Losers: Part II
Reviews

This was not nearly as good as the first part

Well, here goes … this somewhat was disappointing? I really enjoyed the first part of the series, but I felt this installment was just unnecessarily long for no reason whatsoever. While I was able to ignore that in the first book, it just felt wrong here and I have to admit, not only my highlighting stopped around the 350 page mark, but my attention span and ability to care did, too.
Don’t get me wrong, this book is not bad, it’s just not as enticing as I thought it would be? There is a whole lot of filler material, chapter after chapter not entirely focusing on the character relations developing as it did in the first book, but also not having enough plot at the same time? The main antagonists here were the same as in the previous book, but they rarely made an appearance up until the last third (with the exception of the mum, but I don’t really count her, as that was a rather meh-part of the plot from the start – or maybe I just couldn’t relate at all). Then it felt a bit rushed, like we somehow had to tie almost all antagonists together we completely forgot about before.
This was in general a thing that icked me a little: When they had run ins with the dangerous people in the story, it never had a proper aftermath that went beyond a few pages of “you’re staying with us tonight” or “you got a new gymbuddy now”. It never felt substantial enough for me to truly care and thus, I just didn’t. I was so indifferent.
Now this is not to say this is a horrible book, it certainly isn’t because I do enjoy the way the author writes and I still like the characters with all their edges and pointy ends, but I was just not really captivated by anything that happened here as I usually am with Harley Laroux’ books. I still think for no real underlying plotline other than the two antagonists 1000+ pages in two books is just … way too long.
The one thing this author never fails to deliver is spice though and they did deliver here, too. I just probably won’t remember much about this second book in a few weeks already and that indeed is just a shame.

The way the characters were fleshed out was very well done. Many of the people in this book has childhood traumas that can hit home with many people. The ending was a bit cliché but after everything that happened it helped round out the book.




Highlights

I wasn’t the person that people loved. I was the person who was tolerated, the one who was begrudgingly allowed. I was detestable, unpleasant, rude, and temperamental.

It gets better was just another phrase people threw around when they didn’t know how the hell else to fix something. It gets better! Just wait and see! Just suck up the pain and let time bury it for you! Damn, I felt like an asshole today.
It doesn't. Even if it seems like it does, it doesn't.

As long as I could laugh with the people laughing at me, then eventually, they’d like me. No matter how much it hurt when they laughed, I’d force myself to laugh too.





There was no judgment here, no fear. Shame was just another toy we could play with, not a weapon.
✍✍✍


For those looking for a place to belong. You belong here. You always will.
🖤