Here’s the thing. It’s 2019 - nearly 2020, in fact - and I just cannot have it with books that use sexuality as a plot twist. Let alone books that use it as the biggest reveal in a so-called murder mystery.

On top of that:

• it demonized & vilified mental illness in an inexcusable way
• focused on the cheating of its female mc - who had a one-night-stand while in a monogamous relationship - but not the cheating of its male mc who cheated on his girlfriend repeatedly for months
• had nate’s ‘hero’ moment not only include unchallenged slut-shaming but had the narrative praise him for it

The only positive thing I have to say - and the only reason this isn’t getting a one-star rating - is that I enjoyed Addy’s development.

I will not be reading the sequel.


➸ Trigger warnings for

ableism, racism, sexist language, slut-shaming, homomisia & homomisic slurs, coming out themes, rape & rape by coercion*, voyeurism w/o consent mentioned, abusive relationship, parental abandonment recounted, cheating recounted & discussed, alcoholism, bipolar disorder (sc), suicide (op), suicide attempt recounted, self-harm, alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse, recreational drug use, death by anaphylaxis, cancer mentioned, heart attack (sc), hospital, death of an classmate (op), death of an uncle & mother recounted, murder discussed, attempted murder, physical assault, strangulation, school shootings & gun violence discussed, car accident recounted, blackmail, and bullying.

Note: A character's sexuality is used as a plot twist; characters under the influence of alcohol recount having sex and mc recounts coerced 'consent' to sex with her boyfriend

.

▷ Representation: Bronwyn (mc) & Maeve (sc) are Colombian-American; Cooper (mc) is gay; Kris (li) is queer; Keely (sc) Filipino-Swedish; TJ (sc) is poc.

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