Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

21 reviews

lemoni's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Suicide attempt, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Biphobia, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Self harm, Cultural appropriation, Deportation, Lesbophobia, Xenophobia, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Police brutality

Minor: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Biphobia, Blood, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief

jourdanicus's review

emotional hopeful fast-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? No

4.5

So cute and sweet and fun, without being overly saccharine. YA at its best - yes the characters are teens with "teen" problems, but their problems are relatable and there's definitely something in this book for adults too. Almost a perfect 5⭐ read for me, but some of the conflicts were resolved in a heavy-handed and kind of corny way, which I can forgive because I do think that kind of resolution can be appropriate for teen readers.

A lot happened in this story but it didn't feel rushed or laid on too thick, more like enough to keep me engaged and motivated to keep reading. I'd definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys LGBTQ+ fiction, or who likes YA selectively because they sometimes get annoyed by immature characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Alcohol, Deportation, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Self harm

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Cultural appropriation, and Racism

elliereadsthings's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

"Mijo, if the Bible tells me I shouldn't love my kids, then the Bible is wrong."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Homophobia, Grief, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, and Deportation

Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Alcohol, Police brutality, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Outing, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Abortion, Forced institutionalization, Classism, and Medical content

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Outing, Alcohol, Homophobia, and Bullying

Moderate: Deportation

yourbookishbff's review

emotional funny hopeful 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? No

4.5

I thoroughly enjoyed this coming-of-age story and am grateful, again, that stories like this exist for today's teens. The short chapters and first-person narration make this a fast-paced read, and I enjoyed the irreverent, sincere and self-deprecating voice of our main character, Yamilet. Reyes explores the complex intersections in identity for Yamilet, who comes out as a lesbian, and her younger brother, Cesar, who comes out as bisexual, within their deeply Catholic, Mexican-American household. We can see the layered obstacles for this family as they fight to stay afloat independently years after the deportation of their father (leaving their mother as the family's sole source of income) and thrive in a world that feels fractured along too many religious, cultural and familial fault lines. 

Most compelling in this story is Reyes' look at mental health crises for queer teens. We know statistically that queer teens face disproportionately high rates of bullying and harassment, physical and sexual abuse, depression, and suicidal ideation, and we see these themes explicitly played out in Yamilet and Cesar's storylines. Readers who like to see on-page discussions of mental health care and intervention (akin to Heartstopper) will appreciate how these conflicts are managed by Reyes - particularly how they evidence the ways in which racism and classism within healthcare further complicate crisis care and long-term support for marginalized youth.

I found myself more drawn to the family dynamics and interpersonal relationships (outside of the romances) in this story (the sibling dynamic between Yami + Cesar meant the world to me), so I was only disappointed that the final 20% centered romance to the degree that it did for Yamilet - that said, this was just personal preference. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Abandonment, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Racism, Biphobia, Outing, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Blood and Cursing

amberinpieces's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

Moderate: Biphobia, Medical content, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Bullying

Minor: Outing, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Blood, Deportation, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts

transquake's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Lesbophobia, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Deportation, Self harm, Abandonment, Outing, Medical content, Mental illness, and Police brutality

bluberrybooks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Outing, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Lesbophobia, Police brutality, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Deportation, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Medical content

walrus420's review

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide attempt

Minor: Medical content

leahkarge's review

challenging 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Biphobia, Forced institutionalization, Lesbophobia, Medical content, and Outing