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kimmberr's review
2.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity, Transphobia, and Vomit
ukponge's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, and Alcohol
bitesizedbeet's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Outing, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Infidelity, Vomit, and Cultural appropriation
otakatoe3's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Vomit, Grief, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
caseythereader's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
- It feels sort of cliche these days to call a YA novel “important,” but THIRSTY really is. It tackles not only drinking, but also race, class, and more.
- I loved the way Blake’s drinking was portrayed in this book. She was drinking socially, drinking to feel like she belonged, drinking to make friends. She didn’t have one huge rock bottom moment, but rather a slow building of moments that finally came into focus for her.
- It’s sometimes a hard read, when Blake and others are making repeated bad choices. But it’s also filled with love and understanding for Blake and her mindset.
- After adoring Hammonds’ WE DESERVE MONUMENTS and now THIRSTY, they’re an autobuy author for me now. Can’t wait to see what’s next.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Vomit, Outing, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content
skye_era_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Alcohol
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Outing, Gaslighting, and Classism
lettuce_read's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infidelity, Racism, and Transphobia
bibliomich's review against another edition
- 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
What I loved:
- The writing style: Jas Hammonds writes in a way that is both beautifully lyrical and also so, so readable. There was a slow-building tension throughout the first three-quarters of the book that made me feel like I couldn't put the book down for even a minute. I absolutely needed to find out where Blake, Ella, and Annetta's stories would take them.
- The relationships: It's so challenging to have such a large cast of characters who all have different, complicated relationships with each other, but this was one of my favorite parts of Thirsty. I especially enjoyed the depiction of Blake's evolving relationships outside of her romantic partnership with Ella.
- The resolution: There were so many directions Jas Hammonds could have taken the story, and (without giving away any spoilers) I appreciated the ending that we were given. It may not have been neat and tidy, but it provided the believable closure I needed.
- The setting: There's just something about a "summer story", and as a former lifeguard who spent whole summers poolside, I was immediately sucked into the story.
- The audiobook narration: This is the first book I've listened to narrated by Alaska Jackson, but certainly won't be my last. The narration was EXCELLENT. Each character had a distinct voice, and the acting was emotionally resonant.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced listener copy!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Outing, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Classism
sarahsbookstacks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism and Infidelity
blakeandbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I want to start off this review by saying that I completely agree with @bookish.millennial that it was an absolute privilege to read this story. Go read her review—she always has the best insight and graphics about her book reviews. The one about Thirsty is no exception.
We Deserve Monuments was one of my favorite reads of 2023. Hammonds writes in a way that causes you to hold your breath—to peel back later after layer of her characters and their flaws, struggles, strengths + see them for what they are: PEOPLE. I love how complicated and vulnerable they write their characters. Being a human being is so complex and Hammonds writes in a way that makes you face these complexities head on as the reader. The author’s note at the end of the book RUINED ME 😭🖤
Blake (I love that her name is Blake because so is my middle name hehehe) has just graduated high school, dating her girlfriend of 4 years, and is working on being accepted into the Serena Society of her new college. As the trials to slowly become members escalate, Blake comes face to face with her problem—alcoholism.
Annette was an incredible friend to Blake, even when they fought. You need people to tell you when you are on the path to self-destruction. You need people who will tell you they are worried about you and that you need to take actions and face the problem. Blake struggles with this realization/addiction throughout the entire book. My heart broke for Blake over and over again as she worked through so much in her life: upholding her new persona, her resentment towards her parents, her desperation to be “fine” in all aspects of life, and keep her relationship in the spotlight. When Annette tells her how means she is to herself when she is drunk, I could not help but be emotional 😭😭😭
The ending of this book was just so so so so good. I cannot express enough how much I loved this book.
Highly, HIGHLY recommend this one, friends. Read it on 5/14/24!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Vomit, and Gaslighting