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aichaa's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i wasn’t really that attached to mina or her relationship with sophie so i didn’t think i’d get emotional, but at the end,
when things were solved, you just feel the weight of what happened to them. it was so tragic and unfair. they were so young. they deserved a shot. they deserved better.
my heart broke with “we walk into the rest of our lives together, not knowing it'll end before it's truly started.” or better yet, it felt like my heart was ripped out.
and “mina's night-lights will endure. year after year, trev will replace them when they dim. and i know that someday, when i’m ready to come home, they'll light my way.”
i feel like throwing up. THEY DESERVED BETTER!!!!!!
when things were solved, you just feel the weight of what happened to them. it was so tragic and unfair. they were so young. they deserved a shot. they deserved better.
and “mina's night-lights will endure. year after year, trev will replace them when they dim. and i know that someday, when i’m ready to come home, they'll light my way.”
i feel like throwing up. THEY DESERVED BETTER!!!!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Drug abuse, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Addiction
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Medical content
linds_h's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Drug use, Grief, Car accident, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Addiction, Murder, Child death, Death, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts
ksamaine95's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this book immediately after "The girls I've been". I found it underwhelming on the crime and thriller side, but sweet and redemptive concerning the development and full conversation about sub-abuse and trauma.
Content Warnings
Minor: Lesbophobia, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Stalking, Grief, Homophobia, Murder, and Violence
kaynova's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A book that can wreck you and shake you up will always be a book you will remember. This is one of the those books for me, which is why I will not take criticism for this novel at all.
Tess Sharpe pulls you in with these complex characters and remind us that not everything is as black and white as it seems; we are all morally grey and we all have something we believe in and for Sophie, she believes in Mina.
Sophie is one of those characters where you wish you could hold them tight and tell them that you see them. She's electric, though she gives Mina all the credit, and she's stoic to a T but with people she cares about or the things she fights for, she can unravel to the point she is bare and vulnerable. There are times you get frustrated with her, frustrated with the past and her complicated relationship with Mina, but you become understanding. Their relationship, including Trev and Kyle, has been weaved into a weird web and you see it unravel slowly as the chapters go along with the mystery of Mina's death.
Sharpe has such a beautiful way of doing an onion style kind of story, where there's layers on top of layers and you won't know how everything has kept itself together until you get to the center (weird analogy I know) but I loved it. I cried, which is kind of rare when I'm reading books but it was worth it. This book is worth crying over wanting the best for people, recovering addicts and all. You realize that some people will not get a happy ending but that comes with grief, it's something that will be with you until the end of time but this book also tells you that you will be okay as long as you live in that truth amongst others.
I can tell I am going to be a fan of Tess Sharpe altogether.
Tess Sharpe pulls you in with these complex characters and remind us that not everything is as black and white as it seems; we are all morally grey and we all have something we believe in and for Sophie, she believes in Mina.
Sophie is one of those characters where you wish you could hold them tight and tell them that you see them. She's electric, though she gives Mina all the credit, and she's stoic to a T but with people she cares about or the things she fights for, she can unravel to the point she is bare and vulnerable. There are times you get frustrated with her, frustrated with the past and her complicated relationship with Mina, but you become understanding. Their relationship, including Trev and Kyle, has been weaved into a weird web and you see it unravel slowly as the chapters go along with the mystery of Mina's death.
Sharpe has such a beautiful way of doing an onion style kind of story, where there's layers on top of layers and you won't know how everything has kept itself together until you get to the center (weird analogy I know) but I loved it. I cried, which is kind of rare when I'm reading books but it was worth it. This book is worth crying over wanting the best for people, recovering addicts and all. You realize that some people will not get a happy ending but that comes with grief, it's something that will be with you until the end of time but this book also tells you that you will be okay as long as you live in that truth amongst others.
I can tell I am going to be a fan of Tess Sharpe altogether.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Addiction, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Toxic relationship
nofy's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Homophobia, Car accident, Murder, and Drug abuse
izzy_reads's review
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Grief
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
fedekanejbrainrot's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
We walk into the rest of our lives together, not knowing it'll end before it's truly started.
okay this is gonna be long but y'all need to know how much I loved this book.
what's far from you? It's a YA mistery about Sophie Winters, who had just witnessed the murder of her best friend Mina Bishop, and afterwards was sent to rehab because of her drug addiction. After coming back to her small hometown, Sophie starts to investigate about Mina's murder, who killed her and why they killed her. Alternated with the present-chapers about Sophie investigation there are the past-chapters about Sophie and Mina through the years 'till Mina's murder.
I curl my fingers around the ring so tightly, I’m surprised the word stamped into the silver doesn’t carve its way into me the way she did.
while this is in fact a mistery, I suggest you to not focus too much on the mistery part, because it's not that developmented, is mostly character driven.
But this is the thing about struggling out of that hole you've put yourself in: the higher you climb, the farther you have to fall.
Sophie and Mina are so well written characters and they feel so real. Because they have a LOT of flaws. Sophie is anger-driven, frustated and sad. Mina is prideful, arrogant and hurts many people. And that's why I love both of them so much. Because Sophie is also kind, strong and loyal. And Mina is "wonderfully cruel and cruelly sweet". She is independent, she doesn't want others to interfere with her works, because they are THEIRS and she wants to do all by herself. And that's what will lead her to her end. I related a lot to Mina (and to Sophie too) and I love both for who they are: humans, with flaws and merits.
But my heart isn't simple or straightforward. It's a complicated mess of wants and needs, boys and girls: soft, rough, and everything in between, an ever-shifting precipice from which to fall.
This has been Mina's first step toward what she'd always wanted, to become a part of the world outside of our dusty little town, "to contribute" as she used to put it. Instead, she'd been reduced to a handful of stories written about her instead of by her.
also, their romance? Easily one of my faves ships ever. Seeing the friendship, the angst, the words never told…ARGH they're just perfecr, bestfriends to lovers and mutual pining ALWAYS wins.
I'll choose you. No matter how hard it is. No matter what people say. Every time, I'll choose you. It's up to you to choose me back.
another thing that I love abouy this book is starting with Mina's death and then, as the story progress, make you feel so sorry for her. She was so young, 6 months after I read this I still think about it and feel so sorry for her, it's insane.
Wakeupwakeupwakeuppleasepleaseplease. No help comes. It’s just her and me. Mina’s skin gets colder by the minute. I still don’t let her go.
and the last two chapters? Sophie letting Mina go? My heart was genuinely breaking.
"It was Mina this whole time, wasn’t it?"
I give him the only thing I can: the cold, hard truth. The one that’ll rewrite every memory he has - of him and me, her and me, the two of them, all three of us: "It’ll always be Mina."
the only thing I didn't like was the reveal/action chapter, I know that this book is a mistery so it was the crucial chapter, but it felt so anticlimatic if we compare it to the whole story and messages. Also, there wasn't much foreshadowing about the murderer and, let's be honest, no one cared.
"She was in love with you,” he says. “And I don’t think she got to tell you, did she?
My heart lurches, seizes inside my chest, fluttering to life at the words I’ve always wanted to hear. I shake my head. Tears spill down my cheeks.
“She loved you. She wanted to be with you. That’s why she told me about herself. She said she’d made her choice. It was you. I think it was always you."
Is this the perfect book? No
Will I still give it five stars for the emotional damage it did to me? Yes, obv
There’s this long road ahead. It’s never-ending, because you don’t get over losing someone. Not completely. Not when she was a part of you. Not when loving her broke you as much as it changed you.
okay this is gonna be long but y'all need to know how much I loved this book.
what's far from you? It's a YA mistery about Sophie Winters, who had just witnessed the murder of her best friend Mina Bishop, and afterwards was sent to rehab because of her drug addiction. After coming back to her small hometown, Sophie starts to investigate about Mina's murder, who killed her and why they killed her. Alternated with the present-chapers about Sophie investigation there are the past-chapters about Sophie and Mina through the years 'till Mina's murder.
I curl my fingers around the ring so tightly, I’m surprised the word stamped into the silver doesn’t carve its way into me the way she did.
while this is in fact a mistery, I suggest you to not focus too much on the mistery part, because it's not that developmented, is mostly character driven.
But this is the thing about struggling out of that hole you've put yourself in: the higher you climb, the farther you have to fall.
Sophie and Mina are so well written characters and they feel so real. Because they have a LOT of flaws. Sophie is anger-driven, frustated and sad. Mina is prideful, arrogant and hurts many people. And that's why I love both of them so much. Because Sophie is also kind, strong and loyal. And Mina is "wonderfully cruel and cruelly sweet". She is independent, she doesn't want others to interfere with her works, because they are THEIRS and she wants to do all by herself. And that's what will lead her to her end. I related a lot to Mina (and to Sophie too) and I love both for who they are: humans, with flaws and merits.
But my heart isn't simple or straightforward. It's a complicated mess of wants and needs, boys and girls: soft, rough, and everything in between, an ever-shifting precipice from which to fall.
This has been Mina's first step toward what she'd always wanted, to become a part of the world outside of our dusty little town, "to contribute" as she used to put it. Instead, she'd been reduced to a handful of stories written about her instead of by her.
also, their romance? Easily one of my faves ships ever. Seeing the friendship, the angst, the words never told…ARGH they're just perfecr, bestfriends to lovers and mutual pining ALWAYS wins.
I'll choose you. No matter how hard it is. No matter what people say. Every time, I'll choose you. It's up to you to choose me back.
another thing that I love abouy this book is starting with Mina's death and then, as the story progress, make you feel so sorry for her. She was so young, 6 months after I read this I still think about it and feel so sorry for her, it's insane.
Wakeupwakeupwakeuppleasepleaseplease. No help comes. It’s just her and me. Mina’s skin gets colder by the minute. I still don’t let her go.
and the last two chapters? Sophie letting Mina go? My heart was genuinely breaking.
"It was Mina this whole time, wasn’t it?"
I give him the only thing I can: the cold, hard truth. The one that’ll rewrite every memory he has - of him and me, her and me, the two of them, all three of us: "It’ll always be Mina."
the only thing I didn't like was the reveal/action chapter, I know that this book is a mistery so it was the crucial chapter, but it felt so anticlimatic if we compare it to the whole story and messages. Also, there wasn't much foreshadowing about the murderer and, let's be honest, no one cared.
"She was in love with you,” he says. “And I don’t think she got to tell you, did she?
My heart lurches, seizes inside my chest, fluttering to life at the words I’ve always wanted to hear. I shake my head. Tears spill down my cheeks.
“She loved you. She wanted to be with you. That’s why she told me about herself. She said she’d made her choice. It was you. I think it was always you."
Is this the perfect book? No
Will I still give it five stars for the emotional damage it did to me? Yes, obv
There’s this long road ahead. It’s never-ending, because you don’t get over losing someone. Not completely. Not when she was a part of you. Not when loving her broke you as much as it changed you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
space_bandit's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Addiction, Car accident, Drug abuse, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual content
bizarabooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book was so incredible, I don't even know where to begin. Though the blurb alerts us to Minas death her characters presence is still felt throughout the whole book and makes her loss so heartbreaking. The character development from so many different characters is so remarkable and suspense is built thoroughly throughout. The book deals with some heavy subject matter and I advise reading trigger warnings before picking the book up but I think the book deals with them with respect. The writing is amazing and you simply cannot put the book down. This is my second book by Tess Sharpe and I am obsessed with her writing style and will definitely look to picking up more from her. Overall the characters, plot, pacing and ending were so good and the book contrasts heartwarming moments with heartbreaking moments so well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Biphobia, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
cqlores's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Homophobia