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tallulahchanel's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, and Drug use
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
venusdapoopiehead's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
i loved this but it was lowkey predictable at some points, other than that i liked it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Pedophilia
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
cranedphoenix's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
Read this because I had read Tiffany D Jackson's "Grown"
And this book is absolutely heart wrenching like finishing I feel like throwing up more than I did while reading it
I cannot believe that Denver got murdered though like I wasn't expecting that ending it's absolutely heart wrenching especially when you just want Denver and Dali to be together and safe
Do love when they include the social media posts even though Denver never got to see some or most of them
Not to much to say besides it's a must read imo but one where you have to take the trigger warnings very seriously
And this book is absolutely heart wrenching like finishing I feel like throwing up more than I did while reading it
Do love when they include the social media posts
Not to much to say besides it's a must read imo but one where you have to take the trigger warnings very seriously
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Murder, Gun violence, and Vomit
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
Groominggraciffer's review against another edition
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Rape, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Toxic friendship
library_kb's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
It took me a long time to read this book--I started it a couple weeks ago, got 50 pages in, then took a break from it for weeks until I finally picked it up and finished it in a day. It reads a little bit like a thriller in verse, but its a hard read because of its current event connections--it was hard to keep it as a fictional story in my head (that is a credit to the author for sure!). It is a story about grooming and abuse, and I just felt so much for our main character. Recommended for high school and up, but check content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Gun violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Pregnancy, Gun violence, and Violence
leahlovesloslibros's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
17-year-old Denver's life is all about music, so when she finds herself receiving attention from one of the biggest R&B stars of her time, Sean "Mercury (Merc)" Ellis, she can't help but think this could be her big break. As she and her friends Dali and Shak get pulled further into Merc's world of parties and other perks, Denver starts to realize that she doesn't have as much of a voice as she originally thought. Now she has to decide, is getting to live her dream life worth giving up her freedom?
Based on true events in the music industry, this chilling story of a teenage girl caught up in her newfound stardom makes the reader reconsider the cost of fame and fortune. Last year I read and loved Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson, and this book not only gave me similar vibes, but actually had a storyline that seemed to be almost the same as Grown (not every part, of course, but enough that it's hard to miss if you've read Jackson's Grown). While I really liked Grown, I didn't necessarily want to read another book that was basically the same. That's not to say that this isn't a good story, though; it's just not one I absolutely loved.
If you are going to read this book, definitely be aware of the trigger/content warnings listed below.
Based on true events in the music industry, this chilling story of a teenage girl caught up in her newfound stardom makes the reader reconsider the cost of fame and fortune. Last year I read and loved Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson, and this book not only gave me similar vibes, but actually had a storyline that seemed to be almost the same as Grown (not every part, of course, but enough that it's hard to miss if you've read Jackson's Grown). While I really liked Grown, I didn't necessarily want to read another book that was basically the same. That's not to say that this isn't a good story, though; it's just not one I absolutely loved.
If you are going to read this book, definitely be aware of the trigger/content warnings listed below.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, and Body shaming
Moderate: Racism, Drug abuse, Cursing, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Physical abuse, and Rape
Minor: Vomit, Gun violence, and Death
Additional TW/CW: divorcebibliocinephile's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
oh what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck this was so good. it was riveting it kept me up until midnight racing ti finish it. it was intoxicating, it was grief and it was love and i'm shocked and stunned. i gasped out loud. characters bright to life so well with poetry???? when i put this book down i noticed that my heart was RACING
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Physical abuse, Blood, and Body shaming