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briely's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Child death, Death, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Drug use, and Fatphobia
Minor: Pregnancy
cc_shelflove's review
dark
emotional
sad
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
5.0
Denver’s goals are simple: Be bold. Get seen. Be heard. When she is met with the chance of a lifetime—the possibility of being the next rising R&B star—she gives up everything in her old life and doesn’t look back. While this book reminded me of the pretend concerts I used to have on my Gram’s pool deck every summer, it certainly was not all sunshine and rainbows. Charles draws from her own experiences to shed light on the utter deceits of the music industry. It was real and raw, and I am still heartbroken at its ending. All I can do now is hope all of the real Denvers and Dalisays of the world make it home safely.
Side note: Does anyone know which R&B group the author was in? Apparently my self-taught FBI skills are not working atm! 🤪😵💫
Side note: Does anyone know which R&B group the author was in? Apparently my self-taught FBI skills are not working atm! 🤪😵💫
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Confinement, Physical abuse, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Drug use and Kidnapping
Minor: Abandonment and Pregnancy
thenovelmaura's review
dark
emotional
tense
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
3.5
Please review the intense content warnings before picking this one up, but this book is worth the read if you can stomach it! I would describe this novel-in-verse as "Grown" crossed with "Clap When You Land" (two faves of mine), and it also has sapphic representation.
I love a good novel-in-verse and it was an apt stylistic choice for a book centered around music. Denver's love for her music, lyrics, and friends shone through every page. Friendship and love were so integral to this story that is otherwise filled with manipulation and deceit, appearing as bright spots in an incredibly dark novel.
To that end, this is also a book that leaves you frantically turning pages to try to outrun the sinking feeling in your stomach. When I say this reminded me of [book:Grown|49397758] by Tiffany D. Jackson (and I know I'm far from the first person to make this comparison), I mean they had similar themes and plot points. I don't say this to be negative; Jackson and Charles have very different writing styles and, honestly, the similarities just go to show how these predators have the same tactics and use them over and over. This is more of a heads up for my fellow Jackson fans who might be interested in reading this one (I found the similarities to be distracting at times)! It's a stunning book and should be judged on its own merits as a heart-wrenchingly powerful novel.
I love a good novel-in-verse and it was an apt stylistic choice for a book centered around music. Denver's love for her music, lyrics, and friends shone through every page. Friendship and love were so integral to this story that is otherwise filled with manipulation and deceit, appearing as bright spots in an incredibly dark novel.
To that end, this is also a book that leaves you frantically turning pages to try to outrun the sinking feeling in your stomach. When I say this reminded me of [book:Grown|49397758] by Tiffany D. Jackson (and I know I'm far from the first person to make this comparison), I mean they had similar themes and plot points. I don't say this to be negative; Jackson and Charles have very different writing styles and, honestly, the similarities just go to show how these predators have the same tactics and use them over and over. This is more of a heads up for my fellow Jackson fans who might be interested in reading this one (I found the similarities to be distracting at times)! It's a stunning book and should be judged on its own merits as a heart-wrenchingly powerful novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Body shaming and Kidnapping
Minor: Gun violence
Groomingyeojinqueen's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, and Death
_thelitlibrarian's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.5
4.50 star
-
TW; Rape, Sexual Assualt, Emotional Abuse, Kidnapping, Gun Violence, Adult/Minor Relationship, Body Shaming
-
This book was my ultimate downfall, the number of tears I shed was unreal. I picked this book up on a recommendation and I'm SO glad that I did. Muted follows a trio of high school students who have the same dream - to make it big. After a chance encounter with R&B artist Merc, the ladies are led to believe he'll be their claim to fame. As anything goes, things aren't always what they seem. After many trials and tribulations, the story shifts from a girl group vibe to a solo career for Denver, the mastermind behind the lyrics.
My heart ached for Denver, by the time she had realized she needed out, it was too late. I love how this story could easily be applied to today's industrial age. The fact that the obsession over making it big could ultimately lead you to things you would never consider doing prior to fame. This book itself was pure lyrical bliss, I often found myself stopping to think about passages I had just read. Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. If you're looking for a touching/make you cry YA book, I recommend this one highly.
Be bold. Be Hear
-
TW; Rape, Sexual Assualt, Emotional Abuse, Kidnapping, Gun Violence, Adult/Minor Relationship, Body Shaming
-
This book was my ultimate downfall, the number of tears I shed was unreal. I picked this book up on a recommendation and I'm SO glad that I did. Muted follows a trio of high school students who have the same dream - to make it big. After a chance encounter with R&B artist Merc, the ladies are led to believe he'll be their claim to fame. As anything goes, things aren't always what they seem. After many trials and tribulations, the story shifts from a girl group vibe to a solo career for Denver, the mastermind behind the lyrics.
My heart ached for Denver, by the time she had realized she needed out, it was too late. I love how this story could easily be applied to today's industrial age. The fact that the obsession over making it big could ultimately lead you to things you would never consider doing prior to fame. This book itself was pure lyrical bliss, I often found myself stopping to think about passages I had just read. Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. If you're looking for a touching/make you cry YA book, I recommend this one highly.
Be bold. Be Hear
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Body shaming
enchantedjulie's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Body shaming
Moderate: Alcohol and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Gun violence
thetealdeal's review
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Violence, Sexual assault, and Rape
nefari_'s review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It’s just too much trauma for me. Not only do you have the main character who is a black young girl who is not only abused sexually, physically and mentally by her grown ass mentor who exploites her you also have to deal with the fact that this main character is a QUEER BLACK WOMAN who is questioning and who has yet to identify these feelings that she’s having and has has gotten no validation of these feelings from herself nor those who are close to her, has experienced homophobia and fat phobia from people she’s supposed to have faith in and trust with her growth, not only do you have that but you have to deal with the fact that she does not make it in the end, that she dies and we are supposed to be satisfied that oh she’s avenged in the end because everything comes to light and he’s punished like no I’m not satisfied with that at all I’m HURT you put me through all of that traumatic experience of reading that and expect me to be satisfied with that ending no I’m not I’m hurt I’m sad I’m upset and I don’t like this book because it it’s too much it’s too much trauma for me to justify what’s in here as someone who is a queer black “woman” I don’t want to read a book in which “I“ don’t make it, in which death is the end for me no.
Plus, that teenage communication was horrendous don’t nobody talk like that💀.
Plus, that teenage communication was horrendous don’t nobody talk like that💀.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Vomit, Gun violence, Pregnancy, and Drug use
jaec11's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0
Muted
This book is a LOT but it's a very important story of a girl named Denver, a black girl attempting to break into the music industry
This book was really dark and painful and difficult, but told very very well. I did think the beginning was slow and a little difficult to get through, especially as the characters were so blatantly naive and annoying. However, it sets up the book nicely for the ending, it just felt like it dragged on for too long
The writing does feel a little cheesy at times, but I do love the poetic style and the flow. I listened to the audiobook and it was very well told, except that the music was... not it
The stories that unfold between chapters, the flashbacks or backstories, are really beautiful. They leave the story to unfold by inference and it's really well done. The ending is heartwrenching and soul shattering
PG-13+ for rape
This book is a LOT but it's a very important story of a girl named Denver, a black girl attempting to break into the music industry
This book was really dark and painful and difficult, but told very very well. I did think the beginning was slow and a little difficult to get through, especially as the characters were so blatantly naive and annoying. However, it sets up the book nicely for the ending, it just felt like it dragged on for too long
The writing does feel a little cheesy at times, but I do love the poetic style and the flow. I listened to the audiobook and it was very well told, except that the music was... not it
The stories that unfold between chapters, the flashbacks or backstories, are really beautiful. They leave the story to unfold by inference and it's really well done. The ending is heartwrenching and soul shattering
PG-13+ for rape
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
jainnyreads's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Trafficking