Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

53 reviews

jude7's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Outing, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Biphobia

Minor: Abortion

alyshkalia's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Transphobia, Outing, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence

le3713's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

4.5

This book left me with a lot of questions. I wanted more - more of Amanda’s story, more insight into other characters.

I was sad to see the direction Bee’s character went, and I wish there had been more follow up - it ended up feeling just like a plot device.

All told though, I’m very glad to have read this book, both as a YA book filled with friendship and first love, as well as an insight into the trans experience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Suicide attempt, and Bullying

Moderate: Rape and Drug use

gay4carmilla's review against another edition

emotional sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Outing, Rape, Toxic friendship, and Transphobia

roxette's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, and Transphobia

pennym_'s review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Outing, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Deadnaming, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Rape, Religious bigotry, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

beckycarter97's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Minor: Rape

iamcupid_'s review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

Honestly, I was torn between rating this 4, 4.5, or 5 stars because I never thought I'd like this kind of book; not because of the trans part but because I have a love-hate relationship with contemporary YA novels. I tried to find something I didn't like, and though I did find things I didn't like:

Grant turning out to be a transphobic asshole, as the main one.

I loved 99% of the book. I also didn't want to rate this 5 stars because I'm trying to uphold my reputation of being hard to please, but I loved this so fuck it. 

This was such an amazing read. I loved every inch of Amanda, inside and out. I found myself relating to her in some kind of way, trying to be boring to fit in. She didn't deserve any of the bad things she went through but I'm happy she had good things, like her mother (especially her mother, which for some reason I keep picturing as a milf? sorry, Meredith Russo, for sexualizing one of your characters), her father (who wasn't good but he tried and is trying his best), her friends (not Bee though, I trusted her but she stabbed me and Amanda in the back), her support group, esp Virginia (which exuded icon energy from the start), and everything else but mostly the people in her life who accepts her.

I'll always feel bad Grant and Amanda didn't end up together (even though it was an open ending, I'd like to think they didn't). I even thought Grant reacting that way was a dream, like Amanda hallucinated Grant saying all those mean things at her at homecoming but didn't actually, then I realized it was real. Grant was transphobic, even if he wasn't actually; even if he was just surprisedso he reacted that way.

So, now, headcanon Amanda ended up together with the boy he met at the bus at the start. He gave an arrogant energy (which he probably is, considering he only talked about himself when he talked to her) but maybe he was that way because he was nervous with talking to her? We'll never know.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Rape

tucker68511's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Suicide attempt, and Transphobia

bookcaptivated's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Biphobia

Minor: Grief and Sexism