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Something About Her
A heartfelt and delicately crafted debut novel about two young women who become entangled in one another and embark on a surprising journey of self-discovery and modern love.
Aisling and Maya’s connection is unexpected. Maya has recently returned to the University of Edinburgh for her second year, confident in her place there and in her first proper relationship with her childhood best friend, Ethan. Finally, she is one of them, those happy couples, self-satisfied in the knowledge that they are one half of something solid.
Aisling is a first year student from Ireland, ready to leave her controlling family behind. But despite the distance, she still feels claustrophobic, still feels watched. Reeling from her break-up with her ex-girlfriend, she struggles to make friends and finds herself isolated. That is, until Aisling joins the Writers Society. That’s where she meets Maya, and everything changes.
Moving between Ireland, Scotland and London, Something About Her is a story about the fragility and transformative power of first love. With vivid insight and tenderness, it exposes the fear, hope, and longing that can consume us, particularly when there’s so much you still don’t know about love, about life, and about yourself.
Aisling and Maya’s connection is unexpected. Maya has recently returned to the University of Edinburgh for her second year, confident in her place there and in her first proper relationship with her childhood best friend, Ethan. Finally, she is one of them, those happy couples, self-satisfied in the knowledge that they are one half of something solid.
Aisling is a first year student from Ireland, ready to leave her controlling family behind. But despite the distance, she still feels claustrophobic, still feels watched. Reeling from her break-up with her ex-girlfriend, she struggles to make friends and finds herself isolated. That is, until Aisling joins the Writers Society. That’s where she meets Maya, and everything changes.
Moving between Ireland, Scotland and London, Something About Her is a story about the fragility and transformative power of first love. With vivid insight and tenderness, it exposes the fear, hope, and longing that can consume us, particularly when there’s so much you still don’t know about love, about life, and about yourself.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2023
27 people are currently reading
5067 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
December 18, 2023
for me, this book was love at first sight (that cover! girls falling in love at the university of edinburgh!)...and dislike at first read.
unfortunately, this is just not well written. that feels like the meanest criticism there is, but there's no avoiding it here. this book uses synonyms for said, is teeming with appearance descriptions, and has darlings on every page that likely should have been killed.
and this extends, sadly, to plot: everything seems to be going really quite well, and then suddenly someone does something quite unforgivable, out of nowhere and inexplicably. less than ten pages later the book ends. that's after hundreds of pages of what feels like flippant, underexplored inclusion of a dozen serious social issues.
i wish it could, but debut doesn't begin to explain it all away: this was under-edited by a lot. it feels tropey, shallow, cliched, and i came away thinking i needed more and less at once.
bottom line: if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all...but i really wanted to like this book.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
unfortunately, this is just not well written. that feels like the meanest criticism there is, but there's no avoiding it here. this book uses synonyms for said, is teeming with appearance descriptions, and has darlings on every page that likely should have been killed.
and this extends, sadly, to plot: everything seems to be going really quite well, and then suddenly someone does something quite unforgivable, out of nowhere and inexplicably. less than ten pages later the book ends. that's after hundreds of pages of what feels like flippant, underexplored inclusion of a dozen serious social issues.
i wish it could, but debut doesn't begin to explain it all away: this was under-edited by a lot. it feels tropey, shallow, cliched, and i came away thinking i needed more and less at once.
bottom line: if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all...but i really wanted to like this book.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
June 22, 2023
This was... underwhelming. While I found both Aisling and Maya likable enough, the whole story just lacked depth. We always skirted just along the surface, and while we were told there was so much more and given hints that it existed, we never quite went there. Because of that, it felt hard to connect with these characters in any meaningful way, and this book read as somewhat elementary.
Also, because deeper issues like abuse and trauma, family dynamics, etc. were merely hinted at and sort of dropped in in small doses, their inclusion sometimes felt somewhat flippant, as if it was added in to bring dimension to the characters by their mere mention. Like, there are these very major, important things that inform both protagonists' character, but we're just gonna kinda say they're a thing and not explore them. Just trust us, they're there! I wasn't really down with that.
The ending came out of nowhere, as well. It was not only unrealistic based on what we did know about the characters, but the fallout (or should I say lack thereof) was also like, ???? The stakes felt so low that they were on the ground when the entire book up to that point tried to make us believe they were extremely high.
I dunno, it sadly just felt a bit blah and I really wish that wasn't the case!
That being said, many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I'm always here for all things gay.
Also, because deeper issues like abuse and trauma, family dynamics, etc. were merely hinted at and sort of dropped in in small doses, their inclusion sometimes felt somewhat flippant, as if it was added in to bring dimension to the characters by their mere mention. Like, there are these very major, important things that inform both protagonists' character, but we're just gonna kinda say they're a thing and not explore them. Just trust us, they're there! I wasn't really down with that.
The ending came out of nowhere, as well. It was not only unrealistic based on what we did know about the characters, but the fallout (or should I say lack thereof) was also like, ???? The stakes felt so low that they were on the ground when the entire book up to that point tried to make us believe they were extremely high.
I dunno, it sadly just felt a bit blah and I really wish that wasn't the case!
That being said, many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I'm always here for all things gay.
December 28, 2023
*3.5 stars rounded up
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I have to say I am disappointed that I didn’t love this book. I’ll start with what I did enjoy first though.
I’m usually not a fan of dual pov but both Maya and Aisling have such distinct voices that made them feel so real. I loved the inclusion of things like street names and tube lines because they made me feel grounded in their world. The whole book felt very raw and real.
The writing is very poetic and beautiful but, I’m not sure I loved the story. I found myself getting less invested in the characters’ lives as I got farther into the book. Though, I can’t really put my finger on why.
I was not a fan of the ending. The conflict seemingly came out of nowhere and didn’t make much sense to me. I can’t say much more without spoiling it, but I didn’t like it.
I did enjoy the book, but at the same time it left me wanting and disappointed.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I have to say I am disappointed that I didn’t love this book. I’ll start with what I did enjoy first though.
I’m usually not a fan of dual pov but both Maya and Aisling have such distinct voices that made them feel so real. I loved the inclusion of things like street names and tube lines because they made me feel grounded in their world. The whole book felt very raw and real.
The writing is very poetic and beautiful but, I’m not sure I loved the story. I found myself getting less invested in the characters’ lives as I got farther into the book. Though, I can’t really put my finger on why.
I was not a fan of the ending. The conflict seemingly came out of nowhere and didn’t make much sense to me. I can’t say much more without spoiling it, but I didn’t like it.
I did enjoy the book, but at the same time it left me wanting and disappointed.
2023
June 17, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons
August 2, 2023
I struggled with this one. I revisited some of my DNF’s to try to get my Netgalley ratio up and I should have listened to my gut instinct on this one. It had some good things going for it, an interesting premise and characters, but I felt like it could have used more editing to get the character development right.
“Something About Her” is the story of Aisling, an Irish Catholic girl who’s the target of intense physical abuse from her controlling, alcoholic mother, who resents her for her openness with her sexuality. Aisling goes to college in Edinburgh, hoping to escape her painful family history and start afresh, to study literature, and meets Maya, a bubbly, hard partying artist who captures her attention.
In this dual POV lesbian awakening arc, Maya, who comes from a loving family background with a tight friend group, starts off college with the perfect boyfriend, her childhood crush - or so she thought, before she starts pining for the mysterious sad girl in poetry society.
I think this book was uncertain what genre it wanted to be. It didn’t have enough interiority to fall under literary fiction. Aisling moves to Edinburgh and instantly becomes this well-adjusted person who doesn’t struggle with her sexuality despite the abuse at home or the trauma from said abuse. It had all the beats of a romance but the ending between Maya and Aisling was not a very satisfying resolution.
That puts it more into women’s fiction, I guess. Inevitable, given Aisling’s past, but the beats of their relationship felt rushed and awkward. So much time was spent on sapphic pining and young love that the third act breakup felt like the author couldn’t decide on how to end the story.
Most troubling of all were the descriptions of trauma, mental health and abuse. Not because that stuff is troubling on its own sake but the depictions of it felt inauthentic, like someone doing their research instead of really feeling it. The mother was so over the top she was like the stereotype of an abuser. And I didn’t care for the metaphor of insects for Maya’s anxiety, it was depicted more as self loathing, which was never really explored satisfactorily.
I also struggled with the spare writing style and some of the word choice used. This felt like one of those writers who tries to avoid the use of “said” as a dialogue tag but goes over the top with the muttering and sighing instead.
The premise was fascinating and I loved the characters of Maya and Aisling, but I felt like this was one of those “summer love trapped in amber” sorts of stories that needed a little more direction.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“Something About Her” is the story of Aisling, an Irish Catholic girl who’s the target of intense physical abuse from her controlling, alcoholic mother, who resents her for her openness with her sexuality. Aisling goes to college in Edinburgh, hoping to escape her painful family history and start afresh, to study literature, and meets Maya, a bubbly, hard partying artist who captures her attention.
In this dual POV lesbian awakening arc, Maya, who comes from a loving family background with a tight friend group, starts off college with the perfect boyfriend, her childhood crush - or so she thought, before she starts pining for the mysterious sad girl in poetry society.
I think this book was uncertain what genre it wanted to be. It didn’t have enough interiority to fall under literary fiction. Aisling moves to Edinburgh and instantly becomes this well-adjusted person who doesn’t struggle with her sexuality despite the abuse at home or the trauma from said abuse. It had all the beats of a romance but the ending between Maya and Aisling was not a very satisfying resolution.
That puts it more into women’s fiction, I guess. Inevitable, given Aisling’s past, but the beats of their relationship felt rushed and awkward. So much time was spent on sapphic pining and young love that the third act breakup felt like the author couldn’t decide on how to end the story.
Most troubling of all were the descriptions of trauma, mental health and abuse. Not because that stuff is troubling on its own sake but the depictions of it felt inauthentic, like someone doing their research instead of really feeling it. The mother was so over the top she was like the stereotype of an abuser. And I didn’t care for the metaphor of insects for Maya’s anxiety, it was depicted more as self loathing, which was never really explored satisfactorily.
I also struggled with the spare writing style and some of the word choice used. This felt like one of those writers who tries to avoid the use of “said” as a dialogue tag but goes over the top with the muttering and sighing instead.
The premise was fascinating and I loved the characters of Maya and Aisling, but I felt like this was one of those “summer love trapped in amber” sorts of stories that needed a little more direction.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2023
two stars feels too mean for this but...it was just bad to me. i wanted to love it so much, i wanted this to be the lesbian normal people, but it absolutely wasn't. the characters didn't feel real to me; aisling's trauma and maya's anxiety were never explored to the full depths. it felt like these things were just stated to add more depth to the characters, but it didn't go beyond that.
i'm so hesitant to say this because i don't know the author's personal experiences, but the abuse just felt...over the top and forced to me??? it felt like a plot device for the inevitable end of the story.
the writing in this was also really meh. not to use a classic writing trope, but instead of showing me anything, everything was told to me. instead of showing how aisling's abuse affected her relationship, we were just told it very plainly. i think the readers are smarter than that! i just really wanted so much more from this writing and it felt like a first draft of the book honestly.
i'm so hesitant to say this because i don't know the author's personal experiences, but the abuse just felt...over the top and forced to me??? it felt like a plot device for the inevitable end of the story.
the writing in this was also really meh. not to use a classic writing trope, but instead of showing me anything, everything was told to me. instead of showing how aisling's abuse affected her relationship, we were just told it very plainly. i think the readers are smarter than that! i just really wanted so much more from this writing and it felt like a first draft of the book honestly.
December 31, 2023
3.5 rounded up. When this story is at its best, there is a lyrical ethereal feel to the prose, which we readers wish would go on forever. But, the author can't tell the whole story that way.
The narrative runs on two tracks: the difficulty in wanting to be open about a relationship which not everyone condones, and the difficulty in communicating clearly in that relationship, when one hasn't learned how to navigate their own emotions.
Our protagonists are both struggling, though they come at their struggles from very different starting places. Where one has mainly wrestled with issues of anxiety and identity, the other has borne the weight of abuse, guilt, shame, terror, secrecy, enforced religiosity, a conspiracy of silence, limited resources, AND issues of identity, all while stuck in a small stagnant community with no privacy nor advocacy.
The emotional travails of the two are palpable. It seems clear that love is never going to be enough to overcome the rift between them, caused by neither of them being able to ask for help. Brushing everything under the rug just makes it inevitable that one or both is going to trip over it and get hurt.
The chapters are identified as to the person they correspond to, all except the last two. I was confused by this, yet perhaps the author wished to demonstrate that the actions taken could have corresponded to either of them. They were both responsible for the disaster. When people try to ignore their problems, and refuse to talk about them, things don't get better; they get worse.
Thank you to Putnam, an imprint of PRH, and to Goodreads Giveaways, for providing copy of this novel.
The narrative runs on two tracks: the difficulty in wanting to be open about a relationship which not everyone condones, and the difficulty in communicating clearly in that relationship, when one hasn't learned how to navigate their own emotions.
Our protagonists are both struggling, though they come at their struggles from very different starting places. Where one has mainly wrestled with issues of anxiety and identity, the other has borne the weight of abuse, guilt, shame, terror, secrecy, enforced religiosity, a conspiracy of silence, limited resources, AND issues of identity, all while stuck in a small stagnant community with no privacy nor advocacy.
The emotional travails of the two are palpable. It seems clear that love is never going to be enough to overcome the rift between them, caused by neither of them being able to ask for help. Brushing everything under the rug just makes it inevitable that one or both is going to trip over it and get hurt.
The chapters are identified as to the person they correspond to, all except the last two. I was confused by this, yet perhaps the author wished to demonstrate that the actions taken could have corresponded to either of them. They were both responsible for the disaster. When people try to ignore their problems, and refuse to talk about them, things don't get better; they get worse.
Thank you to Putnam, an imprint of PRH, and to Goodreads Giveaways, for providing copy of this novel.
dnfs
December 18, 2023dnfed @10%
I really am just not interested in these type of queer stories anymore. pls understand I know that some people/families are still very much not accepting of lgbt+ people but *I* personally don’t want to read books where that is a huge crutch of the novel.
dare I say……. it’s a tired theme…….. oop
I really am just not interested in these type of queer stories anymore. pls understand I know that some people/families are still very much not accepting of lgbt+ people but *I* personally don’t want to read books where that is a huge crutch of the novel.
dare I say……. it’s a tired theme…….. oop
January 6, 2024
mixed vibes and more questions
February 3, 2024
Oof. I am convinced that this book’s publication is the result of some radical acts of nepotism.
April 18, 2024
2.5 stars. Zero chemistry between the main characters so the rushed ending wasn’t a surprise.
November 6, 2023
I really wanted to love this coming of age Sapphic romance debut that sees two college girls falling in love and bonding over poetry. Through alternating POVs, we get two know Irish Aisling and Scottish Maya as they come from two very different families and struggle with self love and acceptance as well as the challenge of loving each other.
Usually this type of story is right up my alley but I really had a difficult time getting invested in their relationship. The last two chapters are also a unique blend of the two girl's POVs where you don't really know whose thoughts are whose, which I found an interesting choice made by the author.
Okay on audio narrated by Helena Wilson and Róisín Rankin. Recommended for fans of books like Lovesick blossoms or authors like Clare Ashton. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Usually this type of story is right up my alley but I really had a difficult time getting invested in their relationship. The last two chapters are also a unique blend of the two girl's POVs where you don't really know whose thoughts are whose, which I found an interesting choice made by the author.
Okay on audio narrated by Helena Wilson and Róisín Rankin. Recommended for fans of books like Lovesick blossoms or authors like Clare Ashton. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
July 5, 2024
A queer story about two young women trying to navigate growing up and healing their past trauma. It really depicts how codependent young, serious relationships usually are. Aisling and Maya meet at the University of Edinburgh and instantly have a connection. This was so sad but hopeful all at the same time. The writing style really reminded me of Sally Rooney. Both authors are amazing at illustrating the real, honest thoughts and feelings young people have while growing up and trying to maintain relationships.
May 18, 2023
4.5/5 stars
I loved this so much more than I was expecting. The book follows two young women, Aisling and Maya, and their slew of friends and families over a year of their college experience. The writing style reminded me a lot of Sally Rooney and I loved the care and detail that was given into developing the slow-burn queer romance.
What I liked:
- split perspective between the two main characters added depth and nuance to the plot
- explores a plethora of relationships (platonic, romantic, familial)
- some deeply relatable content regarding family structures
- beautifully written
- well-developed characters
What could have been better:
- the last 1/3 of the book felt a bit rushed and not as carefully crafted as the rest
- the ending was a bit cliche but I did appreciate the lack of finality
Consider reading if...
- you want something akin to Normal People by Sally Rooney but with a queer perspective
- you enjoy literary fiction and split narration
- you are looking for a beautifully written debut by an author who is sure to soar
Thank you to Net Galley and PG Putnam for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
I loved this so much more than I was expecting. The book follows two young women, Aisling and Maya, and their slew of friends and families over a year of their college experience. The writing style reminded me a lot of Sally Rooney and I loved the care and detail that was given into developing the slow-burn queer romance.
What I liked:
- split perspective between the two main characters added depth and nuance to the plot
- explores a plethora of relationships (platonic, romantic, familial)
- some deeply relatable content regarding family structures
- beautifully written
- well-developed characters
What could have been better:
- the last 1/3 of the book felt a bit rushed and not as carefully crafted as the rest
- the ending was a bit cliche but I did appreciate the lack of finality
Consider reading if...
- you want something akin to Normal People by Sally Rooney but with a queer perspective
- you enjoy literary fiction and split narration
- you are looking for a beautifully written debut by an author who is sure to soar
Thank you to Net Galley and PG Putnam for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
May 22, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for this Arc in exchange for an honest review.
This book was so emotional and so raw. We have two young women from vastly different worlds trying to come into their sexuality, together while dealing with very different forms of coping.
Aisling and Maya come from very different worlds that have shaped them to live and handle situations very differently.
This book tackles trauma, PTSD, Child abuse, alcoholism, anxiety, and blends it with the struggles of living life after the fact. Attempting to heal. All in a very raw, emotional, and heart wrenching way.
The end of the book leaves something to be desired which, in a way, I feel was the authors intent. We, like Aisling, don’t get the answers we want, though we might we also may not ever. We return full circle to Aisling using writing to cope, to understand, and to explore what has happened, this time with a new perspective. An open ended ending for endless possibilities. Some may call it not enough, but some may call it hope.
This book was so emotional and so raw. We have two young women from vastly different worlds trying to come into their sexuality, together while dealing with very different forms of coping.
Aisling and Maya come from very different worlds that have shaped them to live and handle situations very differently.
This book tackles trauma, PTSD, Child abuse, alcoholism, anxiety, and blends it with the struggles of living life after the fact. Attempting to heal. All in a very raw, emotional, and heart wrenching way.
The end of the book leaves something to be desired which, in a way, I feel was the authors intent. We, like Aisling, don’t get the answers we want, though we might we also may not ever. We return full circle to Aisling using writing to cope, to understand, and to explore what has happened, this time with a new perspective. An open ended ending for endless possibilities. Some may call it not enough, but some may call it hope.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2023
Thank you to net galley and the publisher for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this one, the characters and story felt so real to me! I loved Maya and Aisling, and the queer sally rooney vibes of it all. Unfortunately, the writing fell flat to me and the plot ended up relying a bit on tropes in a way I didn’t love. But it was still good.
I really wanted to love this one, the characters and story felt so real to me! I loved Maya and Aisling, and the queer sally rooney vibes of it all. Unfortunately, the writing fell flat to me and the plot ended up relying a bit on tropes in a way I didn’t love. But it was still good.
February 29, 2024
Some kind of marvel of literary engineering -- a book about people but there are no personalities, about love but there are no emotions; about studying literature at university but there's no reading or writing or thinking... The ending did make me laugh out loud! But the author clearly thinks she was being profound.....
November 22, 2023
Initially, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the writing style but as I continued reading, I was hooked by the characters. I was rooting for Aisling and Maya the entire time :) +1 star for having a WLW relationship
SPOILER!
Why did it end that way…..
SPOILER!
Why did it end that way…..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2023
Got genuinely boring after they got together. The build-up was interesting, but it just didn't grip me or make me love any of the characters.
April 17, 2024
clementine baby did nobody tell you to show not tell?? actively pissed off at the missed potential this was shallow as hell
September 12, 2024
if you have to put a whole author's note at the end of the book to try and explain to the reader what you've just done, perhaps you need to write a better book.
July 18, 2024
2.5 stars Maya, confident in her second year at the University of Edinburgh and in her relationship with her childhood best friend Ethan, feels secure in her place. Aisling, a first-year student from Ireland, struggles with feelings of claustrophobia and isolation despite leaving her controlling family. After a painful breakup with her ex-girlfriend, Aisling finds solace and friendship in the Writers Society, where she meets Maya. The story spans Ireland, Scotland, and London, exploring the fragility and transformative power of first love, along with the fear, hope, and longing that accompany the journey of self-discovery.
A coming of age novel that fell a bit short in my opinion. This book could have had so much depth but it just stayed at the surface level with some of the bigger issues. Big things were just kind of mentioned but never really talked about and the ending left me completely unsatisfied.
A coming of age novel that fell a bit short in my opinion. This book could have had so much depth but it just stayed at the surface level with some of the bigger issues. Big things were just kind of mentioned but never really talked about and the ending left me completely unsatisfied.
January 17, 2025
I’m going to say it, I got real Sally Rooney vibes. I didn’t hate it, but I do also think I might steer clear of university age love stories for a while? TBH because mostly I think - might be better if you do break up, you are still very young…
July 9, 2024
I read this book solely because the cover was pretty. Good overall but not life changing story by any means
September 13, 2025
this tried to be a lot of things but fell short. some parts were sweet and i don’t regret reading this, but the writing is not great and the ending is entirely rushed.
June 14, 2024
(3.5 stars) I enjoyed it overall but I think the characters could have been explored more. The approach to mental health, substance abuse, and physical abuse rubbed me the wrong way, but maybe that was intentional. I did like the ambiguous ending though (even though I wish several things were resolved)
October 23, 2023
Aisling and Maya meet at the University of Edinburgh at a poetry club. Aisling is in her first year and it is fall of 2013. She comes from Ireland and has an alcoholic and abusive mother. There is both physical and emotional trauma. Maya is a Londoner in her second year of University. She has a boyfriend at another school and isn’t expecting her attraction to Maya.
To me the book comes off wanting to be serious and brooding. The story is told from both POVs but Aisling is the star and you don’t get to know Maya as well. Is this the first time she’s been attracted to a woman? This story is about a first serious relationship, but so much is left unsaid. I don’t mind melancholy stories but there wasn’t enough here for me to think Aisling is going to get the help that she needs and I’m not sure what I hope for Maya. I did care about both but the story just abruptly ends. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
To me the book comes off wanting to be serious and brooding. The story is told from both POVs but Aisling is the star and you don’t get to know Maya as well. Is this the first time she’s been attracted to a woman? This story is about a first serious relationship, but so much is left unsaid. I don’t mind melancholy stories but there wasn’t enough here for me to think Aisling is going to get the help that she needs and I’m not sure what I hope for Maya. I did care about both but the story just abruptly ends. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
June 24, 2025
ok like 3.5 stars, there was more there and i liked the characters just felt meh abt the ending :/
February 28, 2024
The ending is so out of left field and incredibly disappointing. Wishing I had never started this book so I didn’t have to endure the confusion that is this ending.
October 16, 2023
Aisling and Maya are two university students living quite different lives. When they meet through poetry society, they're each forced to face their individual identities, pasts, and obstacles.
This book gutted me and put me back together several times.
The writing was gorgeously done. The imagery and use of smilies and metaphors really helped me feel and believe what was happening throughout the novel. I quite enjoyed the pacing as well, although some people may find it too slow and with too many time jumps at times.
Aisling's history with her mother was so raw and real. I don't often see this type of relationship portrayed in novels but I feel like it's important to address and to be aware of.
Without spoiling the ending, I can say it made me feel all the feelings. And in typical literary fiction fashion, it had me wanting to stare at a wall for hours afterwards.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
This book gutted me and put me back together several times.
The writing was gorgeously done. The imagery and use of smilies and metaphors really helped me feel and believe what was happening throughout the novel. I quite enjoyed the pacing as well, although some people may find it too slow and with too many time jumps at times.
Aisling's history with her mother was so raw and real. I don't often see this type of relationship portrayed in novels but I feel like it's important to address and to be aware of.
Without spoiling the ending, I can say it made me feel all the feelings. And in typical literary fiction fashion, it had me wanting to stare at a wall for hours afterwards.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews