WOAH this book man

pros:
- ALL OF IT
- okay so seriously, the sibling relationship - its real. its being irritated and frustrated and resenting them and still willing to kill and/or die for them.
- Avery is autistic...but he's not patronised, not babied. his decisions are his own and while Sam wants to wrap him in bubble-wrap, Avery really doesn't need it like Sam thinks he does
- Sam was a completely unreliable narrator...just like we all are. the guy's been through hell and he's still scrambling to make sense of everything
- I don't have PTSD so I cant vouch for the truth of the depiction, but Sam's reactions felt real. it was never swept under the rug
- Avery and Sam's relationship felt realistic and grew slowly, rather than feeling rushed at all
- Sam's anxiety isn't overtly named but it runs under the whole books and especially comes out at the party scene. the boy needs so much therapy and waffles
- I liked how Sam wasn't patronised either. he makes bad choices (with mostly good intentions) and there are consequences..but its still hopeful.
- I liked how Avery seemed to have a really awesome family but was still dealing with problems of her - incl. being basically a surrogate mother for two kids when she's only a kid herself.
- the banter!!! was amazing!! I snorted a lot.
- the writing!!!! omg, I loved the descriptions of the de Lainey house and the chaos and the portrayals of the kids and all the EMOTIONS
- I liked how even the bad characters aren't entirely evil...well Sam's dad is pretty evil. but their aunt..well she does the shittiest job but she's also been dumped with 2 kids she doesn't want. and Vin...no actually she's pretty evil.
- the pacing was excellent and I liked that it was longer - it felt exactly right (and I read it all at once lol)
- I loved the practical solutions -

so mr de Lainey giving Avery a job and Sam getting sorted out with the law

- (I also really preferred TBWSH to ATPN, I think Drews' writing has gotten even better)

cons:
- big spoilers under here...

ok just a few small cons - this isn't really one but I wanted more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I really kind of wanted a "few months later" scene at the end where Sam and Avery are together and Sam's out of prison and doing therapy...all of this was hinted but I would have loved a scene
- I...really didn't like Sam getting stabbed. Like I know!! that's!! the!! point!! you're not supposed to like it. but it felt just a tiny bit gratuitous, like he'd been through enough hell that night

- I didn't entirely click with the writing when it went freeform on the page. just a personal thing

ok that's it!!! its a phenomenal book and such a tour de force and a huge achievement for CG and I LOVED IT, go read it!!!