Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Betty, by Tiffany McDaniel

21 reviews

helloitsjulz's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.75

This book was almost perfect, and I believe it will become a modern classic. I think it needed an editor in a few parts - the bible versus and the newspaper didn't work for me. I also felt that there were a few times where McDaniel qualified the absolute bombs she was dropping. Say it with your chest!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Drug use, Racism, Child abuse, Incest, Racial slurs, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Self harm, Blood, Drug abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

zaracampbell's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Possibly the most beautiful prose I have ever read. Easily in my top 3 books ever. 

Grappled with some very dark themes with authenticity and honesty. A testament to the raw and inherent strength of women, even more so in a time period that discredited their power.

I never wanted this book to end. It was one of those books where you want to highlight everything and commit it to memory so you never let the words leave you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Self harm, Racism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Injury/injury detail, Incest, Grief, Physical abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Blood, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Pregnancy, Addiction, and Adult/minor relationship

dws's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Ableism, Grief, Child abuse, Racism, Sexism, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Drug use, Misogyny, Rape, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Incest, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child death, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Pregnancy

ienbdri's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad slow-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

i read a little life in july and betty was still the worst and best and hardest book to read this year. pls check trigger warnings beforehand though (:

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, Death, Hate crime, Incest, Rape, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Racism, Abortion, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Homophobia, Misogyny, Child death, and Injury/injury detail

brodway's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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: Xenophobia, Rape, Racism, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Incest

Minor: Drug use

btothebooks's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.75

This is such a good and hard book. There's so much in here that just makes you stop because it's heavy, but the prose is amazing. The story-telling is beautiful and you really feel it when

Spoiler

dad dies at the end

. So much sadness, but it still kept me engaged the whole time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Child death

Moderate: Abortion, Blood, Bullying, Child death, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Homophobia, Drug abuse, and Drug use

eaird's review

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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child death, Murder, Miscarriage, Hate crime, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Racism, Racial slurs, Abortion, Lesbophobia, Injury/injury detail, Pregnancy, Incest, Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Death, Drug use, Classism, and Addiction

Moderate: Child abuse

gabriellejane's review

dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

This book ruined me and I can't stop thinking about the Carpenters. Will probably write a more detailed review later and I already have my own copy on order. I sobbed for 2 hours during the last 30% of the book. 

I feel like this book has flown under the radar on social media/rec lists which is devastating to me. I would read this if you like A Little Life or Against the Loveless World AND love poetic, lyrical, and winding prose. Best enjoyed when you can be fully carried away by Betty and her family. Highly recommend reading for 6 hours straight and not even looking at your phone or caring about the outside world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Racism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Injury/injury detail, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Rape, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Drug use, and Abortion

There is the use of one racial slur that I felt did not need to be included. It was alluded to in previous chapters and was a little jarring/out of place in its use towards the last third of the book as it did nothing to move the story/plot line. There were other slurs used but were part of Betty's coming of age and fighting against racism/believing in herself through discussions with her dad. Would be interested in others' opinions on this!

ohshellz's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

So many trigger warnings

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Incest, Miscarriage, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault

annabelle42688's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book has every trigger warning you can imagine. I can't see myself recommending this book to anyone, but it's based on a true story and well written. I have to give five stars, but I'll never reread it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Child death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Animal death, Miscarriage, Murder, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt