Sarah Lillian Books's Reviews > Our Own Private Universe

Added after: I have recently read some negative reviews on this book and opened my eyes to problematic representation in almost all aspects of the book. Because of this I changed my rating, I still love the book, and I wish I read it when in high school in grades 9 or 10. As someone who is new to writing reviews, I'm still learning to be critical of what I read and I appreciate when I read different opinions. I will leave my original review after listing problems other reviewers discussed.

Problems that came up:
-Author never addresses if Lori is her only friend or not, why if so
-Never addresses what does Aki do without music in her life
-Or what is her relationship with her faith as a queer Christian teenager
-The main character never mentions if she has other black friend back home or doesn't seem overly concerned being a black person in Mexico, especially in regards to her feelings on this
-Her reaction to the topic of police brutality or lack there of
-Racist comments by two side characters were never really challenged, but in fact dismissed
-Not to mention the cover is pretty whitewashed, the black girl is lighter and without braids that Aki has
-Author talks down to her audience and the main character seems clueless about poverty (I didn't feel talked down while reading I felt the book is for a younger age group so that didn't bug me, but understand the issues there)
-And more.


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Do you ever finish a book and cuddle it after? Just hold to your chest and thank god you read this book?

Wow this book unpacked a lot. On the surface the book may seem just a YA summer romance, but this book is more than that. This is the second book I have ever read with a same gender relationship and I love it just as I loved the other. Both were also interracial, same gender relationship, so yay for that too!

The themes are what make this book great, at least for me it does. For example, discovering your sexuality that it's not black and white. But also, how Christianity addresses many things, not just the queer community, but war, police brutality, and more. Growth, growth that the characters experienced after being honest and having an open mind. As well, safe sex is important in all the shape and forms it can take.

Quixotic.

I loved the love story and I wish there was more, just a short summer. Aki and Christa were amazing, flawed characters who were trying to stumble through their understanding of what they want, honesty, sexuality, and the world around them. They made some pretty stupid decisions, but they definitely had growth from their choices and I can't help but appreciate that. Aki, her brother Drew and her dad had such a wonderful story line. There was even some moments where I teared up because it was so great. So great that that the relationship wasn't realistic, there was no real questioning, but blind acceptance.