themoonwholistens's Reviews (698)

“Angels aren’t pretty pictures in old holy books just like monsters aren’t ugly pictures. It’s all just people, doing hard things or bad things but it’s all just people.”

Reading this through a metaphorical lens or with real life context really maximizes the meaning of the whole book and is how I would recommend reading it. It was incredibly relatable that I feel only makes more sense when you've already seen how unfair this world can be.

If you like stories like "A Monster Calls" but make it more modern and more representative, this is for you. What a timely novel, no matter where you are in the world.

It was also way more representative and diverse that I thought it would be. The main character is black, trans, and is also selectively mute, communicating mostly through sign language. And I love how it played into the story in the sense that ti was normalized and not really seen as a hindrance to anything. In other words, I liked that the representation was not the main source of the conflict.

Although this book doesn't necessarily give answers to injustices or anything of the sort, it so successfully emphasizes how we need to open our eyes to these injustices in the first place to be able to do anything about them. That the first step to solving them is to acknowledge that they may be in places we didn't expect them to be. At the same time, I like the message it sends that we don't need to start somewhere big, we can simple... like with the 'friends' around us.

The solution to the conflict in the plot was a little bit predictable for me but I feel like that wasn't the point of the story anyhow as much as how it got there. There are some messages that are best delivered through simple stories that metaphorically hold deeper messages, I feel. It's timely and holds one of my ever growing favorite dynamics: family dynamics (especially father-daughter ones).

"Monsters don't look like anything, doux-doux. That's the whole point. That's the whole problem."

↣ Highly recommended and I wish more people are able to read this story. It's a solid reality check while at the same time not being too heavy or dragging on it's themes. Monster themes hit me a little too hard. ↢

— 4.25 —
⇢ content warnings// Blood, Eye mutilation, Child abuse (physical/sexual, past, implied), Pedophilia (past, implied), Sexual assault (past, implied), Violence

4.5!!!
This book is literally one of my babies. I admit that there will always be better books but this series me taught me about different worlds, different destinies and has contributed to my outlook on life.

The type of books that stays at the back of your mind.

you’re killing me here, my heart

UPDATE
There is no way to understand this story except by reading it from the start. At this point there are so many mixed reviews about the book but I did re-read it to establish my opinions, and I stand-by my love of it. It needs time to grow on you and knowing about the plot can affect one's enjoyment a lot. It helped that I forgot 90% of the plot and I was able to experience all the emotions again.

In the end, though I see why people have their opinions of the book, for me, it is still definitely an enjoyable book that made me laugh and cry and everything in between.

It's also funny how it seems like I'm going to finish this book in the same number of days as my initial read. I also read it in the same month 2 years ago HAHA

also EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK IS JUST SO ADDICTING!! from the characters to the plot. . . it's one of my most loved plotlines. I'm sorry to all those who didn't like this book. I'm really not saying it's the best because I know a number of people will fight me on it but it is one of my most loved for more reasons than the love story and the plot.

--
ORIGINAL REVIEW
As usual, Colleen Hoover does not disappoint. There were so many plot twists that I probably would have never even seen. I never thought that Ben could have started that fire. I was furious when Jordyn and Ben dated. I was saddened when Kyle died. So many emotions in just a numbered of pages.

"To all the women lying in bed unable to sleep
because of ghosts of past relationships or bad decisions
haunting them at night
You are not alone
You go ahead and get some rest
I’ll take the first shift"

I don’t even want to review this book critically because contemporary romance books should be about what it made you feel. . . and this made me feel so light and was just really enjoyable.

Together with being enjoyable, it handled with family, friendship, and such that it made the book something other than just the romance.

It was so easy to get into Kasie West’s writing style and this was one if her books that actually had a better writing if we were talking about consistency. I have no idea how Kasie West unexpectedly turns a cliche plot into something that is. . . well. . . not. Include the fact that it makes the cliche part that more enjoyable.

As usual, my warning when going into contemporary books: don’t go into this expecting a huge plot and enjoy it for what it is. Not all books are supposed to have a huge plot twist, some are just meant for you to enjoy and learn a thing or two.

to be honest I was actually on team ryle for several personal reasons but I really loved how she showed the audience that these kinds of relationships really aren't okay. I would normally have been on team atlas if I were at a different place right now but I would just like to say that this book is absolutely breathtaking in every way. It opens a part of your soul that you didn't know was sealed in the first place.

// Received an advance reader copy in exchange of a fair review //

"Love is a little like religion. You need to have faith before miracles can happen."


this is just full of heartbreaking truths that are just so dam beautiful.

I am trash for poetry books but I am more trash for Micheal Faudet poetry books. It's all so eye opening and makes me heart ache in all the right ways that I am surprised I am still breathing right now.


"poetry can only be written by the heart"

it's kinda intriguing but i don't think these kind of YA books are for me right now/anymore. Besides, part of my lack of motivation is probably because i know negative ownvoices reviews for the second book so even if i like this first book, i feel like the second book wouldn’t do it justice. Especially since Elizabeth Lim doesn’t exactly do well with sequels.

DNF @20% — life is too short to read books that don't wholly intrigue you

————————

"the character starts off at a position of privilege and then they are stripped of that" yes to that character development, hopefully

*Thank you to the publisher -Knopf/Penguin Random House- for sending me an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

————————
I got an ARC T_T

————————
I think Elizabeth Lim might be an auto-read and auto-tbr author for me now... and I'm not mad <3

besides... these covers?!?! give me all the asian, we love to see it