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librariansrule's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, this book. How I love this book. It makes me geek out.
meghan111's review against another edition
5.0
My prediction is that the playwright Corthron sisters Kara Lee and Kia are the next big thing in books, since both of their debut novels are just the best. This is the best YA I've read in forever, surprising and utterly non-condescending and super relevant. It explodes the manic pixie dream girl trope and is so sharp and makes so many subtle points about racism.
Also the cover is a total throwback to the best of 70s realistic YA like Divorce Express and A Hero Ain't Nothin but a Sandwich.
Also the cover is a total throwback to the best of 70s realistic YA like Divorce Express and A Hero Ain't Nothin but a Sandwich.
ladywestfall's review against another edition
4.0
“I love you,” I say softly. “But that doesn’t have to be your problem.”
“I love you too, Lily. Like I love thunder. I need it. And sometimes I need distance from it.”
I was supposed to give it 3 stars but then, I gave it 4/5 solely because of the ending. The story was a little draggy at first but I love the diversity of the characters. Lily kind of annoyed me. She's a bit insensitive, bitchy and immature but anyway, who is even mature at 15? I LOVE DARI THOUGH. He's my guy. I love his humor and his mind. I love the little twist towards the end. It became the turning point of the story. I love that it was not HEA. With the events prior to the ending, I didn't even think that it should end well. I know Dari is smart and honest. He needed to come up with that decision. And Lily, she needs to fcking grow up!
“I love you too, Lily. Like I love thunder. I need it. And sometimes I need distance from it.”
I was supposed to give it 3 stars but then, I gave it 4/5 solely because of the ending. The story was a little draggy at first but I love the diversity of the characters. Lily kind of annoyed me. She's a bit insensitive, bitchy and immature but anyway, who is even mature at 15? I LOVE DARI THOUGH. He's my guy. I love his humor and his mind. I love the little twist towards the end. It became the turning point of the story. I love that it was not HEA. With the events prior to the ending, I didn't even think that it should end well. I know Dari is smart and honest. He needed to come up with that decision. And Lily, she needs to fcking grow up!
thebookwyrm400's review against another edition
1.0
OH my lord.... Just really.... just really.... I found it difficult to sympathize with these characters. This book kind of just reminds me of the reasons I don't pick up contemporary books that much. I know that the author wants me to feel sorry for Lily, but I'm not going to lie Lily just reminds me of a character who I had no sympathy for. While I don't think that she was purely to blame for the relationship, it was clear that she was taken advantage of by Bobby and it was definitely was statutory rape pure and simple. We do stupid things when we were in that age, but it is so hard to watch Lily do this to herself. Lily reminds me of Zoey Redbird from House of Night and Nana from Nana. The parents being of two different extremes kind of bugged me too. Dari's dad was extremely controlling, and Lily's mother tries to be her friend rather than her mother which I don't know was the point of showing how both of these parenting styles are bad but just come on. Dari seemed like he was a manic pixie dream boy (and I know that was intentional since it was out right stated), and what the heck was up with that ending. Was the fact that Dari was a person of color who ends up being shot by a cop supposed to be some kind of commentary? While Lily should've definitely should've tried to deescalate the situation with the police by saying that she wasn't being stalked by a crazy man instead of continuing to be bitter and walking away and saying she didn't know him and getting him hurt.... you clearly love him all right Lily....
boogiebeez's review against another edition
3.0
what the frackers is this chaotic book .
Tbh the only reason I gave this a three because I have a weird thing for nyc and it addresses some stuff.
the characters are slapdash and Dari is so pretentious I literally can't (his life story was interesting and he is valued but chill out fam ). There are some cute things about this book, and the main character has good music taste, but it is soooooo fast paced. AND WHAT IS THAT ENDING . also im bouta throw some hands at Lilys mom SHE MADE OUT WITH HER DAUGHTERS BOYFRIEND GET HELP . the only character deserving of all my love is daris sister .I'm mad.
Tbh the only reason I gave this a three because I have a weird thing for nyc and it addresses some stuff.
the characters are slapdash and Dari is so pretentious I literally can't (his life story was interesting and he is valued but chill out fam ). There are some cute things about this book, and the main character has good music taste, but it is soooooo fast paced. AND WHAT IS THAT ENDING . also im bouta throw some hands at Lilys mom SHE MADE OUT WITH HER DAUGHTERS BOYFRIEND GET HELP . the only character deserving of all my love is daris sister .I'm mad.
carmeno_o's review against another edition
2.0
One word: Painful.
Why, you ask? It was having an excruciating identity crisis
Initial Impression:
Reading the synopsis, I was lead to believe this would be a modern tale about racism, and how it can affect the intricacies of romantic relationships. The idea of reading its influence on young love sounded even more complex and interesting.
Upon reading past a few chapters, I realised that this is not what this book was about.
Dramatic change of themes:
At the beginning, racism was a huge part of their story. Lily is a white girl who ‘falls in love with’ a new student at school who is African American.
Reading how little things she said were subconsciously racist was very interesting and prompted me to wonder if any comments (with no ill intentions) have come out of my mouth.
I was really looking forward to reading this, however after a few chapters, racism was lost within the book. Obviously I did not expect this whole book to be about it, but apart from a comment every few chapters, it was not apparent.
I continued on because I wanted to see how the story would develop. Skipping some fu(ked storylines, the ending came.
The ending. Wow. Where did that come from? I will not spoil anything but the ending was reliant on tension that racism should have created within the book— but didn’t. As a result of this, I felt terrible for what happened to a person, but felt shocked at its sudden occurrence.
Had racism not been nearly forgotten throughout the majority of the book, I would have thought the ending was good, but it lost all of its effectiveness.
It is a real shame that this book didn’t know what it wanted to be, because if it stuck to its guns throughout the duration of the story, it would have been incredibly impactful— from both Lily and Dari’s stories.
Twist:
I will not spoil anything
If I have read this, you know exactly what I am talking about. I am not talking about the diary entry, but what you know who walked in on.
What was that??
While there were a few comments made throughout the story that put that twist on my radar, when it happened, it didn’t feel well executed. What was its place in the story? To me, that curveball diminished any message this novel was trying to push.
It felt like the author always wanted to include a random twist into a story and decided to throw it in here, while disregarding the fact that it has no place in this story.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it was a pleasant read and I definitely enjoyed reading this book while in isolation. It was quite mind-numbing and I was curious to know how the Bobby storyline would play out. But if you want something of substance tackling racism, this is NOT the novel to read.
Personally, this book was a waste of money and I regret buying it when I could have used that money to get a well-known book that tackles these topics. I just wanted to support an author that hadn't seemed to have gotten much recognition for their work.
Why, you ask? It was having an excruciating identity crisis
Initial Impression:
Reading the synopsis, I was lead to believe this would be a modern tale about racism, and how it can affect the intricacies of romantic relationships. The idea of reading its influence on young love sounded even more complex and interesting.
Upon reading past a few chapters, I realised that this is not what this book was about.
Dramatic change of themes:
At the beginning, racism was a huge part of their story. Lily is a white girl who ‘falls in love with’ a new student at school who is African American.
Reading how little things she said were subconsciously racist was very interesting and prompted me to wonder if any comments (with no ill intentions) have come out of my mouth.
I was really looking forward to reading this, however after a few chapters, racism was lost within the book. Obviously I did not expect this whole book to be about it, but apart from a comment every few chapters, it was not apparent.
I continued on because I wanted to see how the story would develop. Skipping some fu(ked storylines, the ending came.
The ending. Wow. Where did that come from? I will not spoil anything but the ending was reliant on tension that racism should have created within the book— but didn’t. As a result of this, I felt terrible for what happened to a person, but felt shocked at its sudden occurrence.
Had racism not been nearly forgotten throughout the majority of the book, I would have thought the ending was good, but it lost all of its effectiveness.
It is a real shame that this book didn’t know what it wanted to be, because if it stuck to its guns throughout the duration of the story, it would have been incredibly impactful— from both Lily and Dari’s stories.
Twist:
I will not spoil anything
If I have read this, you know exactly what I am talking about. I am not talking about the diary entry, but what you know who walked in on.
What was that??
While there were a few comments made throughout the story that put that twist on my radar, when it happened, it didn’t feel well executed. What was its place in the story? To me, that curveball diminished any message this novel was trying to push.
It felt like the author always wanted to include a random twist into a story and decided to throw it in here, while disregarding the fact that it has no place in this story.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it was a pleasant read and I definitely enjoyed reading this book while in isolation. It was quite mind-numbing and I was curious to know how the Bobby storyline would play out. But if you want something of substance tackling racism, this is NOT the novel to read.
Personally, this book was a waste of money and I regret buying it when I could have used that money to get a well-known book that tackles these topics. I just wanted to support an author that hadn't seemed to have gotten much recognition for their work.
fionamm's review against another edition
4.0
At first, I didn't like this book. But something about it just kept me holding on, and I'm glad I finished it. It was one of the most unpredictable books I've ever read. For real, it was insane. I haven't ever read a book like this before. The story is told by two characters, one in first person and the other in third. It's all centered around forgiveness and love, but in a twisted, complex way (also with mental illness and racism as themes).
I recommend it, but just know, the author was merciless when deciding the fates of her characters. Do not read this book if you like a solid resolution, I assure you something about the plot will leave you angry.
Even so, it was a nice switch from what I normally read, and totally transported me from my completely average high school life.
I recommend it, but just know, the author was merciless when deciding the fates of her characters. Do not read this book if you like a solid resolution, I assure you something about the plot will leave you angry.
Even so, it was a nice switch from what I normally read, and totally transported me from my completely average high school life.
mhall's review against another edition
5.0
My prediction is that the playwright Corthron sisters Kara Lee and Kia are the next big thing in books, since both of their debut novels are just the best. This is the best YA I've read in forever, surprising and utterly non-condescending and super relevant. It explodes the manic pixie dream girl trope and is so sharp and makes so many subtle points about racism.
Also the cover is a total throwback to the best of 70s realistic YA like Divorce Express and A Hero Ain't Nothin but a Sandwich.
Also the cover is a total throwback to the best of 70s realistic YA like Divorce Express and A Hero Ain't Nothin but a Sandwich.
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
A book to hand to those who loved [b:The Hate U Give|32075671|The Hate U Give|Angie Thomas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476284759s/32075671.jpg|49638190] and [b:All American Boys|25657130|All American Boys|Jason Reynolds|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1444506678s/25657130.jpg|45479026].
Lily's got a secret that caused her reputation to shatter last year, and she's back at school anyway. Dari is the new guy, a black student in an otherwise almost all-white private school, and he's bored with his classes, his former girlfriend, and the abusive father with whom he lives. When Lily and Dari start to talk, though, sparks fly.
When things become heated, though, and we get the backstory of Lily's life, as well as begin to see her trust in Dari shift, we also see how much their relationship needs to take a hard look at the challenges of race.
Unlike the previously mentioned titles, this book takes on police brutality and black lives matter, but it does so in a matter which also shines a light on white privilege. I don't want to compare this to GET OUT, since it's not like that as a whole, but the manner in which white people are portrayed as "good white people" here is eerily similar and done excellently. We see Lily as a good white girlfriend, and there are moments when she clearly believes it of herself. But then we see Dari and the challenges he experiences as a black teen that Lily can and will never understand. The final page? That final paragraph of this book? Absolutely outstanding and unforgettable.
Corthron's debut is really impressive, and her use of both first person and third person to tell the story is brilliant. There is a LOT here to dig into and talk about. This book certainly hasn't seen the sort of light it deserves to, so it's one to press into the hands of readers itching for more books about race in modern America.
Lily's got a secret that caused her reputation to shatter last year, and she's back at school anyway. Dari is the new guy, a black student in an otherwise almost all-white private school, and he's bored with his classes, his former girlfriend, and the abusive father with whom he lives. When Lily and Dari start to talk, though, sparks fly.
When things become heated, though, and we get the backstory of Lily's life, as well as begin to see her trust in Dari shift, we also see how much their relationship needs to take a hard look at the challenges of race.
Unlike the previously mentioned titles, this book takes on police brutality and black lives matter, but it does so in a matter which also shines a light on white privilege. I don't want to compare this to GET OUT, since it's not like that as a whole, but the manner in which white people are portrayed as "good white people" here is eerily similar and done excellently. We see Lily as a good white girlfriend, and there are moments when she clearly believes it of herself. But then we see Dari and the challenges he experiences as a black teen that Lily can and will never understand. The final page? That final paragraph of this book? Absolutely outstanding and unforgettable.
Corthron's debut is really impressive, and her use of both first person and third person to tell the story is brilliant. There is a LOT here to dig into and talk about. This book certainly hasn't seen the sort of light it deserves to, so it's one to press into the hands of readers itching for more books about race in modern America.