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allyxmoon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Outing, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Violence, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Biphobia, Mental illness, Medical content, Hate crime, and Dysphoria
writingcaia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Aaron is young adult boy living in a poor Bronx neighbourhood with his mom and brother, trying to find love and friendship and who he is, and to forget his dad’s suicide and his own attempt at the same.
In a world where technology can erase traumas and past pains, people will make choices that will reverberated, in not always a great way, throughout their lives.
This is a coming of age story with a fantasy twist.
It was a very touching tale of the need to forget, of the need to remember, of crippling memories, of choices that are not choices at all, and those that are but seem to be taken from us.
Graphic: Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment
pond_newt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Homophobia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Hate crime
Moderate: Drug use, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Minor: Abandonment, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
jennsp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
abbiesb_read's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book read like a draft that needed more editing.
The narrator, Aaron, was insufferable at times. For most of the book I honestly couldn’t stand him and considered DNF the book because he acted like he was entitled to have his feelings returned. We can not control how others feel about us which i thought was going to be part of the message of this book—which would have been a very powerful message—instead we have a character whose entire happiness relies on others. —which is a terrible message.
There were so many moments where I felt like Aaron was in denial that a guy could have physical attraction towards him and also still be figuring out his sexuality— or that a guy could have been experimenting and came to the conclusion he isn’t gay. Considering that Aaron himself was questioning his own sexually he never once acted like it was ok for his male love interests to also question their own sexuality. If his feelings towards them weren’t returned and they showed any sort of straightness—“he’s gay and he’s in denial if he thinks he isn’t”. This book acts like being Straight or Gay are the only options.
Also, the friend characters were written very stereotypical and lacked any sort of interesting substance. I often found myself getting them confused because they all had the same personality.
Why was “no homo” used SO MANY TIMES?? I don’t have a problem with it being used. I’m in my 30s and I do remember kids my age in middle school saying it but why was that saying used so EXCESSIVELY?!
In terms of the plot: Sometimes the pacing was fast, other times it slogged. I felt like this book tried to cram in as much trauma as it possibly could so it could make you “feel something” but it came off as emotionally manipulative. The “twist” ending and then eventual conclusion made me wander what was the damn point of this book.
I read We Both Die at the End first and this didn’t even come close to the same impact that book had on me. However, I acknowledge that this is Adam’s first novel so I’m glad his writing has improved!
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Death of parent, Self harm, Medical trauma, and Homophobia
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Bullying, and Biphobia
ladywolfstar's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Drug use, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Outing, Physical abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
lish_e's review against another edition
- 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
I didn’t like Thomas to be honest. So I wasn’t really fond of the way the story seemed to unfold at first.
…And then the plot twist hit and it started to be more captivating.
“And while I wait, happiness exists where I can get it. In these notebooks, where worlds of memories greet me, almost like a childhood friend who moved away for years and finally came back home.
I’m more happy than not. Don’t forget me.”
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Dementia, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Physical abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Sexual content
Minor: Domestic abuse
bente's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence