Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Gabi, fragmentos de una adolescente by Isabel Quintero

8 reviews

maryehavens's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book had everything Teen; all the tragedy that could happen to a kid plus prom and graduation. I loved Kyla Garcia's narration. She really captured all the aspects of Gabi. 
I know that this book is on challenged/banned lists and I can see why but to think that teens are not going through some or all of these issues is very naïve. My son started High School freshman orientation finding out that 2 of his 8th grade classmates were going to be parents. Literally: 3 months prior they had just finished 8th grade. They were 14!! And now, I asked about them 8 months later and he has no idea where they are. 
My heart broke for Cyndi...that was so tragic. But Gabi's dad was too. Really, Tia Bertha had the best arc!
I also liked the way Quintero highlighted poetry in the book. Sometimes that's not done very well but it was in this book. Made me want to read all the poems she alluded to. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abortion, Rape, Death of parent, and Drug use

craftyllama's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Drug use

Moderate: Rape

wonderful_'s review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Abortion, Body shaming, and Rape

Minor: Child abuse and Suicide

asaugustine's review against another edition

funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I picked this book up because it was in my classroom library and the cover was… provocative. I really enjoyed the epistolary style, and felt like it moved the story along at a quick pace. I also appreciated the honesty with which the book tackled complex issues; the internal conflicts felt very real, and the ebbs and flows of Senior year were also quite realistic - I appreciated how not all of the conflicts occurred at the very end of the novel, because, you know, sometimes problems happen in the middle of January in the midst of a school year. 

I would best describe this book as a grittier version of “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter”, advancing many of the same themes and tropes, but with a slightly older audience in mind. A good read, although I will reserve it for only a few of my eighth grade students who are mature enough to handle the material. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Rape, Body shaming, and Abortion

aconfundityofcrows's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This hit me in all the right places.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Abortion, Drug use, Excrement, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Cursing

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, and Dementia

ginadapooh's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

queen_emmy's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Gabi is a loveable narrator and hearing the story in “diary” format directly from her gives the reader almost omniscient insight into who she is and how she thinks. She and her friends all go through their fair share of tough situations during their final years of high school, but they are fiercely loyal to one another and always have each others’ backs. While parts of this book are hard to read because such likable characters are struggling, I think this book paints the issues that some teens face in a very honest light and I felt that this was one of those books that needed to be written.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Homophobia

rileyreadsbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Grief, and Sexism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

Minor: Ableism, Dementia, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicide, and Toxic relationship