4/19/25: 3.5 stars. LaPointe told some really interesting stories about things I've not thought about or heard about before. One in particular that stands out to me is how white-washed punk music and the riot grrrl scene was/is. Please forgive me if I have missed something while I read this or am just showing some white priveledge etc. here but, I felt like the victim theme was heavy-handed in this and it took away from the essays for me. Her experiences were 100% valid....but she also doesn't really took personal accountability for her choices either. For example, she shares a story about how she learns she prefers relationships with multiple people. When her spouse at the time doesn't want that kind of relationship, instead of recognizing that it would be a difficult thing for someone who prefers monogamy to be ok with their spouse having relationships with other people (aka: her choice/behavior hurt them), LaPointe paints the situation as her being a victim of colonization and the way colonization forces hetero-monogamous relationships. There were other examples like this but this stood out the most and it just kind of deflated some of her other more salient points/stories for me.

4/18/25: Many congrats to Peters on a well-done debut! This book is short, fast, and hard-hitting. It moved me to tears several times. It covers important themes and historical events. The circular nature of the plot and the style of oral storytelling makes it artistically masterful. Check your triggers and then dive in. 

4/11/25: this is entertaining and I love the art style.

4/10/25: 2.5. Roshan and Savannah carried this book. The rest was meh.

This was The Breakfast Club, meets 13 Reasons Why, meets Gossip Girl, meets Pretty Little Liars, and I DEVOURED IT. It was the perfect summer thriller. I appreciated how the characters started out as archetypes, but then evolved into complex and interesting people that were no longer archetypical. The ending was a unique twist, and I loved how the characters learned, grew, and developed healthier relationships by the end of the book. So much fun, an I can't wait to read the next one.

4/5/25: 3.5 stars. This was so cute. Good nomad rep too. I'll continue the series.

4/4/25: this book was obviously written for the male gaze. I feel like it was a very shallow and hollow attempt at exploring suicide. This isn't even a story about the Lisbon girls. This is a story about all the men and boys in the Lisbon girls' lives who objectified, sexualized, stalked, and mistreated them. It is from the men's POV and the girls don't have any voice at all. Super disappointing because I remember loving Middlesex by Eugenides (but it has been almost 20 years since I read it so who knows if it would hold up for me now). The writing is good in parts but overall, I really disliked this book and don't think it needs to exist.

4/2/25: DNF at 37%. I didn't like the writing style.

4/1/25: fun popcorn lit. lots of characters, POV and story lines. Nothing outstanding but entertaining enough to be a time pass.

3/30/25: I love Garfield. It ages well too.