Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin

162 reviews

angelaaagg's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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bearbear222's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The writing style was not my favorite ever, BUT I still really enjoyed the book. It did make me sob like a baby at the end though! It is beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time. Just like how Autumn believes that sad things can be just as beautiful as happy things, this book is that way. 
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amcelravy02's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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alissaperkins's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

This book was incredibly slow. The ending felt rushed, thrown together, and quite frankly, annoying. I would never recommend this book to anyone. 
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trvbblemaker's review against another edition

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eerised_ravenpuff's review against another edition

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emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I found the main character to be insufferable at times, but it’s understandable considering her age and her journey to navigate life as a teenager. Her immaturity and self-centered perspective could be grating, but when I reflected on my own teenage years, I was able to empathize with her struggles. 
 
That said, her “pick-me” behavior was difficult to overlook. The way she would get upset when people complimented her appearance or her insistence on wearing those tiaras—it was as if she needed to constantly remind everyone (including herself) that she was not like other girls. This “I’m different, and that’s why people don’t like me” attitude was exhausting at times. It felt performative, like she was intentionally rejecting anything mainstream to stand out, even when it didn’t make much sense. However, I think this ties back to the universal struggle of trying to figure out who you are and who you want to be in high school. It’s a phase many people go through, but boy, was it annoying to read. 
 
That aside, I feel the development of her relationship with her best friend—or rather, the dissolution of it—could have been explored in greater depth. At times, I wondered if they were truly friends to begin with. While we caught glimpses of his feelings for her, their connection felt underdeveloped, leaving me wishing for more nuance and exploration. Hopefully, this dynamic will be addressed more thoroughly in the sequel. 
 
Despite my frustrations with the protagonist, I have to commend the author for the ending. The depiction of tragic loss was one of the most heart-wrenching and emotionally resonant moments I’ve read in a long time. It left me feeling as inconsolable as the main character, which is a testament to how powerfully Laura Nowlin conveyed the weight of losing someone who means the world to you. 
 
While the protagonist’s perspective made the book challenging at times, the raw emotions and themes of loss and regret ultimately made this a memorable and moving read. It’s a book that stays with you long after you’ve turned the final page.  


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laurenlolson's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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kc_louisa's review against another edition

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emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is so amazing I honestly thought it would just be another romance novel and I would probably DNF but I fell in love with everything about it 
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isabellaschell's review against another edition

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emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

it's so sad but so so good
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ana4182's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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