Reviews with the most likes.
Format: eBook/PDF, received as a review copy via NetGalley
Genre/Topics: young adult fiction, queer angst and drama, very heavy on the comedic relief to balance all that angst, coffee shop romance, definitely a toxic lesbian relationship trope
Emotions: ...yuck? ...huh? ...wow.
I don't know if this story just wasn't for me and if maybe I'm the problem here, but this felt like every negative stereotype and toxic trope about lesbians wrapped up into one succinct novel. Lesbian MC falls for straight girl and is type-cast as a ‘predatory lesbian' by basically everyone around her. The straight-girl-maybe-closeted-lesbian MC is... a lot. These characters are fundamentally unlikeable and the ‘romance' makes me cringe.
BUT if you enjoy high-tension, full of drama, absolutely dripping with angst queer stories, especially with characters who are real and raw and absolutely unredeemable (maybe in a sequel?), this might be the book for you. The hook was strong, the plot definitely drew me in, but the entire time I was going, “What am I reading right now?” I love a story with characters that have experienced and caused trauma as much as the next person, but at least one of those characters has to grow and develop and change to make the story feel worth it. I didn't feel like anyone made any positive change throughout this read.
Basically, for me, this book just lacked the deeper development I expect from a tale with fallible, real, raw characters. I was never immersed in it, but I felt I had to keep reading because inevitably there'll be growth, right? Wrong.
