that's a great detail that gives a lot of realism to the story. The amount of tension in this book can't be legal lol, I was super worried wanting to know what would happen, and then came another mini-revelation or mini-twist that suddenly changed everything and generated even more tension. So it's definitely one of those reads that keeps your heart in your mouth, trying to figure out what else could go wrong. The characters are another thing entirely. None of them are exactly lovable characters or ones you can identify with, and that's the intention I think, it's not meant to make you like the characters, they're more like that kind of super conflicted and a toxic group of friends. The author gives a glimpse of each of the personalities in their fair share, but mostly she focuses on Hannah, the main character, and although at times you can understand some of her behaviors... mostly you don't, and that's okay, she has a very intriguing erratic personality to know, it's obvious that you don't know for sure what she'll do and that has its catching part. Hannah clearly has extremely toxic behaviors, where we see a lot of obsession about certain people and although at the beginning it seems that her motivations are from sincere concern, towards the end I'm not sure and somehow I like that, I need more characters like these, that aren't completely good and you know they're hiding things, they're incredible to read. Then we have the other characters and although I'm not going to mention each of them, I can say that although some of them sound cliché they help a lot to move the plot along and the conflicts make sense. The personalities range from the beautiful rich girl, the troubled boy with home issues, the more "decent" girl and the handsome boy that everyone wants to be with and who behaves like a jerk, sounds chliché, right? and it probably is, but this doesn't take away that a lot of unexpected things happen with this group. When you talk about a mystery in general you can't reveal too much, so I don't want to do that, but I would like to mention that I really liked how this plot was approached, I like it's dark and that we follow the "villains" instead of the "good and honest people", you know? that gives another color and tone to the book. Everything that happens in this book is mostly illegal and clearly wrong, still, I hope you get my point, it's refreshing to read about dysfunctional characters who will do anything to get their way, but also intriguing to see how the dynamic of this group of friends develops, what things will make them doubt each other, what things will keep them together and what will be the breaking point. I liked the ending a lot, it's a bit polemic maybe because I think it feels a bit open, but for me, it was perfect. I like how the author approached it, I feel that, without a doubt, it's that kind of book where we don't have a "fair" ending but it's a bit satisfying I must say. I love how the characters' minds are explored, I'm sure it's something I already mentioned, but I needed to say it again, especially when talking about Hannah, I don't want to say too much, but there's this discussion about what's right and what's wrong, and from some people's point of view, what's fair and what's not. It's also super interesting to see how the mind can turn to anything to leave everything behind, even when you know that something isn't right. It explores the dark side of people and the primal need to save oneself, which is great! So in summary, I obviously enjoyed the plot a lot, maybe it's not the most incredible thing I've ever read in my life because I still think some situations are very unrealistic and a bit crazy, but I still enjoyed it a lot, and overall it's a book worth recommending if like me you, you like mystery/thriller, also if you like plots with lots of unexpected twists and totally crazy moments of high tension and lots and lots of DRAMA! There are betrayals, secrets, and lies going on too, and above all, I give her a lot of credit for choosing to create such peculiar and unlovable-unbelievable characters in the best way. Get ready for a journey of many lows and highs with this read, I'm definitely excited for more people to discover it. First Thoughts 08/16/21 Wow, I really liked this story, even darker than I expected. Super addictive plot full of secrets, lies, betrayals and toxic relationships, I honestly couldn't stop reading until I knew what would happen. A very well-created structure that follows two plot lines with a lot of suspense, mystery and tension. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 14, 2021
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Aug 16, 2021
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Jul 02, 2021
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Library Binding
| ||||||||||||||
| 0241345278
| 9780241345276
| 0241345278
| 3.41
| 721
| May 06, 2021
| May 06, 2021
|
liked it
| Super grateful for being part of the blog tour for this title & as always, my opinions are honest and my own. I ended up enjoying the book, I hoped to Super grateful for being part of the blog tour for this title & as always, my opinions are honest and my own. I ended up enjoying the book, I hoped to enjoy it even a little more, but it was very good, and the author's style resonates a lot with me, even so, it was not entirely what I expected. The plot begins with a certain super catastrophic but at the same time intriguing promise that manages to keep you hooked from the first pages, but then begins to transform into a more than anything contemporary book of self-discovery, which wasn't an impediment to my enjoyment, it was just different and unexpected. I adore the author's style and how she always manages to give us a solid setting and relatable characters. In summary, I found a very interesting book to explore even though it doesn't cover the full experience that I expected, nor does it have a very clear direction. [image] 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ You can find more of my reviews & other fun content on my A Book. A Thought. blog In this book, we follow Olivia, a highly introverted girl who's trying to live her life as comfortably as possible, until one-day humanity recognizes the damage has done to the earth for thousands of years is irreversible, therefore there are only nine months left till the "end of the world." Due to this tragic news, everyone is driven to start living their lives to the fullest and make the most of the time they have left as much as possible, which becomes a challenge for the shy Olivia who's still not sure how she wants to live her last months. But then almost out of nowhere Natasha, a cousin that Olivia didn't know, appears in her life and this will affect and change Olivia in ways she didn't expect. This is a very interesting plot to read, as I said before, I was expecting something denser in terms of the end of the world and this apocalyptic thing, you know, but instead, I found a point of view more focused on the contemporary side, and in the consequences or actions that this news has on people and how, above all, it affects the main character Libby (Olivia), who has always lived a little fearful and withdrawn from other people. This approach isn't something negative as such, just something surprising for me, anyway I think it's important to emphasize it in case any of you are interested in reading it and perhaps a contemporary plot isn't what you're really looking for. I'd already read the author in the past, I read The One Memory of Flora Banks and although I know it's an unpopular opinion, I loved it! So I was quite excited to read more about the author and even more to participate in this blog tour, which I don't regret since I think she has a very unique ability to describe settings, to create interesting and relatable characters, such as also to give a unique touch to their stories that make them stand out from others, perhaps exploring issues that aren't touched too much in the genre. This time I really liked the way the author gives personalities to the characters since both Olivia and Natasha and even the secondary characters, have very marked personalities and differ widely from each other, which puts the characters in difficult, uncomfortable, or even new situations, which makes the relationship between them help each of them to grow and develop, especially for Olivia this is an important factor since starting to interact with her cousin starts a strong journey of self-discovery and even acceptance for her. Although I don't care that the book is more focused on the story of the girls, and the things we would do if we knew that the world was going to end, instead of focusing more on the apocalyptic of the matter, I have to confess I'd have loved to have that point of view too, maybe something more dystopian where people make plans to try to survive or this kind of thing. In this book, it's rather a collective realization where everyone understands that although it's difficult to assimilate, the reality in which they live is like this, and now they must hurry to do everything they have always wanted to do. There are simply so many points to explore in a plot as such, that I feel that they were somehow left aside to focus on the more contemporary and human aspects. It also gives me the sense that it is poorly resolved as such, especially towards the end it's kind of messy as if the author didn't know well what definition to give it, in any case, I highlight the revelations since they seemed well executed. In summary, I think that when you give your book such a dark and urgent tone, maybe the focus should be more developed in that area at least for the first part of the book, and then transition to the worldly problems of the characters, even so, This is my opinion and as I always say, you don't have to think the same. As a contemporary plot, touches on extremely interesting and even important topics, such as revelations about the family, the search for who we are, and what we want to do with our lives. Why is it really worth fighting for? & the value of simply living fully, you know? What would you do if you knew that you only have nine months to live? I think it's an extremely interesting and intriguing question to explore and is asked quite intentionally in this book. I quite liked the book, I don't think it's a bad read at all, it's not what I expected certainly, even so, it provides very unique moments, great characters and life lessons, as well as reflective moments that explore things in life we can all feel identified with. I recommend it? Of course! but only if you're looking for a solid contemporary book with a plot focused on the existential as such rather than an apocalyptic plot, you know? in that case, it's super easy to read, flows for the most part well as well and the characters are worth it. I'm still interested in continuing to read the works of the author since I really like her writing style. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 2021
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May 08, 2021
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May 01, 2021
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0062643835
| 9780062643834
| 0062643835
| 3.81
| 11,252
| Apr 20, 2021
| Apr 20, 2021
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really liked it
| I'm so happy to be part of the blog tour of this book and share the excitement for its release with so many other readers, so Thank you to Dave from T I'm so happy to be part of the blog tour of this book and share the excitement for its release with so many other readers, so Thank you to Dave from The Writers’ Reads blog tour, it's a blessing since otherwise, I might not have read the book as soon as I did, and I really liked it! Above all, I think the friendship as such that's portrayed during the story is absolutely beautiful and I love how it's built and executed, it feels super real and honest, and I love seeing the characters interacting with each other and overcoming obstacles together, I think that's the true soul of the book, but there's romance in here and that's also good. [image] 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ You can find more of my reviews & fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought. In this book, we follow Kate and Anderson, two best friends whose bond seems to be unbreakable, but everything changes one day when their childhood crush returns to town. Turns out, communal crushes aren't so fun when real feelings are involved. This is a superfluid contemporary plot to read, that hooks you from the first moment, and it's very easy to feel close to the characters, these are three super important aspects so that I personally can enjoy a book within the genre, since although I like to read Contemporaries from time to time, I usually gravity more towards those who have darker or more magical aspects, so reading something like this one, much lighter and "mundane" in some way, is unusual for me. I ended up enjoying it much more than I thought I would, I think it has a solid foundation of friendship that's very pleasant to read, and I can say that itself is just enough to sustain the whole story until the end, it's a very well-created friendship, executed and thought out, so you want to know what will happen between them till the last page. Personally, don't think the conflict in itself is big enough for me, but I respect that it was for them and this conflict in some way has been helpful in establishing a deeper and more honest line of communication between themI, plus other things are revealed, some interesting situations and triggers extremely interesting scenes to read, so if you look at it from that perspective I think the conflict itself, of these friends sharing feelings for the same person, isn't the main focus or it's not what really catches you, you know? I mean, maybe it is for you and that's great! because it's also a great seasoning for the plot, but for me as a reader I was more interested in other aspects than that point as such, I hope you understand what I mean by this. Basically, the story is super-fluid to read, friendship is great and has wonderful family scenes too, but romance as such is perhaps not so protagonist for me. It's not the first time that I read the author, I've read, as most of us, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, so I was already familiar in some way with her writing style, which I find extremely relaxing to read, for some reason, I find it very easy to connect with her characters and get to feel really interested in everything that they do, I love that, I really recommend Becky Alberteli's books. It has its part kind of cheesy or cliche at times especially when portraying the experience of a teenager in high school since it's something I've read many times, but this doesn't mean that it isn't still entertaining and fun to read, I just think it's important to mention it in case this is something you don't want to find. In addition to student drama, there's also a musical going on, which I surprisingly liked in this book, it's very well done and these are moments of great enjoyment for the characters and that makes it almost cross the pages, it was very fun, that's for sure. The characters are great and they're very well created, each one of them, not only the main ones but also the secondary ones, have something that makes them unique and makes them stand out in wonderful ways, what can I say? I really adore the characters that the author creates, somehow they touch my heart. I loved Noah and Anderson, I would say they're my faves, but really they are all great, and I like how within the group we know a little about their lives and even though this happens in a superficial way, we can understand where each of their acts come from and why they're the way they are, which makes the characters feel even more realistic. I could mention in addition to Kate and the guys I mentioned above, Raina, Matt, and Brandie, all great. Maybe we could have more work a little more on some interactions between them and some dialogues I feel that sometimes they're a bit short, you know? but even so, these are very small details, the book and the characters in their entirety are incredible. To summarize my thoughts and feelings about the book, I want to say that I honestly enjoyed it a lot, I think the way in which Becky has given a deeper approach to friendship in this book was the right decision, this aspect made me love the story itself much more since even when all the elements are good, the friendship is absolutely stunning. I recommend it, no doubt, if you want to read a story that will touch your heart and make you feel many beautiful things inside, but also if you want to read a solid friendship that flows naturally and realistically. It has beautiful scenes that would have made the teenage me fall dead in love lol & it's simply that kind of book that although it explores a stressful and dramatic situation for the characters, it's super light and super easy to read at the same time, 400 pages that will pass you by as if they were 100. It's a great work of the author that makes me want to read much more of her in the future, I hope she continues to focus on this type of plot more focused on friendship because I think it will get better and better. Firts Thoughts 04/20/21 I really liked it! I didt expect that this book conveys so many emotions to me, but in fact it did, it was a super nice read, with moments of joy and fun, with that lighter side of the plot, but there are also moments of tension and emotions, and it's very well balanced, I also loved the characters ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 13, 2021
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Apr 20, 2021
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Apr 06, 2021
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1616208783
| 9781616208783
| 1616208783
| 3.48
| 1,176
| May 21, 2019
| May 21, 2019
|
liked it
| I'm very grateful to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review & I'm so sorry for the lateness I'm very grateful to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review & I'm so sorry for the lateness of my review! This book ended up being a different experience than I expected, this doesn't mean that it was a negative experience as a whole, only I found a heavier book, full of topics that could be triggering for many readers, so I want to begin my review recommending discretion to those who decide to read it, as it contains sensitive topics such as abortion and eating disorders, among others. Personally, I think that this book didn't meet my expectations fully because it has an immature tone in terms of character creation & drama, on the other hand, I liked several aspects, especially the focus on ballet & the focus on this "friendship" which was very interesting to explore. [image] 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ You can find more of my reviews & fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought. In Bright Burning Stars, we follow a double POV of the characters of Marine & Kate, two best friends whose bond has grown stronger due to certain family tragedies in their lives and because they also share the same passion for ballet. But when both girls want to be the only girl selected to join the Opera’s prestigious ballet corps, they'll begin to wonder what they're willing to do or how far they're willing to go to win it and we will see that this bond wasn't as solid as we thought. The promise of the book captivates me, I love that it's about competition, I like that it focuses on this weird/kind of toxic friendship and above all I really like the dark tone behind that invokes betrayals, secrets, and lies, it seems like one of those super addictive plots which I enjoy watching in TV series, for example, but the execution is really messy. This plot is highly focused on the development of the characters, therefore it is a character-driven book, which isn't a problem for me because I love this type of stories, even so, I feel that the main problem that I've had and I think it has It's been something I've seen from other readers as well, it's the feeling that the characters don't grow up enough or don't have that impact to really engage with them. I think it's okay, in fact, I got quite hooked on everything that was happening, but it's true that the girls don't have strong growth towards the end and there's not much learning or evolution regarding their relationship. This book, as mentioned before, touches on extremely sensitive topics and does so in a rather crude way, so if you're sensitive be very careful with that. I don't want to focus too much on each problem as such since I think that I couldn't give a complete opinion due to my ignorance on certain issues, even so, I want to mention that I would have liked a little more information or commitment on some points, especially in the abortion issue, since the way it's approached in the book seemed to be almost "simple" and "flat" on the other hand, issues such as eating disorders, even mental illnesses and emotional abuse I think they're approached with more "success " Even so, always remembering that my opinion is personal and I haven't gone through these situations, so I cannot speak from my experience but only based on what I've read. I was surprised while reading for the lack of descriptions in the story, I'm not the biggest fan of descriptions, in fact, I prefer when they're brief but here it seems like it needed it, you know? There's something about the setting that I love and I find it extremely beautiful that it's located in Paris, so I'm surprised that there's not a little more focus on the surroundings. Yet this was only my perception and it may have been totally enough for others. On the other hand, the author's style seemed good to me, I'm not sure if it's for me, though, because even when I enjoy my reading experience, I don't think the way in which the author approaches the story or the structures of the plot itself be for me. Which is fine, this doesn't mean that I can't recommend it anyway. One of the things I liked the most is exploring a bit about the competitive and more intense side of ballet. Having been a ballet dancer myself I know how the pressure feels and the havoc it can cause on your mental health. I dance for a lot of years, so I know how exhausting it can be and the competitions can be very demanding. So seeing the darker side of all this was very interesting, obviously, I had a wonderful experience, but being a demanding person myself I can understand some situations within the book, and how girls give their all to achieve excellence makes sense to me. Even so, it's not a book that shows a healthy environment, in fact, the author has decided to focus more on all the negative aspects within a competition and decided to add a bit of mystery and tension from the hands of many twists and betrayals around the corner, which was really good. At times, I was so hooked on this story especially with the whole subject of the competition, the dance school, Paris, and the relationship between Marine & Kate, that's why I say that I've enjoyed this story, even though I know that it has its flaws or at least weak complements that don't add much to the plot itself or are choices that I personally wouldn't have made or simply with which I don't agree, such as the love triangle, for example, you know how I feel about that Even so, and leaving these things that I haven't liked very much aside, I can recommend it if you want to read something intense with a lot of drama, focused on characters (non-likable ones) that although flat at times are interesting to follow and can provoke many emotions. I don't feel that the growth of these, but it does make sense, sometimes in life things don't go the way we want and the endings aren't always perfect or happy, so here you have one of those outcomes that leave you with a bittersweet taste. So if you enjoy dark, dramatic plots that involve betrayals, friendships, and gossip then surely this will be your cup of tea & even though I'm not entirely convinced with the execution of the idea in general nor the evolution of the characters, I can see why others could enjoy it more. 03/06/21 I can't believe I actually FINISHED A BOOK! *happy dance* lol I enjoyed the experience of reading this book and am extremely grateful to the publisher for providing you with a copy. I think that the story itself has its flaws and many times it goes off topic, forgetting at times the main focus which can be somewhat dense, but it's still a good pretty solid read, it's intriguing and all the time I wanted to know what would happen. I'll bring you my full review in much more detail soon, I promise. But this time it was a good read for me, not impressive, but I would still recommend it ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 04, 2021
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Mar 06, 2021
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Feb 28, 2021
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Hardcover
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| 0062674129
| 9780062674128
| 0062674129
| 3.38
| 8,628
| Jun 16, 2020
| Jun 16, 2020
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it was amazing
| “I don’t actually think it always has to be your sole responsibility to make sure everything goes perfectly all the time” OMG, this book is “I don’t actually think it always has to be your sole responsibility to make sure everything goes perfectly all the time” OMG, this book is the sweetest thing, I loved it so much, definitely one of those cases when the story far exceeds my expectations. I feel that this plot touched my heart in many ways, the characters seemed very realistic and the topics it covers are very shocking, but they're well discussed and very well executed in my point of view. Politics isn't usually my jam, but I was still able to enjoy this contemporary romance very much, and that makes me very happy. [image] 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ...more |
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1
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Aug 07, 2021
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Aug 13, 2021
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Jan 03, 2021
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Hardcover
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| 1641291133
| 9781641291132
| 1641291133
| 3.35
| 331
| Jan 19, 2021
| Jan 19, 2021
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it was ok
| I want to thank NetGalley & Soho Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate so much many of the dis I want to thank NetGalley & Soho Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate so much many of the discussions that this book has and tries to have, as well as the amount of diversity since it shows polyamorous relationships and bisexual characters, on the other hand, the execution doesn't seem to be successful, it felt quite messy and the actions of the characters are simply rude and inappropriate. I cannot speak for own-voices readers so I will not, I will just give my opinion as always from my point of view when reading the book, which doesn't represent the whole truth. [image] 2/5 ⭐⭐ You can find more of my reviews & funt content on my blog A Book. A Thought. In this story, we follow the identical twin sisters Sabine & Blythe, and we see them go through difficult times after the death of their father, each trying to handle the loss as much as possible. But everything begins to change when her mother decides to move into a Bay Area mansion owned by a man named Charlie. The girls embark on this mission to discover who this mysterious man really is, who seems to know everything about them and that's how they discover that Charlie was their father's boyfriend and her mother seems to know everything about it. As the sisters try to assimilate this new information, Sabine decides to learn everything she can about this side of her father that she didn't know and must decide if she decided to embrace the last legacy of her last wish for her family legacy. I think the idea of this book is SO solid and so interesting, just by reading the synopsis you can realize that there are thousands of paths that the author may have decided to take on such an intense plot, but the one that was taken and how it was executed didn't work for me. I do appreciate the representations even though I feel that there's perhaps a bit of a stereotype regarding bisexuality, I cannot speak for own-voices readers, but I needed to convey this as I wouldn't want any of my beloved bisexual readers to feel hurt when encountering situations inappropriate perhaps in this book. The discussion of polyamory is interesting, yet the last word will always be for those who can really see themselves reflected in the story. There are a couple of twists that didn't quite convince me, as well as the choices the characters took, especially Sabine, didn't resonate with me. I can't give too many details because of spoilers, but I think sometimes her POVs and her pain lead her to say painful things or to make harsh and hasty decisions. It's not my character style at all. This book discusses HIV, a highly sensitive subject that must be treated with the respect it deserves, so I think it's interesting to note that it's one of the topics to be discussed in the book and that it's discussed due to the weight it has The romance shown in this book is a complete disaster, I don't want to delve too deeply into this topic, as I don't really have anything positive to share, but basically, I think the characters are both too annoying and pretentious, and I also think that there's no chemistry between any of them, to be honest. I think that one of the weakest points of the book is that I think I've understood the message that the author wants to convey with it, but at the same time, I don't think it has been successful. In fact, from my point of view, Sabine's character doesn't learn anything, and I think showing growth in the main character is important, so having a character that is literally the same at the end as when it started is tiring and disappointing. One would expect a maturation in her character due to all the situations she has to face, and I understand that she can be somewhat cruel at the beginning because I can come to understand that in her ignorance she doesn't understand when she's being hurtful, and although I see her questioning things, I don't see her learning from her mistakes. If you have a character who must learn from her mistakes because she simply doesn't have good or positive actions towards those things in which she has excelled in the past, it doesn't serve me to have a character that questions things in her mind but doesn't transform them into actions, you know? There's SO MUCH more that could have been done with such a rich plot idea, I'm sad to say, but I think it lost track of the true meaning of this story, or at least what I understood the ending might have been. I felt absolutely tired of the attitudes of the characters, especially of Sabina, who has a very particular way of showing that something matters to her, her emotions are always transformed into rebellious and selfish actions. I didn't like this character, and you know that when that happens to me in such a strong way, I usually cannot fully enjoy the intensity of the book. To end with something positive about the book, I can say that the writing style is very beautiful, I don't know if I want to read more of the author, being honest because I don't know if her stories and her creations would resonate with me, but I do believe that her future stories can be recommended since their style has a very special tone. I'm so sorry to have brought you a more negative than positive review but you know that no matter what I'll always be honest with you regarding my feelings and thoughts. I want to clarify that the fact that I didn't like it, doesn't mean that you cannot like it, but as a reader, I couldn't recommend it, there's a lot to work on in terms of misplaced stereotypes, to work on those characters, especially on their growth and maturation throughout the story & last but not least, needs more work in terms of direction and impact. I was looking for a lot when I get into this book, and I absolutely adore the cover as well as the author's style, but it just didn't work for me. First Thoughts 01/23/21 In many ways I appreciate what the book tries to do, but on the other hand I couldn't connect with the main character, especially because of her selfish attitudes, don't get me wrong I don't mind having an unlovable character, but there are some moments that can be too rude and pass some lines. I understand the author's point of view and I like the diversity it shows in familiar terms, but the execution of the story didn't quite hit the mark for me. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 19, 2021
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Jan 23, 2021
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Oct 02, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 0525708014
| 9780525708018
| 0525708014
| 3.77
| 124,974
| Dec 01, 2020
| Dec 01, 2020
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really liked it
| I'm very grateful to be part of the blog tour for this book, so thank you so much to The Writer Reads I had an incredible time reading this book, now I I'm very grateful to be part of the blog tour for this book, so thank you so much to The Writer Reads I had an incredible time reading this book, now I can finally understand all the love there's for the author and her works, I'm excited to read more of her in the future. This book has many factors that I love to find in mystery, from an incredible setting and solid characters to an addictive plot with surprising revelations. I also love the intrigue it generates and how the important points are slowly hinted at during the plot, it's a very well constructed book. [image] 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ You can find more of my reviews & other fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought. In this story, we follow three characters, Milly, Aubrey & Jonah Story who are cousins, but they hardly know each other, as well as they don't know their rich grandmother at all, who disinherited her parents before the boys were even born. But now each of them has received an invitation letter to go to work at their gran's island resort throughout the summer. Their parents insist that they should go as an opportunity to return into Grandmother's good graces, but once arrive on the island they realize that the plans that their grandmother had for them were different and the longer they stay they begin to realize that there are dark secrets in the family past, secrets that this summer will finally see the light. I think what I enjoy the most about the book is the plot, the idea behind it's extremely smart and is very well executed, so my applause for the author who has managed to give us an incredibly addictive story that's very difficult to stop reading. I love how also during the plot some smaller secrets being to reveal and you begin to learn along with the characters some things that were happening with their family and all this information, despite not being the great ending or the great revelation, they also have their own weight. And I really liked how the author decided to reveal these little details to give us more clues because that way she manages to keep you on the edge of your seat trying to discover what really happened in the past of this family that managed to separate them forever. I'm fascinated by plots focused on family conflicts, especially when it focuses on a mystery, I think there's something in a family drama that hook me a lot. In this case, we can see some betrayals, many lies, cover-ups, fakers, and above all many secrets, all this involving the Story family, which also owns a huge legacy and a lot of money . It was fascinating to meet the family and each character, and I also really appreciate the family tree at the beginning of the book because when you first start reading, it can be confusing because there are many names and you have to remember who is whose child, so that was really helpful. [image] The fact that it's located on an Island seems wonderful to me, you know that I'm trash for a good setting and when it's an Island even better, I feel that this type of place can give a lot of character to the story and makes it feel much more atmospheric, which I love. We can visit beautiful beaches and mountain places, I love that. Also, all this focuses on a very wealthy woman who owns several hotels and tourist business, so the buildings and her house are all very elegant and majestic, I love that with my soul. I really appreciate the author's style, not only was it very easy for me to read the book, but I was also delighted to see how the times of descriptions, revelations, and information, in general, are handled. By this, I mean that everything is given in small and fair amounts, which I really liked, I think it may feel precipitated for other readers, but for me, it was perfect since I don't usually enjoy over-descriptive books. I think that in summary everything is in its proper measure and nothing is exaggerated or too much. The characters are obviously the center of the story, we get to know all the members of the Story family, but also other characters who work with Grandma Mildred, who also take important roles in the plot. I'll talk briefly about them to tell you how I felt in general. To start I want to start with Milly, she was my least favorite, not because her chapters weren't enjoyable because they were, I think they're also chapters with a lot of important information, but her personality doesn't resonate with me, she reminded me a bit of Veronica Lodge from Riverdale for some reason lol, and I do like that Veronica, but at times Milly can be too superficial and full of herself for my taste. Even so, I think she's an intelligent character who knows how to read people well and that helped the movement of the plot. On the other hand, we have Jonah, and he's a very interesting character to explore although I cannot reveal too much about him, I think he gives a new meaning and another look at the family that's interesting to explore, he's also the protagonist of some very solid scenes. And the last cousin is Aubrey, and she's my absolute favorite, I loved her from the first moment, I felt super protective over her, I know that she's a girl who always needs the approval of others and lacks a lot of love and acceptance of her paternal family, it's partly what brings her on this trip, and to all of them really, but in Aubrey I see the most sensitive and empathetic soul of all, and that made me love her immediately and I feel more identified with her in some way. It makes me happy to see that she's who grows the most and seeing her get stronger and confidence made me very happy. Then we have secondary characters, and I love how they all have an important role, and in some way, their own main scenes, the adults in the story, Mildred's children are: Allison, Adam, Archer & Anders, all very interesting characters to explore, I think in general they're all imperfect and unlikeable characters, especially Adam and Anders, characters that I hate, they have a lot of darkness in themselves and are the most egocentric of all. On the other hand, Allison is an interesting character for me because she gives a new perspective to the story itself, and I loved seeing her when she was young and seeing her eventually grow up and accept her own mistakes. Archer is my favorite of the four, he ends up being such a supportive character with his nephews and represents in some way the most innocent and sweet side of the Story family, I love him, and I love the role he takes in the whole situation. In addition, we also have many more characters that will give it a super interesting twist, and even quite creepy, which is worth discovering for yourself. [image] There's romance happening, I can't tell who they are because of spoilers, but it wasn't something that I enjoyed, to be honest, I didn't care much, I think it doesn't have much depth or meaning for me, I was much more focused on the family and conflicts in itself than in this couple, so I have no opinion about it, it's just not my favorite thing. On the other hand, I loved the relationship between Aubrey and Milly, I think there's a genuine connection between them that I enjoy a lot, they have good interactions. Something that I love in mystery is also the jumps in time, here we follow the POVs of the three main characters in the present, but also we follow a plotline that takes place in the 90 'a couple of years before all the conflict happened, and there we followed the boys' parents as teenagers, which I LOVE! I think that this type of detail makes the plot better understood, makes the reader feel committed to the characters and what they're going through, and also gives you a better perspective of how the family dynamics were at that time. It's always fun to go back in time to find out details of what happened and experience it right there with the characters, I love that, it's a lot of fun. Of course, I highly recommend this book, I can't wait to read more by the author, she has a natural talent at the time of writing the genre, I love how addictive the story is, and how dynamic it is since there are things happening all the time and it keeps you wanting to know what will happen, I never lost the intrigue and it was able to keep my interest until the end, which is great. I really like the revelation at the end, I didn't see it coming at all, so that's always positive, but it's also very well executed and thought out, nothing is left to chance, which feels very good for my brain lol. I loved where the plot went, and the ending is solid, so I know a lot of people will enjoy it. In short, I know you would like if you enjoy the mystery genre, if you like multiple characters' POVs, if you like a drama with many family secrets and lies & also if you enjoy an incredible setting. I'm so glad I read it and I'm excited to read her next work, this was very entertaining from start to finish. ...more |
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1
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Nov 18, 2020
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Nov 26, 2020
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Sep 05, 2020
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Library Binding
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| 1683691970
| 9781683691976
| 1683691970
| 3.61
| 5,689
| Feb 02, 2021
| Feb 02, 2021
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really liked it
| I want to thank NetGalley & Quirk Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This book is extremely smart and I r I want to thank NetGalley & Quirk Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This book is extremely smart and I really enjoy many factors in it, which makes me happy because I adore the author and her past works. Maybe I haven't managed to connect 100% with what was happening due to the fast-paced of the story, and the amount of information that's given very early, but still I think it's a great book that's built on a very solid base and well thought out idea, so I liked it a lot, the idea is very good and interesting to explore. [image] 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ...more |
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1
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Mar 24, 2021
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Mar 28, 2021
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Sep 05, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 4.16
| 14,066
| Sep 15, 2020
| Sep 15, 2020
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it was amazing
| Super grateful to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book, I thi Super grateful to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book, I think in the beginning it may have been difficult to read, but I'll explain more about that later, in general, it was incredible, and I managed to love this story more and more as it progressed to ended up in love with that ending. It has a wonderful progression, the author has done an incredible job with a fluid and easy-to-read style even when dealing with tough topics such as patriarchy, domestic violence, and femicides. This is a piece of work with many feelings that goes beyond football and manages to reach you in a raw and honest way, and I'm happy to have the chance to read it before its release date. [image] 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ...more |
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1
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Sep 07, 2020
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Sep 11, 2020
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Aug 26, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 1250624126
| 9781250624123
| 1250624126
| 4.05
| 6,233
| Mar 16, 2021
| Mar 16, 2021
|
really liked it
| “Every moment of our life, it goes with us. It lives forever. And a lot of those moments you don't have much say over. So the ones you do, you've g “Every moment of our life, it goes with us. It lives forever. And a lot of those moments you don't have much say over. So the ones you do, you've got to do everything with them. So that what lives forever is something you want to live with.” This book is definitely an incredible work that makes you go through all the states while exploring a delicate story that has sexual assault as a focus/central point. Because of this, you can imagine how difficult it is not only to read it at times, but also to talk about it in general, so I want to make it clear that my experience with the book is super personal and I understand how it could affect everyone in different ways. It's an incredibly powerful book, very graphic but also with a very interesting focus on the lives of these two teenagers who are brought together by tragedy. This is my first experience with the author and I understand why so many people love her, I will definitely read more of her work in the future. [image] 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ You can find more of my reviews & fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought. This book is about two teens, Ciela and Lock, who after being sexually assaulted at the same party begin to develop a bond through which we'll explore the different ways of going through and/or facing a trauma as such, all of this surrounded by a magical aura. The plot clearly focuses on what happens after a sexual assault and how the victims must live with the consequences and aftermath of what has happened to them, but also the author shows it in very different ways in each character, so we have unique points of view regarding the same situation, this gives more depth, seriousness and also realism to the book because as individuals we don't all have the same ability to process pain. In this case, we're slowly seeing how the characters realize what happened to them and begin the process of dealing with it, with the tools with which each one simply can. They're completely different and personal processes. This book is certainly high and low of continuous emotions where we go from feeling very bad to feeling good and then laughing, enjoying all that beautiful and lyrical prose, and then crying again, it's a roller coaster of emotions, no doubt. This is my first time reading this author and I'm very excited to tell you that I loved her magical, lyrical, and atmospheric prose, I can't believe it took me so long to give her a chance, and it makes me happy to know that I have more of her works waiting on my shelves, an author worth trying if you haven't done it yet. I found the author's style to be one of those that feels like a fairy tale but in real life, you know? And in this book, I feel she combined the dark elements of the main theme, with the elements of magic. I like the handling of the prose in terms of these details as it makes the story feel even more thoughtful and thought-provoking. I really liked her style. On the other hand, although I really liked the book itself and I think it's a delicately done, work with a lot of respect, I'm not totally convinced about the addition of the magical elements, in this case. In general, I'm a big fan of contemporaries with aspects of magical realism or a touch of fantasy, but in this book because of the subject matter which is in itself so heavy and difficult to tackle it, seems to me that introducing such confusing fantasy elements at times detracts a bit from the weight of a great plot. Sometimes, I think less is more and this is one of those times. The plot is solid enough to stand very well on its own without the need to combine it with elements of magical realism, in my opinion. The characters were very well created and I also like how their personalities fit perfectly when they interact, it felt at all times very natural and well done. I really liked the friendship, I love that it was so organic, but most of all I liked seeing the transformation of these characters as you read the book and how even though we see different ways of being and battling and facing this terrible situation that has touched their lives, you can't help but empathize and somehow come to understand where their thoughts, emotions, and actions are coming from. I don't want to reveal too much about the characters because I feel that's the point where I may commit spoilers, so I invite you to discover it for yourself as you'll find touching acts from both sides, situations of great despair, fear, sadness and then rebirth, survival and fight. Without a doubt a book that will leave you thinking, you know? It's not easy to read, so I recommend a lot of discretion especially because it has moments where it can be quite graphic , despite this, I can't help but just recommend it because I think there's a very powerful message behind this book and you can also see the commitment of the author. Besides, being a book that obviously touches on the subject of sexual assault, there are other issues that we will encounter that are worthy of discussion and debate such as racism, discrimination, and prejudice within today's society. I also find it worth mentioning that we follow characters that are very diverse in both identity and ethnicity. In summary, I loved this book, which is hard to say because I suffered a lot reading it too, but you know what I mean, it's a very complete work, well-executed with beautiful prose and a message of healing and overcoming that, in the end, is extremely gratifying. The magical elements as I mentioned aren't bad, they're unique and expressed in a fairy tale way, I liked them, but I don't think they were necessary for this type of plot and in my opinion, they can be distracting, even so, I emphasize that they're very well done. The friendship and love are very solid throughout the book that brings it to life and gives it a lot of realism and emotions. And although I feel the plot twist will not be for everyone, the main point and idea of the book is understood, none of it is lost and the message that the author wants to give with the story is captured very well. I was so excited to read this book! And yet I can only recommend it, but remember to be careful as it can be quite graphic and touches on very sensitive issues that may hurt the sensibilities of some readers. I feel that my review is all over the place, but I hope it was understood, this is a wonderful work where I can see the author has committed herself on a much more personal level so I value that deeply, i's a plot that hurts to read, but it's also necessary that it's made visible, thought and discussed. I feel that it's books like this one that can even change a person or make them reflect or even help them heal, so I really appreciate having come across this book, I knew I would like it, but I ended up doing it for different reasons. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 25, 2021
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Dec 08, 2021
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Aug 18, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 0593108973
| 9780593108970
| 0593108973
| 3.84
| 13,072
| Sep 15, 2020
| Sep 15, 2020
|
liked it
| “I'm learning that it's good to think about what scares you. To bring it into the light. Even to hold it in your hands, if you can, and feel how it “I'm learning that it's good to think about what scares you. To bring it into the light. Even to hold it in your hands, if you can, and feel how it can't hurt you anymore. To think of it and say, 'I am not afraid.” This book is a meaningful journey of healing, discovery, and grief as well, I liked it a lot, above all, I enjoyed the author's prose that's absolutely poetic and very flowery, you can see the passion and commitment of the author with what she wants to tell when it comes to transmitting feelings, she does it wonderfully. Even though l liked several aspects, I think it's too static for my taste, it's not bad, it's just very focused on the characters and their thoughts and feelings, much more than on plot development as such. On the other hand, a great work by the author that combines a contemporary style with a few paranormal aspects, and in the end, it was a good read. [image] 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ You can find more of my reviews & fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought. In this book, we follow Mila a girl who has grown up in the foster care system, who once graduated from school she gets a good job offer in a place totally isolated from the world to which she immediately says yes, and arrives at this farm hoping it's the first place she can truly call home. The farm is a refuge haunted by the past traumas of its young residents. And Mila’s own terrible memories are starting to rise to the surface. I adore how original this story is, combining strongly paranormal aspects such as ghosts uniquely with contemporary and harsher aspects of life itself; I think for that very concept, this book is a gem; on the other hand, I'd have liked a little more, I think the plot itself is good, but it's very focused on only one aspect. Therefore, it doesn't move much, or I would say almost at all, it's more a book focused on characters, as I mentioned above, in a way that we're all the time following them, knowing their stories, their personalities, their goals, obstacles, traumas, and dreams, above all we see a great growth in them that comes with overcoming those traumas of the past. Even though I'd have liked more things happening in the book or maybe a more dynamic plot, I can still see that it's a great book, and the meaning behind each page and each word is compelling. In fact, I take with me several quotes that I love completely and that I'll probably be sharing here in this review. I don't think we really have to discuss this, but the author's writing style is brilliant, I love it, and it will always be one of my favorite things about her books and why I keep coming back to them. Also, in this book as such, the author has proven that she can create a really unique atmosphere between something dark playing a bit with the setting in a way that's creepy, but also giving rise to landscapes full of life and colors, it's a beautiful contrast. How the people in this book react to paranormal activities left me confused. In some way, I understand that some of them know what it's about, but some of them should be more confused than they seem. There's a scene where Mila comes to the farm, and she sees the ghosts. The owner of the place is like, "I hope you don't have a problem with ghosts" (or something like that), and she's like, "Oh no at all, this is completely normal" lol, I'd have loved seeing an initial shock there that makes me believe that it's something Mila isn't used to seeing. Then everything makes more sense when it unfolds, but at the beginning, it's just weird and doesn't help create the climate, you know? Although if I felt connected to the main character's story, I didn't like her very well regarding her personality, this can affect my enjoyment a bit sometimes but I don't think it's too important since it's interesting anyway. I wanted to know where the story would go as I was also always interested in knowing the outcome of Mina, which is great. We follow Mila, but we can also meet several characters who live on the farm and who are an adoptive family, this factor is super adorable and I liked it a lot, and also allows us to meet other characters, some of them superficially and others in a little deeper way. I didn't feel particularly obsessed with anyone, but I did enjoy some relationships and interactions between them, at times it reminded me a bit of The House in the Cerulean Sea, especially for the characters and some moments when they all spend together, but without magic and those fantastical aspects. As I mentioned before, this is a book highly focused on moving forward after something extremely traumatic and hard happens to you, and in particular, on this farm, many boys have gone through horrendous situations despite their young age ; why do I comment that? Well, I wanted to let you know that the paranormal factor is 100% connected to these traumas the characters are going through, and they have everything to do with their healings. I don't want to tell more because I think that's the magic of the story: discover it for yourself, but I did want to mention it superficially since I think that's what makes this story so unique and unlike anything I've read before. In short, I liked it a lot although I expected something more. The idea behind the story and its meaning is so important, and I know it will reach and touch many people who read it; on the other hand, while I was reading it, I felt that something was missing, that the plot is slow, and that it's above all quite static. Being a fairly short book, this surprised me, although, on the other hand, I can understand that when you focus only on one aspect as such, which in this case would be mourning and healing, then it makes sense that it's a short book since there's no much more to go. The book is really good, don't get me wrong, maybe I get into it with something else in mind, and I was shocked to find something else. This doesn't mean it's bad; it just fell a little short of my expectations. I want to make it very clear that I understand the meaning of the story, and I'm glad that we have a book like this among us, as it explores loss, mourn and pain in a profound and raw way, as well as healing and hope. In the end, it's a wonderful message that stays with you, and I love how the family that the book focuses on is the one you choose and the one that chooses you, instead of being a biological link; I think that's a beautiful factor to explore. So I undoubtedly recommend the book, it's a short reading but very heavy on emotions, so I recommend discretion if you are sensitive, on the other hand, you'll surely stay with something good from it. First Thoughts 03/23/21 Nina LaCour's writing style is totally beautiful & there are a couple of quotes in this book that I'll love forever. On the other hand, the book as a story in itself was just good, I think it lacked the emotional factor of attachment to the main character that makes me love the journey, still super meaningfull. I enjoyed the reading, it's obvious that it's a path of griving and healing, and I adored that, in addition tothe author's prose is even better. I flew when reading it, but at the same time the transition of the plot is slow and I think the last portion was amazing. ...more |
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1
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Mar 18, 2021
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Mar 23, 2021
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Aug 17, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 3.60
| 2,411
| Dec 07, 2019
| Dec 16, 2019
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really liked it
| I had a lot of fun reading this little story!! In fact, I didn't expect to laugh so much and I love that, I have several thoughts to share about the c I had a lot of fun reading this little story!! In fact, I didn't expect to laugh so much and I love that, I have several thoughts to share about the characters in my full review soon, but in general, I like how diverse they're & the plot itself flows very well, as well as the romance and despite being a short story, I don't think it felt incomplete. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ FULL REVIEW TO COME ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 14, 2020
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Aug 21, 2020
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Jul 31, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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| 1250250463
| 9781250250469
| 1250250463
| 4.27
| 96,947
| Sep 01, 2020
| Sep 01, 2020
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really liked it
| I really liked this book; I feel like it's one of those stories that feels cozy in a way but also has that touch of anticipation and danger that comes I really liked this book; I feel like it's one of those stories that feels cozy in a way but also has that touch of anticipation and danger that comes hand in hand with the magic and paranormal aspects of the story. I think it's well done, and although I didn't end up loving it entirely like I thought I would, I did have a great time with the characters and managed to connect with them and their journeys. [image] 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐ ...more |
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1
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Jun 17, 2021
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Jul 05, 2021
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Jun 16, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 4.32
| 4,445
| Jan 14, 2020
| Jan 14, 2020
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it was amazing
| WOW, I didn't expect to end up so moved by this book, but it managed to get to my heart and not only that, I think it's that type of book that everyon WOW, I didn't expect to end up so moved by this book, but it managed to get to my heart and not only that, I think it's that type of book that everyone should read because although it's not an easy read at all, it confronts you with reality in a very crude way, of what black community must face and go through in an ignorant and racist society. In addition to this, we follow a heartbreaking story, but in the same way, inspiring. It's perfectly combined with touches of magical realism and will leave you thinking, as will also leave you great teaching. I loved it, obviously, and I won't stop recommending it to everyone from now on. [image] 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You can find more of my reviews & fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought. In this book, we follow Echo Brown who's a wizard who lives on the East Side, where life situations are precarious and her parents are addicts, but she's still able to find magic everywhere. When new opportunities open up to her, Echo is transferred to a rich school on the West Side, where she meets a teacher who will soon become a great support and mentor. But, there are dangers to leaving behind the place that made you and soon Echo will begin to see the pain of all those around her, and the black veil of depression will appear as a threat to destroy everything she has achieved. I think it's very difficult to describe this story and do it justice, it's certainly an impossible job that I will not even begin to try, but as I'll do always try to give all of me to transmit to you all that this book meant to me as I was reading it and its great and powerful message. I want to start by mentioning that it's not a coincidence that the name of the main character is the same as the author's, but that this story is highly inspired by the author's own life, but with a magical realism touch. I can't even imagine how hard it would have been for the author to write this book, but I have great admiration for her for having done it and for having also been able to convey so strongly everything that the Echo of the book has had to go through. I don't know how much of this book is really the author's life, though, so I prefer to focus on the Echo of the book, because I wouldn't want to disrespect her person in any way. In the plot, we follow Echo from the time she's just 3 or 4-year-old until she's 18 years old, and we accompany her seeing from her point of view all the stages and all the experiences, both good and painful, that she has had to go through during this period of time . It's heartbreaking, guys, I'll not lie to you this is a very hard book to read because it has a very graphic content of extremely difficult experiences that Echo must live either herself, as much as her loved ones, we witness from drug use and domestic violence, up to several cases of abuse and rape, among other things. This is something I can't help but mention because it could be hard content for sensitive readers, so be careful when reading it. Although it's not an easy experience, it has been a great pleasure to experience it, there was a time when I had to stop because it broke my heart, but then I continued and I realized how inspiring this story is, and how the final message it's really beautiful, it's about getting ahead despite adversities, it talks about family and the importance of love, and above all, about forgiving others and forgiving yourself for the mistakes of your live. I felt super connected with Echo on the family side, thank god I've never experienced violence in my family or drogue use, but my family is made up in the same way with my mother, my stepfather and my two little brothers, so that felt very similar, besides that my brothers are my life and seeing how Echo cares about them, how much she loves them and wants the best for them, touched my heart. [image] That a book of only 300 pages has the power to reach your soul as this has done, is 100% merit of the incredible author's writing style, her style is super beautiful and poetic, but also has the power to leave you breathless with every word. It's so beautifully told it's insane, one of my favorite styles I've come across in a while. The book is also written in a very unique way that I hadn't seen until today, where in a single chapter we can jump between scenes from the past and present, but with a perfect connection and transition where the words are linked and has a lot of meaning. I found this kind of difficult to read at first, but then when I was moving through it, it began to make more sense and I end up liking it a lot. I want to give it a separate paragraph to talk about the magical realism, that's the main protagonist of this story. Magic in general, even if it's put there as a compliment, I love it in my books, and this time it had a very big impact on the story. Echo is a wizard, but she also gets to know other wizards throughout her life, who touches her and support her in different ways. At one point, I thought that all these magical and surrealistic touches were metaphors for dark moments that the author described, but then I realized that it had greater meaning and it was actually real within the lives of the characters. There are beautiful moments, where Echo along with another wizard friend use their power to inspire and help their brothers to go the right path, we also see moments where Echo begins to see this black veil surrounding people or flying over them, which then you interpret it as depression and it appears more and more as bad, traumatic and sad things happen to them in their life, which seemed very clever to me. There's also a time when we travel to the in-between, which is this place where magical things happen and where some wizards go when something very bad happens to their bodies. It's very complex to explain, but basically it's a wonderful factor, which is very well used in addition to giving a poetic and beautiful touch to the plot, it gives a lot of depth and meaning to each scene. INCREDIBLE. The characters are all awesome, I don't want to talk about each one of them this time, I'll only mention them briefly because they're a lot of characters and have SO particular and diverse personalities, it's fantastic, but also each one has a unique life story that greatly impacts on the plot and I wouldn't want to reveal too much, so here we go. First, we have my beloved Echo, who's a wonderful main character, is a super-strong girl who reborn from her ashes and dreams of helping others who have struggled for the same things as her. This character is SO inspiring, I love her, and despite having gone through unthinkable and cruel things, there's a sensitivity, innocence, and beautiful goodness in her that never disappears and in the end, it's still there, within her. Her brothers are Jerone (Rone) & Tendre (Dre) and they're very particular boys, I like how the author has given them different personalities and although they're both "rebellious" boys in some way, it shows that deep down they want to be better and have a full life, the relationship they have with Echo is EVERYTHING, one of my favorite things. Her mother April, is a person who's constantly fighting with herself, fighting for her children, but also with many problems from her drug issues, and traumatic events of her childhood that she'll have to face at some point. I think her story is very impressive and shows great growth and courage. Then we have Echo's friends and important people who have always been in her life like Jessie, a sweet and strong boy, Jin (Asian/queer) super epic, I love his personality, Davante, with a revolutionary spirit, Karen, Rodman, Alex, Tiffany & my personal favorite, Elena (Muslim/queer) who gives fresh air to the story with her amazing and brave personality. I can't fail to mention Mrs. Delaney, Echo's teacher, who reminded me a lot of Miss. Honey from Matilda, because she's such a noble and really good soul, I love her, she's that beacon of hope and unconditional support that Echo needed. There are many more characters, which have perhaps more negative impacts, so I don't feel like mentioning them here. I adored the friendships that are created, as well as hope and salvation that comes from unexpected angels, I adored the positive romantic aspects, I love that also focuses on families and their diversity, I LOVE that talks about puberty, about the future, about what you want to do with your life, about so many things that will surely impact you in some way. But above all, it's a story of rebirth and fights against excesses. And of course, the topic of racism and white supremacy is discussed a lot, so it's a very delicate, but super important topic that we should all know and informs ourselves every day. Seeing Echo go through discrimination and degradation just because of the color of her skin or where she comes from, is SO painful, but it also opened my eyes a lot, it's necessary to have first-person knowledge to be able to start changing the world in which we live. It's also very interesting how it discusses the issue of macho violence even within the black community, I liked it, and the empowerment of the rights of women and especially black women. I want to clarify that I could never put myself in the place of what the black community has to live because nobody knows or understands it, only those who have had to live it every day, that's why I feel SO grateful with the author for putting all this on paper and giving us this story. It discusses hundreds of aspects to be such a short book, so I can say that it's an exceptional job. The ending is beautiful, I cried like a baby because I felt so happy for Echo, she deserves every good thing in this world. The fact that the ending felt like the beginning was simply all I needed. [image] Obviously, I highly recommend it, I think everyone should read it, it's short, it will not take you long, but it will leave you a lot and I know you'll learn a lot from it too. It's an extremely powerful, touching, and heartbreaking book, but I repeat ... INSPIRING, meaningful, and emotional. I would really love you to read it and tell me your own opinion. I don't think I'm able to reflect the real meaning of the book because it's much more than what I could express in words. Do you know when you're wiser after reading a book? well that exactly. I LOVED IT! and I hope you do too. First Thoughts 06/10/20 I'm not crying, you're crying. ...more |
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1
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Jun 03, 2020
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Jun 10, 2020
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Jun 03, 2020
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| 1250297931
| 9781250297938
| 1250297931
| 3.35
| 1,015
| Jul 14, 2020
| Jul 14, 2020
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liked it
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Super grateful to St. Martin's Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review & it's an honor to particip
Super grateful to St. Martin's Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review & it's an honor to participate in its blog tour. I really enjoyed the experience of reading this book, the promise is wonderful, and when I see was for fans of The Craft, I knew it would resonate with me. Super grateful for being able to read the ARC and it's a story worth giving it a try. What I liked the most was the way in which super sensitive subjects are touched, I think that even when it's a book with a magical plot, its real and raw side stands out more.I also like how despite being a fairly intense plot in terms of topics, it can be read super easily and I liked the author's style, simple but profound at the same time. [image] 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ You can find more of my reviews & other fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought. This story takes place in the '80s, and we follow Mayhem who has always felt that there's something different with her and her mother, but she really discovers what it is once they return to Roxy's childhood home, her mother, in Santa Maria, after that she escapes from her husband, a cruel and violent man. Once there, Mayhem is looking forward to learning more about her parents, especially about her father's suicide, where she really came from, and why her mother escaped out of there in the first place. Once there, Mayhem meets her cousins and her aunt and begins a journey of self-discovery, where she'll discover that she comes from a family lineage of women who possess magic. The boys are seen searching for a kidnapper who's terrorizing Santa Maria, and in the process, unknown powers, and sources of dangerous magic will be uncovered, and Mayhem wonders if revenge is actually the right call to her. I have to be honest here, as I always try to be. I liked the book and I really had a great time with it, but I don't think it had the impact I was looking for in this story. From the beginning, hard-hitting topics such as domestic violence, suicide, rape and drug use, among others, are touched, and you know it will be a heavy and emotional plot. I liked how this side was touched, although the rest of the story was the one that seemed most incomplete to me, and that's the magical realism side, and all that witchcraft that the story promises. I think this magical side is superficially explored and when the characters begin to develop their abilities and powers, it falls a bit short. I felt that although the author's idea is good and I think that the origin of the magic itself is very interesting, it's not well developed and everything feels very rush and simple, which is a shame. I would have liked a slower transition, and I know it sounds strange, because I love fast-paced plots, but when there's so much information it seems to me that a 300-page book couldn't give it the intensity and depth that each topic deserves. I liked the writing style quite a bit and I think the author's prose is lyrical and makes it feel atmospheric, which you know I love, plus the place where the story unfolds, Santa Maria, California, is really beautiful and I feel It was the perfect place for this witchy/mystery story. The descriptions of the place are brief but very good, and I think they're successful. The characters spend time in a cave which is a great protagonist of the story, and I loved those scenes: they agreed the perfect atmosphere with the perfect dialogues and I think they were the most solid scenes in the book, they even give it a touch of mystery and makes the characters related in an honest way. Plus, we see a hint of very clever magic happening in the cave. I want to highlight how the mother-daughter relationship is, in fact, the main relationship of the story, which I appreciate very much, I found it very well achieved and filled with feelings, I enjoyed to see the development and growth between Mayhem and Roxy, and how they grow later to survive such sad and cruel situations. We also have a romance going on, and surprisingly I liked it! I think it's super insta-love, but even so, the chemistry between the characters is amazing and I adore both of them, so I think that's why I liked that they were together. The characters are fine, again I think a lot of development is missing, I'd have liked in general to know more about each one of their past and manage to establish a more sentimental connection. Although I wasn't able to completely love anyone, I do have some that resonated more with me and I'll talk a little about them. First, we have Mayhem, our main character, she comes from living in a home with a lot of violence and mistreatment by her stepfather, so we see a very submissive and scared girl at first, and I must say that her evolution surprised me so much. As the book is short, all this takes place in just a couple of chapters, but I could see the evolution, and the fact that it has become stronger and more determined made me feel proud of her. Roxy is her mother, and this is a complicated character and difficult to empathize with at first, but after she overcomes all the demons she battles with internally and sits down to finally talk to her daughter, I think she shows a wonderful side, of a mother who's seriously concerned and considerate. My favorite character has to be Jason, he's a super-intelligent guy and I also love how he cares about his sister, Kidd, and how much he protects her, I also think he has the best dialogues. Nevie is like the rebellious witch of the story and although I didn't like her personally, because her attitude is too much for me, she's a well-thought-out character and it shows & finally, Elle, Mayhem's aunt, is great, she reminded me a bit of a character from Practical Magic or Charmed, and that vibe is everything, especially when it comes to her relationship with her sister. The author wanted to add a side of mystery to the plot which I didn't like very much. There's a man "kidnapping" girls on the beach and that's super creepy, but I expected much more from this sub-plotline, the outcome is super expected and everything is solved conveniently and easily, so I don't think it's a remarkable factor, but that was there to give another vibe to the plot. One factor that I did like and enjoyed, was that there are some chapters that are told in the form of letters from the women of the Brayburn lineage, and they all talk about their life experiences with magic and their abilities, and that was a very nice touch. It gives you depth and for a moment you can feel everything reading it, it's great. Still, I repeat, I would have loved to know more about this family in depth. In summary, I quite liked the book, I also liked the ending even when it's quite open, I think that fact gives it a more realistic side. I think it's fun and easy to read, even when it touches on difficult topics, so be careful about it. I like the idea of the author to tell the story of a lineage of powerful women, and put a little magic there, in a very unique way, I liked that, BUT I think that each and every aspect deserved a little more depth and development, so the reader can enjoy and feel more committed to the story itself. The characters are fine, and it also has very solid scenes with very deep dialogues, so if that's something you like then you should give it a chance. It also has a very beautiful atmosphere and the magic-realism is played in a very interesting way. Although I was expecting a little more, I can say that it was a great read! ...more |
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1
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Jul 2020
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Jul 04, 2020
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May 09, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 0062820257
| 9780062820259
| 0062820257
| 4.24
| 63,301
| May 05, 2020
| May 05, 2020
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really liked it
| “I’m not flaunting anything. I’m just existing. This is me. I can’t hide myself. I can’t disappear. And even if I could, I don’t fucking want “I’m not flaunting anything. I’m just existing. This is me. I can’t hide myself. I can’t disappear. And even if I could, I don’t fucking want to. I have the same right to be here. I have the same right to exist.” This is a book I appreciate so much that it simply exists, I think it's super informative and it teaches you a lot too, I think I'm wiser after reading it. The discussions about gender are very well developed, the author has really decided to go deeply into this aspect and give us the raw faces of what it means to choose to live as your true self despite the adversities along the way. I really liked that side of the book, I think it's extremely important that I highlight this point before starting with everything else. It's a content-rich book that portrays the story of a trans boy, but we also follow a super diverse group of characters so that's wonderful. On the other hand, there are some points that I didn't really LOVE that much: like the romance & the main character. [image] 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ You can find more of my reviews & fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought. In this book, we follow Felix Love that secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many — Black, queer, and transgender — to ever get his own happily-ever-after. When a student starts sending him homophobic messages and also posts photos of him before his transition, Felix plans his revenge, but he doesn't expect it to lead to a tangled love triangle. But while he tries to understand what he's feeling, Felix is immersed in a journey of self-discovery where he'll redefine his relationship with the most important person: himself. I think this book, as I mentioned before, is a beautiful journey of self-discovery, to learning to love yourself and be proud of who you are and that's wonderful, there are many positive things that I can say about this book and what it tries to do because it's very obvious how committed the author is with what he wants to tell, it's very clear and concise and leaves no cracks for questions. I think that this story has taught me many things and I'm deeply grateful that books like these are released into the world to be read by all kinds of people so that we can all open our eyes to the valuable and incredible diverse groups that fight every day to have their place in the community and for being heard. In this book, we focus a lot on the trans community, but there's also a lot of diversity, there are lesbian, gay, bisexual characters. We also have black & biracial characters. So it's a book that I know will help a lot of people feel seen and heard, which is beautiful. Now I want to leave this in the background for a bit since obviously that's super valuable and nobody can argue with that, so I want to focus a little more on the plot itself, to give you my opinion on that also. As the plot of this book gives us a lot in terms of personal research, Felix is trying to understand himself, discover what he wants to do with his future and how he feels about who he is and his relationship with others. Therefore, it's a great point of view to tell a story full of feelings and emotional moments of great significance, many of them I must say are very well portrayed, managing to convey a lot to the reader. In addition to seeing everything that a black, transgender & queer boy must live, it's very interesting to see how the other characters interact with him, from his friends to his family, as well as other members of the community. This topic is very well addressed, we see scenes, where he's marginalized, discriminated and even minimized by other characters obviously from an ignorant and terrible place, in such a real and hard way that it really makes you open your eyes to a whole new reality. On the other hand, we also see absolutely wonderful and golden scenes where characters grow in understanding and love, and others that simply support no matter what, giving unconditional love above all things. That's absolutely incredible. Both faces are real and exist, that's why I think they're very important to portray and in this book, it's done in a wonderful way. On the other hand, I have to mention some things that I didn't like, the most important point and number 1 of my mini-list is Felix. It was a surprise to me that this character doesn't resonate so much with me, I understand where many of his negative attitudes and emotions come from, even towards his own friends who support him because I know that he has had to go through a lot since her mother left him, until this revolution within him for not being entirely sure of his identity. But there's a moment where it seems to me that Felix could be selfish, self-center, and even cruel. Above all there are scenes with his father, where I can see that his father tries to understand him, learn and be there for him, but Felix continues to see all the negative side and refuses to listen, choosing to be quite hurtful with him or assuming things that he doesn't know, such as that his father doesn't accept him, being so that his father has paid for all his treatments and has always been there for him. I think there's a very fine line there, and I would have liked to see Felix more open to understanding the transition that his father is also going through. Still, I'm glad they finally have that talk at the end, they should have had all along. On the other hand, there's also a time where Felix treats Ezra (his best friend) in rude ways just because he comes from a rich family, making it clear that Ezra's problems aren't as valid as his own. Like these two examples, there are several scenes where the attitude that Felix calls "being Slytherin" goes a little further and ends up being a rather difficult character to understand at times. I absolutely want Felix to find his happiness and I was rooting for him throughout the book, but even so, I don't really like the way he is with others, and the negative approach of him all the time can be somewhat annoying and hard to understand. The second thing that I don't quite like is the romance (no one is in shock lol). The weirdest love triangle I've ever seen lol, is so messy all the time that if you don't pay enough attention you won't even know what's happening most of the time. I LOVE Ezra as a character, his way of being so free and his way of seeing life is so dreamy and thoughtful, I love that, he's the type of person that I would love to have in my life for long talks about existence, but his position as a love interest it's just not good for him, I understand his position and his thoughts are always the same, which I respect, but the romance, in the end, doesn't make much sense to me, I prefer that things have been unraveled in another way. On the other hand, I have to talk about Declan, this character is quite complex and I would have liked to know him even a little more, I think that towards the end the author has chosen to give him a negative tone to justify certain Felix's actions which I'm not sure about. On the other hand, Felix is Felix, you know? He's messy, he doesn't know what he wants and in a certain part, I understand him because he's a teenager and I was probably like that at his age, but at times I feel that he plays a little with the feelings of everyone around him. The romance in general terms and not to reveal too much is insta-love for me in all directions. I read several "I LOVE YOU" on the road in just a few pages, and I was like "OMG, THIS SCALE FAST" LOL, but it's just my opinion, obviously. .It also has lovely scenes, plus: beautiful discussions about who you are, what you want to be and the meaning of your identity, and the importance of self-love. So something positive always comes out of all this I loved the author's style, he gives us an extremely important story full of messages to remember, so obviously I would love to read more of his work in the future, I have King and the Dragonflies in my TBR so let me know if you've read it and what you think about it! & I also want to highlight the way in which this group of friends in this book is portrayed, they're all queer, and diverse, so I think you'll find a way to feel identified and seen with this reading. Without a doubt and despite some Felix attitudes, and the fact that romance doesn't seem to contribute much, it's a wonderful book in terms of focus, it's built for the reader to learn things and have a jolt of reality. It's revealing in many ways, getting to know in the first person what the daily life of a transgender person is like and the meaning of self-love, family, and friends is wonderful, hopefully, everyone decides to read it at some point. I confess that I have decided to up my rating, just because of the weight that this book has in terms of content, I think that approaching the life of a transgender person and taking it through these multiple scenarios where many things are put to the test, it's magnificent, makes you feel really part of what's happening and it's that kind of reading that opens your eyes and leaves something with you. I hope that you give yourself the opportunity to discover this story and that, as happened to me, leave you with some teaching or some positive thought to share with the world. Remember that love is love, we are all valuable and wonderful regardless of our sex at birth. Don't let anything define you just be yourself and move on, you're powerful! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 04, 2021
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Feb 08, 2021
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Apr 30, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 4.56
| 455,544
| Feb 06, 2020
| Feb 06, 2020
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really liked it
| I wasn't expecting this volume to be deeper and darker than the previous ones, but it certainly was, I think the author wants to cover many problems a I wasn't expecting this volume to be deeper and darker than the previous ones, but it certainly was, I think the author wants to cover many problems and although I feel grateful for it, at the same time I think that some situations are too hard and deep to be touched so lightly, as the eating disorders situation. Even so, I enjoyed the book and I'm so happy with the incredible amount of diversity that's in this volume and as always we have healthy romantic relationships and too adorable, but also a very beautiful group of characters who lean on each other and learn from their mistakes. I adore Tara and Darcy, their relationship is incredible. I also liked seeing a bit of the life of older characters who also represent diversity and their support with the boys. This story never fails to make me smile even though it also made me feel super bad for Charlie and all his past being bullied by guys at school, in addition to other super triggering situations that he must have lived. The story has his funny moments, though, that allow you to smile.... 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ...more |
Notes are private!
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Apr 02, 2020
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Apr 02, 2020
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Apr 02, 2020
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Paperback
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| B07X17MS2R
| 3.82
| 617
| May 05, 2020
| May 05, 2020
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really liked it
| I want to thank NetGalley and Tor Teen for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book a lot, especially I want to thank NetGalley and Tor Teen for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book a lot, especially its great originality and the incredible perspective that the author chose to explore, atmospheric and suspenseful. It took me a bit, in the beginning, to get fully into it, especially since the main character didn't click with me and I ended up having certain problems with her attitude, I feel that it's simply not my type of character, even so, I enjoyed most of the aspects of the book and it's a stand-alone that I would definitely recommend, for its survival and sisterhood side. [image] 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ You can find more fo my reviews on my blog A Book. A Thought. In Last Girls, we follow the Juniper sisters: Blue, Birdie, and Honey, who live in a doomsday preppers community, where they've been trained to survive any possible destruction or "end of the world" as we know it. One day, a danger awakens from within and Honey must put everything they learned to the test to keep her and her sisters safe. I really enjoyed the plot itself, in fact, since I knew what it was about I had an interest in reading it, it's a YA suspense/thriller that has all the condiments to keep you hooked from the first moment since jumps quickly into the action. I like how the author handles intense moments and the action too because I felt that it was also like watching a movie, which I really liked. I don't want to dig too deep into the plot itself because I think exploring it yourself is part of the fun, it has unexpected twists that genuinely blew me away, and it takes interesting paths to follow. Exploring also the doomsday preppers lifestyle was very interesting, especially because I didn't really know much about it, rather than having seen this dynamic in some movies, so I really liked that it was the focus of the story, it makes it unique and quite peculiar, to distinguish it from other books of the genre. In addition to touching on these topics, the book covers a large range of situations, it talks about family, friendship, love, and personal grown, it also touches on topics such as terrorism and conspiracies. Overall, I really enjoyed each one of these aspects, which is great. On the other hand, I had a difficult time with the characters, especially with Honey, who has a very distinctive personality, is somewhat abrupt, terribly honest and can also be very hurtful with others, but behind all that, I must admit that there's an artist sensitive soul inside her and a protective sister that I liked to see. On the other hand, I loved the character of Blue, it was my favorite, for some reason the smallest of the Junipers touched my heart with her personality so mature for her age and was the only one whom I could really connect with. Then we have Birdie and she's the trouble-maker type, and impulsive, and I feel pretty unbiased about the character. But the magic happens when they're all together because I completely LOVED their sisterhood, the way they protect each other, the concern and love is remarkable, and it made me feel so good to read a sister dynamic like this one, simply I loved it. We have more secondary characters but honestly, I don't feel that any of them has a great impact other than being there as a love interest, and I'm sorry to say that, but it's something that almost always happens to me, and that's that I didn't enjoy the romance as I expected, it seemed to me that it developed hastily. The writing style is wonderful, I ended up super committed to it, but I confess that at first, I found it somewhat difficult to follow. Even so, I would be interested in reading more of the author, even more, if she continues writing about this type of plot, so exciting and intriguing. This is a super personal opinion that didn't prevent my enjoyment of this story at all, but I do think it would have been more beneficial and accurate to follow a single plotline or at least two at most. The author expands this story too much, so we have many sub-plots ramifications that can be somewhat distracting from the main topic and can even make reading somewhat dense. Especially when you start reading it's a confusing structure, for me, it was super enjoyable, though and I would recommend it. It's a brilliant point of view on survival, resilience, intelligence, challenges, and family bonds. I think that it also explores the human being very well, and how sometimes we react to being placed in extreme and unexpected situations. Although the characters can be a challenge to follow, they have varied personalities, and each one represents a possible outcome or reaction, which I appreciate and understand 100% what the author wanted to convey with this book. I'm thrilled to see that it has such positive reviews so far; I think it deserves it! My First Thoughts 04/30/20 I really enjoyed the originality that this book gives us, it's entertaining and it keeps you wanting to know what will happen from the beginning, which I loved. On the other hand, there are some factors that I didn't like that much, above all they have to do with the characters and their personalities, but I'll talk more about it in my full review SOON ...more |
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Apr 24, 2020
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Apr 30, 2020
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Mar 07, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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| 1444951408
| 9781444951400
| 1444951408
| 4.53
| 522,039
| Jul 11, 2019
| Jul 11, 2019
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it was amazing
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I love this story, It's SO sweet, adorable, cute and ALL the good in this life. I adore Charlie and Nick and I LOVE their voices. I also think that
I love this story, It's SO sweet, adorable, cute and ALL the good in this life. I adore Charlie and Nick and I LOVE their voices. I also think that it's a story written from the heart and from innocence, but also from a positive point of view, especially as approach the subject of sexuality in a realistic way, with everything that means for the characters to be represented as gay and bisexual and there's also something so pure and beautiful in the way it's described. I just loved it and I'm going to read volume 3 right now, I can't wait, this makes my heart SO happy! The Romance is PURE GOLD 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 02, 2020
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Apr 02, 2020
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Nov 29, 2019
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Paperback
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Sofii♡ (A Book. A Thought.)
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contemporary
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Nov 16, 2021
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Oct 27, 2021
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really liked it
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Aug 16, 2021
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Jul 02, 2021
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May 08, 2021
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May 01, 2021
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really liked it
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Apr 20, 2021
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Apr 06, 2021
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liked it
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Mar 06, 2021
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Feb 28, 2021
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it was amazing
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Aug 13, 2021
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it was ok
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Jan 23, 2021
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Oct 02, 2020
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really liked it
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Nov 26, 2020
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Sep 05, 2020
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really liked it
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Mar 28, 2021
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Sep 05, 2020
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it was amazing
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Sep 11, 2020
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Aug 26, 2020
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really liked it
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Dec 08, 2021
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Aug 18, 2020
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| 3.84
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liked it
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Mar 23, 2021
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Aug 17, 2020
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| 3.60
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really liked it
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Aug 21, 2020
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Jul 31, 2020
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really liked it
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Jul 05, 2021
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Jun 16, 2020
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it was amazing
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Jun 10, 2020
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Jun 03, 2020
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liked it
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Jul 04, 2020
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May 09, 2020
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| 4.24
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really liked it
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Feb 08, 2021
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Apr 30, 2020
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really liked it
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Apr 02, 2020
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Apr 02, 2020
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| 3.82
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really liked it
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Apr 30, 2020
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Mar 07, 2020
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| 4.53
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it was amazing
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Apr 02, 2020
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Nov 29, 2019
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