Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk

17 reviews

bookcheshirecat's review

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funny reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

“I can forget about her for hours or even whole days, and then the truth rushes back like a brush fire, burning me from the inside out. The person you loved? They're gone.” 

This was such an emotional story about friendship breakups! The book follows Cleo whose friendship with her best friend Layla has imploded almost a month ago and she's struggling to move on with her life. I liked that this was told in two timelines, the present day and the time leading up to their breakup. I love stories that focus on friendships and how difficult it can be to lose them. While there is a side romance, the focus is on Cleo's hurt and devastation of losing the most important person in her life: Layla. We slowly uncover what happened between them, why they're no longer friends and if they can ever be okay again.

I really felt for Cleo, she was such an authentic character. Most of us know how hard it is to lose a close friend, so my heart went out to Cleo. She's just struggling a lot as her parents separated and she has no other friends apart from Layla. Part of her is terrified to trust anyone else again, as Cleo fears she'll just get left behind again. She doesn't want to get to the point where she needs a person as badly as she needs Layla. It's easier to sabotage any connections before it gets to this point. I liked that she still grew closer to Sydney, one of her classmates and found a support network outside of Layla. Cleo was still hung up on her, but unsure how to move on from all their shared memories. She starts trying to make new ones to override everything associated with her ex-best friend, but it's not easy.

I liked the heartbreaking exploration of a friendship that breaks apart slowly. Layla doesn't get a POV, but the author did a great job showing both sides of the friendship and how they ended up hurting each other. I felt more connected to Cleo, as I related to her situation more, but you could see that she also made her share of mistakes. Cleo and Layla have been friends for years, but everything changes when Layla gets into the choir and starts befriending the other girls who are also in the club. I understood that Layla wanted to be on good terms with them and liked that her new friends approved of her. At the same time, she becomes more distant from Cleo and stops investing as much time into their friendship.

➽ It's even more difficult as her new friends hate Cleo and think she's a snob. The situation is devastating for Cleo as there is nothing worse than other people taking away your friend and making it clear that you're not part of their group. I've definitely felt like an outsider before, so I understood how Cleo struggled to stay connected with Layla when she felt how much her new friends wanted her gone. She was definitely resentful and did not communicate her feelings, so Layla and Cleo grew apart with many things unsaid simmering between them. It becomes a vicious cycle of miscommunication and anger. I still think that Layla's new friends weren't that healthy for her, especially as she stood by and let them do whatever they wanted. The ending was realistic
as I didn't think Cleo and Layla would get back together as friends. Too much happened between them, but there was hope that they've made their peace with what happened.


“The thing I didn’t realize about having a best friend while I still had one is just how wrapped up she is in everything I do. Every outfit I wear or song I listen to. Every place I go. Losing someone can leave you haunted.” 

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mrsmishler's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5


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robyn_fenix's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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shania_siobhan's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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jessereadsthings's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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dreklogar's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book made me cry so. many. times. It was real in a way I would not expect of a book whose main character is a girl that will not stop quoting Shakespeare, and mostly listens to jazz. But the characters acted in a way that was so familiar, and instead of just stoically taking suffering, they were pulled down by it into making ever worse decisions. While not pretty, I felt it really showed how not dealing with problems as they arise makes it much harder to deal with further ones. Overall: very true to life in all of its sadness and loss, but also hopeful in its own way.

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cosmicwillow's review

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25


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briski's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

I wanted so much more from this. All I want is a friendship break up story that is devastatingly cathartic and this was far too mild for that. It touched on good points but it wasn’t truly a story of friends drifting apart because of life changing or evolving. It was a classic high school friendship break up situation that I don’t really buy will still be a loss Cleo thinks about years later. 

Surprise perk was god the Cleo and Dom bedroom scene was so sweet and swoon worthy. And while the twists and reveals were predictable they still had an impact but maybe that’s because I’m overly sensitive. 

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readingwithcats's review

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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bookcaptivated's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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