Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee

7 reviews

juliaxgulia's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-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

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aseel_reads's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Overall, I liked the story that was told, it was really interesting to learn about ranita and her life up until the point. I did think that the 'big reveal' was underwhelming or we were missing it
her dancing in the garden, during the rain, in the middle of the night? What was the big deal? I felt like we were missing a scene there


Sometimes the writing was a bit much, hard to get through, being overly descriptive/wordy, but then it went away
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katieana_210's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Phenomenal writing, excellent characters, beautiful hard story that is absolutely a pleasure to read 
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eccentric_kam's review against another edition

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emotional 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

4.5

I had to keep reminding myself this is fiction and Ranita is not real. Ranita is trying to piece her life back together after being released from prison and newly sober.  It is not easy to cut ties with her old life. Ranita has not only been through a lot but has also put her family through a lot as well. She is struggling to maintain her sobriety, rebuild her relationship with her kids and other loved ones, and coming to terms with who she really is. The ending almost had me in tears and it was so beautifully written. 
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julieb3a's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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skudiklier's review against another edition

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challenging emotional 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

5.0

This book has so much heartbreak and pain and frustration and hope. I'm really glad I read it, especially when for a little bit there I was worried it would just be hurt after hurt, but knew I was going to push through regardless. Pomegranate is very much about the past and the present, and how we are all of our past selves at once. It's about growth and change in combination with not being able to fully escape your past. It's about queer love, and the way society sets some people up to fail, and the bravery it takes to open up to others. It's so so beautiful and I would highly recommend it. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the chance to read and review this ARC. 
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alibookedup's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • 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

5.0

Wow...I was stunned by this novel. The synopsis grabbed me from the beginning, but I definitely can say I was blown out of the water. The writing is so mesmerizing and descriptive and poetic. Reading this felt like I was literally watching someone paint each individual brush stroke of Ranita's life that would undoubtedly come together into a painting of a magnificent, bleeding pomegranate. More so, the topics that this book covered were so tragic and hopeful and heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time. It truly takes you on her highs and lows of successes and failures much like the everyday high and lows of someone struggling with addiction. Watching Ranita fight with her past, present, and future while facing society's injustices against being a black, queer woman and addict is truly a sight to behold. This book did a beautiful job of getting you inside her head and almost tangibly understanding what addiction and prison really is.  Watching her also fight to better herself for her children and love was remarkable. It's a super tough story to read, but one that brings such important light to living with addictions, trauma, racial injustices, and the repercussions of choice.

Please note the trigger warnings posted! 
(Addiction, alcoholism, emotional abuse, toxic relationship, sexual assault, rape, drug use, drug abuse, sexual content, death of parent, child abuse, confinement, racism)

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!
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