Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

26 reviews

parkmajor_books's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying

sakuraisobsessedwithbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Homophobia, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Outing, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Suicide attempt

readwithmo's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Bullying, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Self harm

tan_wayne's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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 book is so heart-breaking. The story is written beautifully, and the characters are all so well-developed. I kept growing so attached to the main characters, I begin to feel so sad when things started to fall apart. It deals with so many issues like homophobia, depression, and suicide.

I think this is a beautiful blend between “Girl In Pieces” by Kathleen Glasgow and “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn. The former having a similar sombre tone throughout the book. The latter having a shocking twist that could almost be dethroned by this book.

I love how this book started out as a nice romance story. Everything from the cute dates t the interactions felt so romantic and genuine, it gave me the butterflies. The story slowly evolved to be darker and sadder, similar to a mystery. We were slowly given the missing pieces of the story that were heart-breaking.

I came into this book expecting only one ending I will be happy with. But somehow it had a much more satisfying and fitting ending (view spoiler), which shows how much I adored this book. It somehow broke me in several pieces and pieced me back together.

☆5 Stars☆

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Drug use, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Cursing

jennsp's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

katsbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense 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

3.0

“It’s okay how some stories leave off without an ending. Life doesn’t always deliver the one you would expect.” 

“I’m more happy than not. Don’t forget me.” 

“Happiness shouldn’t be this hard.” 

This book was a complete roller coaster. One of my students recommended it so, of course, I had to follow through and let them know how I felt about it. I'll be real, I thought I was going to get an angsty teen novel, and it was that, but it was also so much more than that. It was fast-paced and angsty, like I said, but it also included so much more about relationships and trauma. So definite trigger warnings for suicide (attempted and successful), emotional abuse, grief, death of a parent, hate crimes and medical trauma. There are probably more that I'm forgetting but those are just the rapid fire ones I could think of off the top of my head. I enjoyed the time I spent with this book and I am definitely going to give Adam Silvera's other work a try. This was his debut novel and, again, it was good, it just felt a little lacking to me. There were times when the writing felt a little clunky and awkward. There were some points where I feel like it dragged on just a bit too much because of all the different elements. But for a debut, it's pretty solid. I may even put my copy in my classroom for my other students to enjoy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol and Sexual content

Minor: Abortion, Cursing, and Domestic abuse

dhruthick's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, and Child death

Minor: Rape

emm_furlong's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

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

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Violence

Minor: Drug use, Grief, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

19becky97's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Violence

abbiesb_read's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

2.5

Correct me if I’m wrong but, I got the vibe that Aaron is bi and Adam Silvera had no idea how to conceptualize that idea fully. 

This book read like a draft that needed more editing.

The narrator, Aaron, was insufferable at times. For most of the book I honestly couldn’t stand him and considered DNF the book because he acted like he was entitled to have his feelings returned. We can not control how others feel about us which i thought was going to be part of the message of this book—which would have been a very powerful message—instead we have a character whose entire happiness relies on others. —which is a terrible message. 

There were so many moments where I felt like Aaron was in denial that a guy could have physical attraction towards him and also still be figuring out his sexuality— or that a guy could have been experimenting and came to the conclusion he isn’t gay. Considering that Aaron himself was questioning his own sexually he never once acted like it was ok for his male love interests to also question their own sexuality. If his feelings towards them weren’t returned and they showed any sort of straightness—“he’s gay and he’s in denial if he thinks he isn’t”. This book acts like being Straight or Gay are the only options.

Also, the friend characters were written very stereotypical and lacked any sort of interesting substance. I often found myself getting them confused because they all had the same personality. 

Why was “no homo” used SO MANY TIMES?? I don’t have a problem with it being used. I’m in my 30s and I do remember kids my age in middle school saying it but why was that saying used so EXCESSIVELY?! 

In terms of the plot: Sometimes the pacing was fast, other times it slogged. I felt like this book tried to cram in as much trauma as it possibly could so it could make you “feel something” but it came off as emotionally manipulative. The “twist” ending and then eventual conclusion made me wander what was the damn point of this book. 

I read We Both Die at the End first and this didn’t even come close to the same impact that book had on me. However, I acknowledge that this is Adam’s first novel so I’m glad his writing has improved!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Death of parent, Self harm, Medical trauma, and Homophobia

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Bullying, and Biphobia