U Up?

2.5 or so? compelling and addicting read but i was mildly to moderately irritated the whole way through. Competently written but afterwards it felt me felt kind of empty and like I did something wrong, like watch a particularly trashy reality tv show. I don't think this book has necessarily no substance but whatever it was trying to do is lost on me. I was too busy being annoyed at every single character in this. And yes sure the main character is “flawed” but it's more than that I think every single character that called her out on it (heavyhandedly) was just as bad. I simply wasn't convinced of anyones friendship with each other, which the book hinges on. Gonna keep this at 2 or change it to 3 when I see how much it stays with me.

I like reading about unlikable protagonists and messy women so I enjoyed the book a lot, the story was kind of ridiculous and the ending was a little predictable, but in all it was a fun ride. I like that the character was flawed and we saw her start to recognise that and take steps to grow, but it didn't get wrapped up in a neat bow. At the end she's still flawed, but trying, which I appreciate as feeling more real than a happy ending.

My one major issue with the book was the use of the n-word, as recited lyrics from a song. Entirely unnecessary, added nothing, could very easily have been left out, so not sure why the fuck the author and/or editor/publisher decided to include it? Almost seems like going out of your way to be shitty tbh. Wasn't a recurring issue through the book. As others have mentioned, lesbian slurs were used but since the book is about a lesbian and written by a queer woman, that's not an issue for me the same way that a white woman including the n-word for the fuck of it is.