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dumbxblondex t1_j28pei1 wrote

It’s an amazing read and thanks for reminding me it exists. Do you know if she has any trauma surrounding the things the description laid out, or doesn’t like that kind of read? If I remember correctly, it gets pretty intense but there are great parts too. If she does not, I would gift it to her!

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RideThatBridge t1_j28pqh9 wrote

I wouldn't give it as a gift to an 18yr old if I didn't know them really well. I read it in my late 20's and it was tough.

I would pick something else; a book in general is an awesome gift!

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WolfD_red OP t1_j28qkx5 wrote

Replying to dumbxblondex (#1,179,553)

No, she don't have any trauma at all. She loves to read romance fictions that has sad/ tragic endings and she's emotional so I would like to give her that book something that isn't doesn't involve lovers but family and something I know she'll bawl to.

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WhenRobLoweRobsLowes t1_j28qs8h wrote

Replying to WolfD_red (#1,179,636)

Sorry, books are often very personal choices, so random suggestions aren't helpful.

Only thing I would say is give her a book that you personally loved with a note that says just that: "This may not be your speed, but I loved this book and hope you will too."

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ManyCats247 t1_j28rcgk wrote

I think triggering and traumatic books make terrible gifts, honestly. I was loaned the book by a coworker who swore it was so amazing, and unfortunately I just could not finish it, and it still creeps into my dreams. I was upset with my coworker for not telling me how descriptive and awful it was. I wish I'd never read it.

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Difficult-Albatross7 t1_j28rm95 wrote

Nope, unless you want to traumatise them. Plus the author was involved in the wrongful conviction of an innocent man that had some massively sketchy elements to it.

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WolfD_red OP t1_j28sg57 wrote

Replying to captqueefheart (#1,179,844)

I am new on reading books compared to her. The books that I enjoyed are 1984 by George Orwell, One of us is lying and he's into her which both, we read and discussed with our circle of friends. I am really struggling to give her anything as I know our friend group would give her colleen hoover's book and I don't want to give her a duplicate.

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WolfD_red OP t1_j28sqwq wrote

Replying to WhenRobLoweRobsLowes (#1,179,879)

It's okay but I am new on reading books, I finished 3 books, two, we both read with our friend group. He's Into Her and One of us is lying then 1984 by George Orwell which I doubt she would like. I am currently reading Dune by Frank Herbert.

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WolfD_red OP t1_j28tii8 wrote

Replying to Difficult-Albatross7 (#1,180,083)

No! Definitely not! I just want her to have a good cry, a book that she would enjoy crying to. And discuss it with her. I will try to look for another book. Someone recommend The time traveler's wife the Traveling Cat Chronicles, I will try to find either of them. Thank you for the insight!

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Top-Race-7087 t1_j28v2g0 wrote

Not this wonderful book - I couldn’t stop crying. I read it and cried. Not a bday gift.

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The_last_melon1 t1_j28vd68 wrote

Depends on her personality, if someone gave this to me as a gift I would have been so so thankful! One of my favorite books, however I am a little quirky and strange

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ManyCats247 t1_j28vo5j wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,180,777)

Thank you for the support here. When someone asks an opinion about a book containing violence, torture or sexual abuse, I hesitate to give an opinion because often someone comes along to neg me for feeling the way I feel. I think people should be made aware of potentially triggering books. I was held hostage by a man in his dark apartment while he held the door shut and attempted to take my clothes off and harass me to have sex with him. I was at his apartment to pick up a bed that I had purchased. The situation went dark fast. So the spot in this book where the young girl was trapped in this man's cellar (?) And she realized that she was in extreme danger, it brought back that situation and all the fear and darkness. It's a struggle to not feel as if I am back in the apartment.

Thanks for your compassion.

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ehuang72 t1_j28www8 wrote

Only if you know her well and even then.

I've read this book and think Alice Sebold is wonderful but if you are only slightly acquainted with this classmate, it's too personal and IMO borderline creepy to gift it, Especially if you are male.

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Cute_Frog_5 t1_j28x5rg wrote

One of my most recent favorites is A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman. It is feel good, thought provoking, sad, happy. I felt so many things while reading it. 10/10

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ihaveneverbeenwise t1_j28yew4 wrote

This is a tricky one as you can see from people's responses! I would probably recommend it in person after checking that she's ok with the themes and the content but probably not give it as a gift. For a quick-ish read that sounds like her cup of tea (romance, will make her cry) I would recommend Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson. It's not his usual type of book, and every time I've read it I've cried my eyes out. I really like it. Perhaps you could also get a copy for yourself to read since she'd like to discuss her gifts afterwards? You can talk about your quest to find her a book she'd love and how it felt adding another book to your list, as well as what you thought of the book and if it made you cry too. I think buying her a book is a lovely idea! Good luck on your search.

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The_Soviette_Tank t1_j28zaf9 wrote

I thought the ending was shite in terms of writing. Go with the 'book buddy' plan!

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ManyCats247 t1_j290fh3 wrote

Replying to WebWitch89 (#1,181,890)

Awww, I feel you. It's funny because I knew someone was going to die. I knew that going into the book. But the author is quite gifted in making the story feel real. It was a bit too real for me!

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books-ModTeam t1_j291rsy wrote

Hi there. Per rule 3.3, please post book recommendation requests in /r/SuggestMeABook or in our Weekly Recommendation Thread. Thank you!

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ComeScoglio t1_j292pb0 wrote

Replying to Difficult-Albatross7 (#1,180,083)

She said herself, often and in different interviews and articles she wrote, that she was deeply sorry and that her trauma was such that she couldn't remember details of her assault. No one can give the man his life back, absolutely no one, but to blame her and only her for his wrongful conviction is too easy a way out. There's a society where women often get raped, not believed, and are forced to re-live their trauma during the investigation. There's a whole system in place that routinely put black men in jail on scant evidence. There's another system that makes it very hard to overturn a wrongful conviction.

It's awful that the man went through that. But it's also awful that the woman went through that. It's not right, I think, to put the blame squarely on her shoulders.

I may change my mind when I get older, but for now, this is how I view it.

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kgeorge1468 t1_j299e7n wrote

Replying to ehuang72 (#1,181,346)

^^this I'd give it to a close friend only if I knew it was on their TBR list or if it would interest them and NOT trigger them. But you need to be super close to someone to know if that kind of material is triggering...honestly, I'd probably do a lighter book for a gift

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Difficult-Albatross7 t1_j2al6ql wrote

Replying to ComeScoglio (#1,182,777)

Totally agree about not blaming her, I read Lucky the non fiction account of her rape. It was horrible in every way you imagine it to be. As you say there are two very flawed systems at work here. From memory she walked past him and was blind sided by her reaction and 100% sure it was him. Pretty obviously a trauma response but damn the guy lost like 20 years of his life to that. Didn't know about her response whole thing is just sad really 😔

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