Status Updates From Thunderwith

WHY DOES GLADWYN'S STRESS AND SADNESS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE MATTER BUT NOT LARA'S?????????? She's the one who LOST HER MOM. She's a CHILD. This book is so STUPID.

Pearl "finally accepts her" because Lara went through MORE trauma and saved the life of Pearl's abusive mother, even though Lara had to lose HER mom and get treated badly afterwards. so only Gladwyn matters, but not Lara's mom. And Gladwyn has ZERO GRATITUDE, and her own kids are afraid of her, and they're not even allowed to ask questions. Lara, you were supposed to HATE these people, not grow to love them. Wtf.

So, when Lara goes through trauma (such as her mom dying) it doesn't matter and she deserves to be treated like crap, BUT, when Gladwyn's dumbass cuts her own foot, it's this great big heaping deal and "poor Gladwyn, or poor Gladwyn"? And why is Lara being so NICE to all of these people? Why does she CARE about them, after the way they've been treating her? Nothing about this book makes ***any*** sense.

Why is it meant to be shocking that Pearl would do something "cruel" when she's literally been cruel throughout the entire book? Also, this is the 'first time' Lara has been able to openly talk to someone about her grief??? This girl hasn't been allowed to even show SADNESS over her mother DYING? Nobody's bothered to see if she's okay, get her grief counseling, etc. and it's all treated like it's NORMAL. Gross

ALSO, this is just saying you have to GET YOURSELF burned in order to not get abused. Fuck these people.

And are ya'll SERIOUSLY ignoring the fact that she just HIT HER CHILDREN IN THE FACE AND MADE THEM RUN OFF CRYING??? Are we really forgetting about that???

She. Just. Got. Yelled. At. For. Putting. A. Fire. Out. Now you're trying to convince me that they're grateful to her. WHAT??????????!!!!!!!

And she got screamed at in her FACE for simply dropping a dish. Yet she still somehow admires this woman. Stockholm Syndrome at its FINEST.

THIS BOOK IS SO EXCRUTIATINGLY MANIPULATIVE. It LITERALLY showcases child abuse after child abuse, then DOESN'T ADDRESS IT AT ALL, tries to distract us from other fluffy stuff, and the worst thing of all...directly AFTER abusing her children, they have a scene of this evil maniacal BITCH nursing some burn wounds on the girl, and the girl feels her heart warm up at the """""kindness"""" of it. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDD

Let's not gaslight the reader. The reason Lara's having a hard time isn't because she's "new". The reason she's having a hard time is because she was placed with an ABUSIVE FAMILY. There's a difference. Don't get it twisted.

This book is DISGUSTING. Honestly. There'd better be a BIG payoff for it to be worth it. I'm talking MASSIVE. It's a book about blatant child abuse. I KNOW you're not going to try to convince me it's some fluffy, heartfelt, Hallmark story. Maybe if you're some "Live Laugh Love" Karen like Tyra Banks or Danelle Hallan.

Welp, 20 pages in and I'm already pissed off :D :D :D