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jwinchell's review against another edition
5.0
A GEM. I am in awe of Woodson. She packed so much into this amazing little novel: addiction, recovery, grief, survival, the power of writing, second second chances, making your own way, first loves. Some moments took my breath away, she did expert things with time, and the water metaphor (drinking, rain, floods, hurricane) was so powerful. I couldn't stay away from it. OUTSTANDING.
captkaty's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't really love this. To me, it was pretty much an Ellen Hopkins novel, without the verse. I appreciate what Woodson did, and I did like how she tied in her character's drug addiction as an attempt to numb the pain of losing her mother, grandmother, and entire childhood hometown in Hurricane Katrina, but I just didn't connect to the book on a personal level, partially because I didn't love Woodson's writing style.
kpjt_books's review against another edition
4.0
a heartbreaking quick read. lovely prose as usual from Woodson and fully developed characters.
saracat's review
5.0
Since I have never taken meth myself, I can't comment on how 'real' or 'authentic' Laurel's story is. But, for someone without that experience, it does feel real. You connect to Laurel. You cheer for you. You cry out for her. You cry with her. This is a truly powerful story, but one that readers should mentally prepare themselves for before picking up this book. This is definitely a book worth reading, but, only if you are ready for it.
hitbooksnotgirlz's review against another edition
2.0
Drug abuse is usually my favourite topic to read about, but I didn’t like it. It just never gripped my attention.
readwithpassion's review against another edition
4.0
A heart-breaking story of a young girl who turns to meth in order to suppress the painful loss of her mother and grandmother.
missluker's review against another edition
2.0
Just like with [b:Crank|270730|Crank (Crank, #1)|Ellen Hopkins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388192181s/270730.jpg|262457], this book talks about the insatiable hunger and quick downfall of a life that is overtaken by addiction. Unlike [a:Ellen Hopkins|2821144|Ellen Hopkins|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1317081848p2/2821144.jpg], who really seemed to take her time with the details of how deep addiction is rooted in a person and how it seems to quickly spread into every facet of a person's life, [a:Jacqueline Woodson|74640|Jacqueline Woodson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1327352477p2/74640.jpg] seems to write a tale that is just scraping the surface of how devoured a person can become by their addiction. To me, it didn't seem nearly as believable, but it is quite shorter than Hopkins's stories, which may make it a great book for adolescents who are just exploring the theme of addiction in their reading journey.
librariandest's review against another edition
5.0
How does a nice, popular, pretty cheerleader from a loving family become a homeless meth head? All it takes is the wrong boy and a past hurt that hasn't healed. This is Laurel's story, told with ache and beauty by one of the most talented authors writing today.
I expected more violence and gore, but the story is almost gentle in its tragedy. Laurel slowly but surely slips into this awful life. I just kept thinking, "Oh my God, this is how it happens," because it's always been hard for me to wrap my head around good kids from good families becoming drug addicts and runaways. Reading this book made me see and understand how it's possible, how it happens every day.
BTW, this was a really great audiobook. The narrator really brought Laurel to life and it was the perfect length for an audiobook: 3 CDs.
I expected more violence and gore, but the story is almost gentle in its tragedy. Laurel slowly but surely slips into this awful life. I just kept thinking, "Oh my God, this is how it happens," because it's always been hard for me to wrap my head around good kids from good families becoming drug addicts and runaways. Reading this book made me see and understand how it's possible, how it happens every day.
BTW, this was a really great audiobook. The narrator really brought Laurel to life and it was the perfect length for an audiobook: 3 CDs.