Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - Siedem dni w czerwcu

As much as I wish it was this was definitely not a 5 star read for me personally
This book was deeply fucked up and the characters were super flawed but those weren’t even the reason why it wasn’t 5 ⭐️- I mean I fully was not prepared for all of that but that wasn’t even the issue really I don’t think. My issue mainly was because of all of that despite how much I loved the characters and the incredible character work that Tia Williams did, the main couple just seemed toxic and like they probably shouldn’t be together at least not till they got their shit together. That’s all even more true with Eva having a daughter and her being at least somewhat aware of their relationship. However, I do think this book is really really important in a lot of ways and was really really well done which is why I rated it as (relatively) highly as I did.
Not even when I finished it but as I got towards the end I really could not decide how I feel about this book. I think 4.25 is a pretty good descriptor but I still don’t fully know cause this book gave me such mixed feelings

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maya_reads_books's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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tayahmarie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring sad tense 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

The first thing I wanted to say is that I can’t recall a time where I read a book that had chronic illnesses at the forefront, but this opened my eyes so much. Williams’ writing style was so immersive that I could reall feel Eva’s pain through the pages. I can’t imagine how debilitating that must be and I hated that she felt like she had to hide it from the world because of ableism and so much more. This part of the story has made me realize that I need to be a bit more observant and truly accommodate people who’re suffering to make them feel as comfortable as possible.

Moving onto the cast of characters, I pretty much loved reading about everyone! Eva’s entire family was a trip. I wouldn’t mind a short stories collection about Lizette and the other women Eva hailed from because they all and had the most unique backgrounds, lol. Audre was a queen in the making, and she made a Beyoncé reference so you know I had to stan 😂.

As for Eva and Shane, I loved them. Yes, they were flawed, broken even, but that’s life and I’m glad that they both took the time they knew they needed to get back on track.

Final Thoughts: Overall, I definitely recommend. One aspect of the book that I LOVED was how Black it is. The dialogue, the emotions, the topics and everything in between made me feel seen and reiterated how critical representation is.

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bard_the_dragon's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-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

5.0

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bookwormbullet's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

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mandi4886's review against another edition

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emotional tense 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

3.25

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now_booking's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring lighthearted sad 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

There’s a lot going on in this book in the best of ways. On the surface it is witty and smart and incisive as it comments on contemporary Black culture without being a book about race. But what it actually is a story about a society where two young Black kids, representative of so many others, fall through the cracks of dysfunction and end up in toxic cycles of relationships and substance abuse. It’s a love story about a woman with an invincible chronic illness, self-harming tendencies and a lot of emotional baggage, and an emotionally-damaged man struggling with addiction, being brave enough to feel, and a lot of emotional baggage. Somehow when these two lost souls meet, they have to figure out a way to heal and lighten each other’s load.

The premise is that single mother Eva is struggling with writer’s block for her long running paranormal erotic romance series when she meets blast from her past, Shane, at a panel about race and is blown away by the strong feelings that never left. But with the trauma and toxicity associated with their past relationship and the weight of the baggage they both still carry, any chance of a second chance romance seems dead on arrival.

The best thing about this book is it’s sharp take on contemporary society. It’s full of smart, funny observations and perfectly excerptable quotes about Black culture and Black lived experience that you’ll find yourself nodding to in agreement as you picture the exact cultural reference the author means. This book is heavy on trauma and is potentially very triggering- there is severe addiction, self-harm, sexual assault, abuse, abandonment, neglect, self-harm, chronic pain (chronic illness), misogyny, toxic relationships, and others don’t like it. The story itself and the way it is told is also absolutely gorgeous- you fall in love with the characters and root for them from the very beginning. Particular favourites of mine were Eva, Shane and Audre. Reading Eva and the people in her life navigate her chronic migraines, felt incredibly raw and it was written with a lot of authenticity and heart and was for me, a highlight of this book. Perhaps I didn’t really “buy” that Eva-Cece-Belinda friendship because I didn’t think it was utilized to the max and it didn’t quite “fit” for me, but even they were likable and inoffensive and I love seeing female friendship celebrated. I loved that the book featured marginal groups from society and positioned them as romantic leads- Eva with her debilitating chronic migraines, and Shane, actively in recovery from addiction. I loved the choice of these characters and how they were portrayed. The thing is that this love never felt quite healthy and there was so much unresolved trauma and damage in their lives, it would have been nice for some more of the healing to be on page, just so you know this time they’re for real. This is one of those where you love the couple together but wonder if they’ll be able to overcome the dysfunction long-term.

One thing that bothered me a bit about this book is it’s attitude towards romance. It’s not that it was disparaging in anyway- but there’s an air of tongue-in-cheek speak about it in this book sometimes that make it feel like a second class genre or not “worthy” or serious. And I felt like sometimes the author’s fatigue with writing her erotic romance series made her indirectly disparaging of the genre and I didn’t like that. I would have liked to see more of Eva’s relationship with her mother once she decided looking into her family tree. There were crumbs around this plot point and these themes of matrilineal lines and curses and patriarchal systems that condemn difference that left a lot of space for further exploration.

Overall, there’s no denying how fabulous this was. I highly recommend it to everyone- be safe and consider your triggers.

Content Warnings

bookisha's review against another edition

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challenging emotional fast-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

5.0

This book was the definition of a journey. I knew I was going to read it the moment I saw it on TikTok. However, I hesitate because it seemed a little heavy. I finally picked it up because I needed a black love story. All of the other adult romances I have read with black MC's, ussually have interracial relationships. I love them but I needed something that reflected the identities if my relationship more. This did not turn out to be exactly what I was looking for but I think it was what I needed
.🌕.
It reads much more like a love story than a romance book. God knows I love a love story. There's so much to say about this book. I was so invested in the characters.
.🌷.
At one point I wondered if perhaps this book had too much black pain. Our main characters went through a lot as children. But then I realized the difference between this book and the Black trauma genre that I so greatly avoid at this time.
.💐.
The pain in this book is universal. While the book does not shy away from our character's blackness, it chooses to lean into it's beauty. It also seems intentional about the pain in the book not being a uniquely black one. Finally, it counts as a romance because it has the promise of a happy ending. Ultimately, this book is a love letter to love itself.
.🍃.
It explores mother daughter relationships and self love and forgiveness. It affirms my decision that I do not need to wait to completely heal to be loved. Love, like healing is a continuous journey and it is an honor to allow both in my life everyday.

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