Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones

11 reviews

mirandalikesbooks's review

challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

3.5

I've never read a memoir of someone who isn't a well-known public figure. It was interesting learning his story at this personal level of introspection.

I would read this if you're interested in the impact your family has on your identity; the intersectionality of being gay, black, and poor; or the struggle of figuring out how to act when the world is telling you to be someone else.

I guess I finished the book hoping for more resolution - why did his mom act cagey when he came out? How will he approach his relationship with his grandma? Will he learn how to be happy with himself and live authentically instead of approaching life the selfish and guarded way he approached his college years?

Overall a decent read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Grief, Alcohol, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, and Drug use

Minor: Animal death

oddreads_nicolestins's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

I am simply wowed by this memoir! Jones literally has poured so much hurt and self-realization on the page, I was right there with him searching myself with the same questions! I really liked how he split it up in chapters, with years/months to guide us through his major moments/memories. But look, Saeed Jones really tore me up with this one. Especially the parts including his mother and grandmother- that weird place where you are technically estranged but still deeply interdependent, especially in times of financial or emotional distress. WHEW if you haven't read this and you're a memoir person like me, get your hands on it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Homophobia

Moderate: Medical content, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, and Sexual violence

Minor: Blood, Confinement, Car accident, Chronic illness, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Excrement, and Suicidal thoughts

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.75

This is gorgeous and poetic and so intimate. I'm excited to read more from Mr. Jones. It's a tough memoir to read - Jones has been through so much pain. An important display of the failure of our social systems too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Bullying, Grief, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Homophobia, Terminal illness, and Sexual content

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Death, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Medical content, Rape, Violence, Cursing, and Racism

Minor: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, and Classism

honeyvoiced's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Death of parent, and Sexual content

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Violence, and Grief

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Emotional abuse

katielaine_w's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness

Minor: Drug abuse, Animal death, and Alcohol

kaitlinlovesbooks's review

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, and Medical content

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

ofbooksandechos's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Sexual assault

Minor: Drug use and Alcohol

cw: sexual encounter between a minor and an adult.

charlie_borowicz's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This book emotionally wrecked me. I can't remember reading anything like it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Racial slurs, and Alcohol

Moderate: Car accident

Minor: Homophobia

Some of the sexual encounters aren't completely consensual, but a mix of false information, power dynamics, expectations for something the narrator doesn't actually want to do, etc. Most of them are very graphic.

mscalls's review

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Vomit

anonymousfrog's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

this book is everything… including both wonderful and agonizing to read. It will touch all your heartstring and leave you different.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Homophobia

Moderate: Alcohol and Racism