Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

19 reviews

vixenreader's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

1.5

The text is not an authentic text. It is written by someone who has no idea what real addiction looks like. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Addiction, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Outing, Sexism, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

If you have ever struggled with addiction, pick another book to read. Pick one that captures addiction in a compassionate way.

aprillikestoread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I have to give this book such respect. It’s somebodies diary, it’s somebodies life. I feel I have no choice to go read it with respect, sympathy, and give it 5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Rape

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Eating disorder

Minor: Fatphobia and Homophobia

smblanc1793's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

1.5

A tragic little story, both in its contents and its execution. The events are harrowing, but the protagonist is a such a blatant caricature of a teenager. Drugs bad. We get it. Looking at someone else’s diary is generally discouraged out of respect for the writer, but in this case, I would discourage it for the sake of the reader.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use

Moderate: Rape and Sexual content

elisweets's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

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

1.0

This was one of my favorite books when I was in middle school. I used to read this book over and over again, but I haven’t read it in ages. 
Boy was I surprised to find out how much I disliked the book now.
1) I have one of the older copies that state that this is an actual diary of an actual 15 year old girl who got involved with drugs. As I was reading the book I started to realize how completely unrealistic the events of the “diary” seemed. I did some googling and found out that this who story was invented by Some life named Beatrice Sparks who was an American therapist and Mormon youth counselor as a cautionary tale for drug use. (Though people began to question her credentials and there is no proof of the PHD that she claims to have.) So this story was literally invented by religious fanatic who wanted to tell kids drugs were bad. That explains the bizarre amount of homophobia in this book as well.
2) I wish Beatrice worked harder to make this more realistic because omg. You’re telling me two 15-17 year olds ran away and started an entire business by themselves in the matter of weeks??? She couldn’t even properly explain what it felt like to be high on said drugs she was using. Smoking weed doesn’t make you trip out the way this book describes it. 
3) A lot of homophobic undertones and gay shaming. The main character experiences attraction to characters of the same sex but then in the same sentence talks about how sinful and gross that is.

I was severely disappointed while reading this. :( I can’t believe THIS used to be one of my comfort books

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Rape, Child death, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Addiction, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Sexual violence

caties_books's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

2.0

It took me soooo long to get through this book because I just kept cringing. Every single heavy-handed remark made me close the book. How on earth did people think this was anything other than a Christian trying to convince people that sex, drugs, and gay people are the worst things to ever happen to humanity? The only reason I gave it an extra star is that occasionally, when viewed strictly as fiction, it kept my attention in short bursts. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Violence, and Sexual content

strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I think someone murdered her I really do. She was doing so great and her life was going so well and all of a sudden she overdoses? Seems a little fishy to me, but I’m sure because she had a record the police wouldn’t even look into it. 

I would’ve fought to look into it because it’s just so suspicious. She had a great sorta boyfriend, new friends that would help her be strong, and an understanding family. Even with all the heartache, I don’t think she would’ve killed herself or turned back to drugs.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Homophobia

quirksandcontradictions's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Body horror

This was just... Not good. I finished it just because it reads quickly and I wanted to fulfill a reading challenge. There are what feels like more authentic stories similar to this ("Crank" by Ellen Hopkins, for example).

zombiezami's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I like this book as a snapshot of life in the 1970s. A lot of the text brought me back to the pain of being a teenager. However, a lot of the plot isn't very plausible. There's also a lot of homophobia thrown in for no reason. I waited until after I finished the book to look up anything about its publication, and found out the real author's identity. That was very illuminating. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abortion, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pregnancy, Trafficking, War, and Miscarriage

a_rock_to_live_under's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad 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? Yes

5.0

Harrowing because it happens to so many children, including kids I know. This book has been in mind for weeks after I finished it. Every page I was introduced to a new drug that I've never heard of ,,

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, and Eating disorder

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy