Random Book Talk

Hey and welcome to 'diaryofanoverthinker' today I will be yapping about books once more because exams are over and all is well once more. I'm so excited about this blog because this book was my most anticipated read for the year and I am so excited that I finally read it. So sit back, relax and enjoy!

What book ?

RELEASING 10!

I don’t think anyone truly understands how excited I was for this book — or how long I’ve been waiting to read it and finally write this blog. Yes, I know I’m a bit late to the review party (it’s been out for a month now), but that’s not from a lack of trying or enthusiasm!

From the day it was released, I was determined to get my hands on a copy. I also didn't want to get the online copy because the love I have for this series meant I needed the physical copy. Unfortunately, it was sold out everywhere — until about two weeks ago. The moment I got it, I immediately read it so incredibly fast that I finished it by Monday.

So now, dear readers (thank you for being here and voluntarily reading my yap sessions), I’m finally ready to share all my thoughts. Fair warning: this post may contain spoilers. I’ll do my best to keep things spoiler-free, and I’ll clearly mark any sections that do contain spoilers. But if you’re avoiding any hint until you finish the book yourself, maybe bookmark this and come back later.

Lizzie Young

Okay, so I have to start with an apology for ever saying a single bad thing about her. I mean, obviously, I knew she had issues, and we’d gotten glimpses of her story before, but I was like, that doesn’t justify everything.

And listen — I’m a huge Gibsie fan. I never understood why she hated him so much, especially after Taming 7 because, let’s be real, he has the same trauma as her... just in a different font.

Now that I’ve read her book, I genuinely don’t know how I didn’t figure out she was bipolar — it makes so much sense. She’s also one of the most relatable characters in the whole series. I’ve always found little pieces of myself in the others, but with her? It hit so much harder. Like, OMG.

I was always excited for her book because I needed answers — and now that I’ve read it, I need the second one immediately. She’s officially my favorite character. I’ll dive into her more later, but that’s my general take for now.

P.S. I LOVED that her Chuck Taylors were a non-negotiable. Same, girlie. Same.

Hugh Biggs

I have very mixed emotions about him now.

Before this book, I honestly couldn’t stand him. He just gave me the ick(you know exactly what I mean), and I never really liked him. But now? It’s more complicated. On one hand, he turned out to be a really strong character, and he was genuinely sweet to Lizzie. On the other hand, there were moments — things he said or did — that just gave me the ick.

When I first finished the book, I actually really liked him. I felt bad for him too — because even though Lizzie clearly had it worse, his journey wasn’t easy either. Like every Boys of Tommen character, he’s got his own trauma (his dad, especially), and I respected that.

But then I spiraled a bit — went down the rabbit hole of rereading annotations, watching edits, reviews, literally anything related to the book — and I started noticing some things. Certain actions, certain comments… they weren’t okay. And the worst part? He genuinely thought they were.

There’s this common opinion floating around that he was only kind to Lizzie and mean to everyone else. While I totally respect that perspective and get where people are coming from, I actually don’t fully agree. He was kind to other people — like Gibsie and his mum — but let’s not ignore that he was also harsh with Lizzie sometimes. And while being flawed is fine, some of those moments? Totally unnecessary.

So yeah... Hugh is a very confusing character for me. Final verdict: I have a classic hate-love relationship with him.

Other characters

Gibs

I’ve loved Gibsie since book one. I also knew his story was going to be heartbreaking . Getting a deeper glimpse into his childhood, his friend group, and who he was back then? Absolutely amazing.

I especially loved seeing the start of his friendship with Johnny and his dynamic with Hugh — it was all just so wholesome and genuine. And then there’s his relationship with Lizzie… but I’ll get into that later 👀.

Claire

Okay, I do love Claire — always have. But seeing her from Lizzie’s perspective made me like her a little less. I get that she wasn’t happy about Hugh “stealing” her best friend, but at the same time, she kind of did the exact same thing with Gibsie. It felt a little hypocritical and unfair, even if I understand where she was coming from emotionally.

Patrick (Spoilers!)

All I’m saying is: I NEED his book. Now. He’s such a quietly strong character, and I feel like Hugh really did him dirty. When Hugh liked Lizzie, Patrick respected that and kept his feelings quiet — literally just because Hugh asked him to. But when it came to Katie? Hugh did not offer the same respect, and it made me feel so bad for Patrick. Feely is the sweetest and deserves better. 🥺

Johnny

Why does Johnny act like rugby is his entire personality? 😭 I know it’s always been a big part of who he is, but in the previous books it was more toned down — probably because of Shan’s influence. But this book made me wonder what he was originally like.

That said, I really did appreciate how much he cared about Gibs. Their friendship runs deep and it shows.

Shan

This version of Shan broke my heart. She was the bullied, timid girl again, and it was honestly hard to read at times. But I loved her friendship with Lizzie. It was so sweet and supportive — a really beautiful bond that gave Lizzie some light in the dark.

Joey

The resemblance between Lizzie and Joey is wild. Their personalities, their struggles — it’s all there. I loved the small but impactful role he played in this book. His moments were sweet, grounded, and just so Joey.

Caoimhe

Where do I even start?? Saying I have mixed emotions would be an understatement. I really thought she and Lizzie were close — but reading this book made me question everything. She was so mean to her.

I get that it must’ve been difficult having a sister like Lizzie, with everything going on, but the way she treated her? It genuinely shocked me. I had her pegged as one of the nice ones… guess I was wrong.

The Creepy Lady(SPOILER)

WHY IS NO ONE MENTIONING THIS!? Like seriously — it wasn't just in Lizzie’s head. Hugh saw her multiple times too. So tell me why no one is talking about this?? The Banshee of Ballylaggin  was not just some creepy bedtime story — she was real in this book, and it honestly felt like she was after them.

Gibs even said she used to live in Lizzie’s house. CLAIRE HAD A RIGHT TO BE SCARED. I was scared! 😭 Like, I know this isn’t a thriller or a murder mystery, but come on — the eerie vibes were there. The suspense was there. The literal ghost woman showing up multiple times was THERE.

And yet?? No one’s addressing it! It’s giving “we’re just going to ignore the haunted house energy and carry on with our trauma bonding.” Absolutely not. I need answers, I need theories, I need someone else to be as unsettled as I am because THAT WAS NOT OKAY.

Mark Allen(spoiler, sorta)

I’ve always hated him — just like everyone else — but now? I didn’t even know it was possible to hate him more, and yet… here we are. He’s honestly worse than Max Hastings, and that says a lot.

Like seriously, what was actually wrong with him? He took advantage of Liz when she was just a sweet, vulnerable little kid who wanted nothing more than to feel normal. He preyed on that — on her confusion and isolation — and twisted it for his own disgusting agenda.

And don’t even get me started on the impact he had on Liz and Gibsie. He ruined their friendship. That fallout? That distance? All on him.

Oh — and let’s not forget: HE KILLED LIZZIES SISTER. That single event snowballed into so much more trauma for Liz and her family. It wasn’t just one mistake — it was a chain reaction of cruelty, manipulation, and damage that he set off.

No redemption. No excuses. Just pure hatred.

I genuinely have is much more to say but I'm going to stop for today and I make a part 2 next week. I hope you enjoyed todays blog.

Until next time

Byeee<333