Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour

41 reviews

mariahuff26's review

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

renn_the_reader's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad

• 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Grief

Moderate: Death

bookishsapphicshay's review

emotional reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Death and Abandonment

megwilli's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Death and Domestic abuse

onemorepagecrew's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Nina LaCour became an auto-read author for me last month, when I binged four of her books. In her YA contemporary novel, Watch Over Me, we meet Mila who is about to age out of the foster care system. She’s offered a live-in teaching job on a remote farm in California and moves there after high school graduation. 

 

Once Mila arrives in CA, the magical realism elements begin, and ghosts are a regular part of life on the farm. They’re not spooky or scary, it’s more of an ethereal vibe with their purpose being slowly revealed. The mood is not jumpy, it’s reflective and curious. By the end of the book was wistful and beautiful. 

 

If you enjoy emotional coming-of-age books or books that focus on healing your inner child, then I’d recommend this novel. It shines a light on personal growth and confronting events of your childhood, while telling the story of a young adult trying to find her purpose in the world. It’s sad at times, and beautifully done. I really loved this unique read. 

 

Content warnings: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Death, Abandonment 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Grief, and Abandonment

mapscitiesandsongs's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

3.75

Wow, what a special read! But damn, the last chapter was so emotional. To be honest, I wasn't really too fond of it during the first half. I kept thinking that something shady was going on on that farm and it kind of distracted me a bit from the actual topic of the book. I also think that I had the wrong expectations going into the book. I was waiting for a bigger punch, but it never really came. Instead the book was a gentle  exploration about trauma, grief and loneliness, which I wasn't expecting. Truly beautiful nonetheless! The reveal was masterfully done and tore at my heart strings. The way Nina LaCour writes about loneliness, trauma and grief is spectacular. A truly special book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Vomit and Blood

cerebellum's review

dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

cateemma's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, and Death

ev_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

3.5

A contemporary ghost story, different, not my favourite Nina LaCour but still a good read. Dealt with trauma and found family delicately and well but didn’t give as much of a punch as I think it could have. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Grief

mswarning's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

 It felt a bit short and was over very quickly. There's a point where Mila wants to savor something and not rush things, and I wish that had been allowed to happen. Maybe the payoff would have been more substantial. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Death, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Grief

Minor: Blood, Alcohol, Animal death, and Car accident