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A review by annishelf
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
5 stars. no words. if you are into books that completely destroy your sanity this is your sign to read this. I am writing this literally SOBBING while The Last Time by Taylor Swift is playing on my headphones at full volume. when I tell you this book WRECKED ME AND GUTTED ME IN THE WORST WAY POSSIBLE. oh my god guys I love them so much you have no idea. I need a moment.
okay here comes the review:
“To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.” And to me, they were EVERYTHING.
I can’t express enough the huge impact this book has had on me. When I first started it I never would’ve imagined I’d love it so much. The narrative style where the author mixed Kat’s POV with interviews of the people who came across her ice skating life was new for me, different from what I’d been reading my whole life, but I absolutely loved it. It made me witness the cruel truth of this sport, the life challenges of an athlete and what it’s like to go through all their training always in front of the public eye, facing their judgements and speculations. And on top of all that, growing up navigating your 20’s and 30’s, while also experiencing the complexities of messy relationships. I’d highly recommend reading this one on audio because the format was executed perfectly and the narrators KILLED IT. It made the experience a whole lot more immersive and captivating, without a single dull moment in it.
The story between the main characters was messy, complicated, problematic, raw, real, full of angst, passion, and above all, ADDICTIVE. Kat and Heath got on my nerves 24/7. They went through the worst of betrayals, secrets, fights and traumas that one single person will experience in a lifetime. But that was what made me love them so much too. They felt human, real. And after all the losses, I celebrated their wins as if they were my own.
This book was painful to say the least, but being part of Kat and Heath’s journey and watching their development has been something truly special. I’m so proud of them, especially of Kat and the woman she has become. They have consumed my every waking thought and now I just want to sit in a corner of my room and cry because of how much they have altered my brain chemistry. Going on walks listening to the audiobook was NOT therapeutic, it put me into a state of constant misery I couldn’t get out of, but at the same time I didn’t want to. It was the worst and the best of drugs, and from now on I won’t be able to exist without thinking about them, because nothing else can compare.
Go read this right now if you want to feel something, but I must warn you it will send you straight to therapy🤍
okay here comes the review:
“To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.” And to me, they were EVERYTHING.
I can’t express enough the huge impact this book has had on me. When I first started it I never would’ve imagined I’d love it so much. The narrative style where the author mixed Kat’s POV with interviews of the people who came across her ice skating life was new for me, different from what I’d been reading my whole life, but I absolutely loved it. It made me witness the cruel truth of this sport, the life challenges of an athlete and what it’s like to go through all their training always in front of the public eye, facing their judgements and speculations. And on top of all that, growing up navigating your 20’s and 30’s, while also experiencing the complexities of messy relationships. I’d highly recommend reading this one on audio because the format was executed perfectly and the narrators KILLED IT. It made the experience a whole lot more immersive and captivating, without a single dull moment in it.
The story between the main characters was messy, complicated, problematic, raw, real, full of angst, passion, and above all, ADDICTIVE. Kat and Heath got on my nerves 24/7. They went through the worst of betrayals, secrets, fights and traumas that one single person will experience in a lifetime. But that was what made me love them so much too. They felt human, real. And after all the losses, I celebrated their wins as if they were my own.
This book was painful to say the least, but being part of Kat and Heath’s journey and watching their development has been something truly special. I’m so proud of them, especially of Kat and the woman she has become. They have consumed my every waking thought and now I just want to sit in a corner of my room and cry because of how much they have altered my brain chemistry. Going on walks listening to the audiobook was NOT therapeutic, it put me into a state of constant misery I couldn’t get out of, but at the same time I didn’t want to. It was the worst and the best of drugs, and from now on I won’t be able to exist without thinking about them, because nothing else can compare.
Go read this right now if you want to feel something, but I must warn you it will send you straight to therapy🤍