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blakeandbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Roaring Book Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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!
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Vomit, and Gaslighting
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It’s the summer right after graduation and Blake and her girlfriend, Ella, have been invited to join the elusive Serena Society. The Serena Society is a sorority that promises lifelong networking and community to women of color. While Ella’s acceptance is given, since her mom is an alum, Blake has to work harder for acceptance.
However, as the pledging gets more intense, so does Blake’s drinking. Soon, she notices that it’s slipping into every other crevice of her life. With success on the horizon, Blake has to decide how far she’s willing to go to make it happen.
Thanks to NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for an advanced copy of Thirsty by Jas Hammonds to review! This is Hammonds’ second book, and since I absolutely loved We Deserve Monuments, I was excited to pick this one up.
Tone wise, this book feels different than We Deserve Monuments, while still dealing with heavy issues like addiction, relationships, mental illness, and race. Blake is mixed (her dad is Black and her mom is white), and she struggles a lot with her relationship with her mom because of this. She realizes that a lot of her struggles stem from this relationship, which seeps into other aspects of her life.
This book also deals heavily with alcohol addiction. Blake becomes addicted to the way that alcohol makes her confident, but her close friends notice that it is not doing good things for her mental health. She goes through a process of realizing the roots of her issue and eventually gets on the way to getting help. Though alcohol is the main addictive substance for Blake, her emotional journey can be applied to other types of addiction as well.
We also get a lot of complex relationships in this book, which Hammonds seems to excel at. I remember a lot of that in their debut novel as well. It’s important in showing that relationships that seem good on the surface might have other problems happening underneath.
All in all, if you like books that might deal with heavier topics and enjoy strong writing and characters, definitely pick this one up when it comes out in May!
However, as the pledging gets more intense, so does Blake’s drinking. Soon, she notices that it’s slipping into every other crevice of her life. With success on the horizon, Blake has to decide how far she’s willing to go to make it happen.
Thanks to NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for an advanced copy of Thirsty by Jas Hammonds to review! This is Hammonds’ second book, and since I absolutely loved We Deserve Monuments, I was excited to pick this one up.
Tone wise, this book feels different than We Deserve Monuments, while still dealing with heavy issues like addiction, relationships, mental illness, and race. Blake is mixed (her dad is Black and her mom is white), and she struggles a lot with her relationship with her mom because of this. She realizes that a lot of her struggles stem from this relationship, which seeps into other aspects of her life.
This book also deals heavily with alcohol addiction. Blake becomes addicted to the way that alcohol makes her confident, but her close friends notice that it is not doing good things for her mental health. She goes through a process of realizing the roots of her issue and eventually gets on the way to getting help. Though alcohol is the main addictive substance for Blake, her emotional journey can be applied to other types of addiction as well.
We also get a lot of complex relationships in this book, which Hammonds seems to excel at. I remember a lot of that in their debut novel as well. It’s important in showing that relationships that seem good on the surface might have other problems happening underneath.
All in all, if you like books that might deal with heavier topics and enjoy strong writing and characters, definitely pick this one up when it comes out in May!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Racial slurs
literaryintersections's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-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
I am convinced Jas Hammonds can only write amazing books. I love We Deserve Monuments but Thirsty????? The complexities of underage drinking, trying to fit in, peer pressure, and trying to find yourself while being constantly surrounded by the need to keep up with others around you. Add in the underlying thread of the main characters trying to make it into a society meant to support and uplift women of color and this book is a HIT. Like I want everyone to be talking about this book over the summer.
What I love about Jas is that every piece of their books feels realistic - the characters are having real life issues and concerns, they are struggling with things that many of us work through every day. Add on the elements of teenage life and race and this book, and Jas' work, is extremely relatable.
My favorite parts of this book were Blake and Netta. Ella made me want to scream but again, she is what happens when race, wealth, and privilege are tied up together: not inherently bad but often reproducing white supremacy and classism. Netta was a true friend and Blake, although so frustrating, you understand what has led her down this road. And you want her to come out the other side safe, and unscathed as possible. The scenes with her parents, and about her parents, really made me so emotional as a biracial person with a white mother. The ways that Blake feels untethered because of minor statements her mom made felt so relatable.
I just loved this book.
What I love about Jas is that every piece of their books feels realistic - the characters are having real life issues and concerns, they are struggling with things that many of us work through every day. Add on the elements of teenage life and race and this book, and Jas' work, is extremely relatable.
My favorite parts of this book were Blake and Netta. Ella made me want to scream but again, she is what happens when race, wealth, and privilege are tied up together: not inherently bad but often reproducing white supremacy and classism. Netta was a true friend and Blake, although so frustrating, you understand what has led her down this road. And you want her to come out the other side safe, and unscathed as possible. The scenes with her parents, and about her parents, really made me so emotional as a biracial person with a white mother. The ways that Blake feels untethered because of minor statements her mom made felt so relatable.
I just loved this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Racial slurs