Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

25 reviews

genny's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted 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

4.0

I read this cover to cover in a few hours. The writing style is very blunt and plain, which was kind of off-putting especially after reading books with more evocative/lyrical prose. Like, the narration just went "I did this thing. My hair is this color. My friend is this race." ...if you get what I mean. 😅 Fortunately, I still found myself invested in the story. And Irene. I was there for her 100%. She brooked no nonsense and was always quick to clarify things, in stark contrast to Scottie's tendency to overthink.

I felt some secondhand embarrassment over Scottie's lovey-dovey "let's all embrace and talk about our feelings" family because that's not a dynamic I relate to (I was praying for the long-winded intervention to stop, haha), even though it's nice to see that kind of supportive environment in a YA book. Homophobia is discussed but it isn't a problem that stems from either of the main characters' friends and family. There's queer Catholic rep, too! I'm not religious myself but I am a queer person living in a very religious country, so I appreciated that.

Because Scottie was such a (self-aware) mess, I felt that the third act veered into melodrama. The tow truck thing was especially frustrating because of how big a deal it was made out to be. Still, the story pulled itself together with an appropriately cheesy ending and it was a fun way to spend an afternoon. I'd still recommend!

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makenna_reads's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

4.25


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ladysmartypants's review against another edition

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emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.5


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amberinpieces's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing 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

4.25


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jstarshine16's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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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storykath's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

I came in expecting another silly lesbian romance, wonderful in its way but not remarkable. What I got was a one-day binge-read that had me laughing and crying and cheering the whole way through.

Each with their own motivations, basketball player Scottie and cheerleading captain Irene hatch a fake-dating scheme, despite their strong dislike for one another. As you might expect, their animosity soon gives way to other feelings, but each girl's past and emotional baggage challenge them to grow and heal.

What really struck a chord with me in She Drives Me Crazy was the real, messy, heart-aching depiction of breakups and healing. Scottie's relationship with her ex, Tally, is complicated and painful and undefined, and there's no attempt to oversimplify it or brush it away. It's something I've rarely seen in the romance genre, at least not in a way that's so centered and relatable. Scottie's pain and emotions are so human, in the sense that I was often frustrated with her but always rooting for her.

Sure, there are many cheesy high-school-romance moments in this book, and tropes like the mean girl bully and the cliquey-ness of high school can be over the top. Somehow, that didn't reduce my enjoyment of the story! I could suspend my disbelief and appreciate the wonderful narrative coming together.

Once again, She Drives Me Crazy has exceeded my expectations. Even with its fairly simple prose and neatly-wrapped storylines, it hit close to home and provided me with much-needed heartache, comfort, and joy.

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kaii's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted 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

4.0

I love disaster gays. just fun wholesome queer fun. typically ya, but also very cute and dealing with some issues

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lindseyisreading's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.5

This book was really cute and fun to read. It's basically a f/f Can't Buy Me Love / Love Don't Cost a Thing story which I really enjoyed. Also really excited to see characters who are happily queer and religious!

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emliza's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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zombiezami's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted 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


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