Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman

33 reviews

theromanticace's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Child death, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Murder, Alcoholism, Death, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Grief, Vomit, Sexual violence, Cursing, Infidelity, and Sexism

em_of_swags's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Thought this would be a stereotypical high school book at first, but luckily I was wrong. Intriguing concept, plot wasn't too predictable.
Could have had more rep but the topic was acknowledged at least.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Bullying

oliviaae's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Death, Murder, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic friendship

emilycmorris0923's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Bullying, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Death

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Infidelity

cepbreed's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious

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

4.0

Why is it always the private schools in the North east?? Rich people are crazy. I really enjoyed this book and honestly was inspired to write a little based on its plot, and shocking applicability to my hometown. The plot twist is predictable, but when the twist is done well that's never a bad thing. I found out by chance that Sydney Sweeney will be starring in and producing an adaptation through this app actually and I'm so excited. I don't know if everything is confirmed yet, but I hope they host an open call. Speaking of the cast Halsey is going to be in it and I bet she'll play Rachel, to be frank she looks wayyy too old to play a teenager. I was unable to put this book down and finished it in one day, at 1 am on a school night to be specific, so I cannot recommend it more. I just know these kids listen to a shit ton of Kanye.

Songs: 

• Heartless - Kanye
• National Anthem - Lana Del Rey 
• Royals - Lorde

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Cursing, Death, Bullying, Classism, Drug use, Murder, Sexism, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Pedophilia

sierrafroggy's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual content, and Murder

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

camlreads_'s review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.75

this book got me into a big reading slump 😐😐 . but the ending was good enough that I gave it a 2.75/5 ...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

talesfromthedragonslair's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

2.0

They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman is one of many YA novels set in a high school. But while most stories tend to be narrated by underdogs, this one takes the reader to the world of the “cool gang”. Those girls and boys everyone openly envies and who everyone dreams of being. But popularity has its price. 

This book deals with an issue that has been getting more and more attention in the media: dangerous student initiations, peer pressure and constantly going over your own limits in order to gain some popularity. The story is very recognizable, even to those who’ve never been the prom queen. Jill’s narrative of dreams and doubts has echoed in most of us. 

The writing is fast-paced and young, and the story manages to hold the attention of the reader by only giving one piece of the puzzle at a time to discover what happened during that horrible night. Personally, I wasn’t convinced by the way the flashbacks were handled. They were not clearly enough distinguishable from the present. Different verb tenses are used within the same paragraph to set the timelines apart, but that’s simply not enough when the reader is not yet familiar with all the characters. 

Even though it’s meant as a teenage whodunit, the story doesn’t create a lot of suspense. You want to continue reading, it’s true, but it doesn’t keep you on the edge of your seat. And it really doesn’t help that the character descriptions give away all the eventual suspects as of the start of the story. But in general, this is a good book to relax with: no big emotions for the reader, but entertaining enough. 

I gave this book 2 stars out of 5! 

The full review as well as a Dutch version can be found on my blog: talesfromthedragonslair.be

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol and Bullying

marissa_ann's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Confinement

haleyreadsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death, Bullying, Alcohol, and Adult/minor relationship