Love this book, really well articulated.

This one is hard to rate because all the stories are so brutal, many deal with sexual assault or other violence, issues of race, family identity, and failing or failed relationships. I usually couldn't read more than one or two before putting the slim volume down to catch my breath. Bhuvaneswar writes well and each story is completely immersive, which makes this collection all the more powerful and upsetting. If you like reading stories which will sit heavy on your heart, definitely check this collection out.

This book is really excellent. I loved reading it even when it terrified me. I cried reading Michelle McNamara's stories about her relationship with her mother. I grieve that McNamara didn't live to see this book completed, or the killer caught, but the world is better for having her thoughtful book pieced together and put out into the world.

Possibly my fault but the order this story was told was very confusing to me and I found it hard to focus because of the disjointed timeline. An interesting and heartbreaking true story, but did not feel particularly well constructed into this narrative to me.

Very much looking forward to discussing this book and figuring out my thoughts.

Loved this book! So creative and perfectly balances high action with tender character development. Can't wait for more from this author and her awesome protagonist!

A very interesting book, so unlike anything else I've read. I wasn't prepared for the quantity of rape, violence, death, and that was challenging for me. Burgess explores some interesting questions here, and I'm glad I read an edition with the final chapter restored and his introduction.

Ready for the sequel now :) This book feels like the middle could have been tightened up, or maybe it's just my personal dislike of traveling narratives. I also struggled to keep all the characters history and allegiances straight, but I'm willing to put that on myself as well. Though there were times I found myself unfortunately disinterested in this novel, the ending was all fireworks and I'm very interested to continue this trilogy. There are so many unanswered questions and intriguing plot hooks to play out!

I've been avoiding the blurb and summaries so I didn't know what I was getting into plot-wise with the protagonist becoming invested in combatting his town's homophobic treatment of his new lesbian neighbors. I had a lot of emotional responses to this book - heartbreak, frustration, anger - I was so upset about something I thought was going to happen which then... didn't? This is a short one but it packs in a lot.

This book was so completely readable and moving, haunting even. I'm going to have to figure out what I loved so much about it. Heartbreaking and impossible to look away.