Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

26 reviews

laurenfro22's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring

• 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

4.75

"I never needed this race, or a hashtag, or the king to be a queen. I was born royalty. All I had to do was pick up my crown."

Of the contemporary YA books I've read, this is certainly my favorite. Johnson does a fantastic job getting the reader into the headspace of a queer, Black, teenage girl navigating high school and the looming transition into college. The characters are vibrant and I could feel the immediacy of their struggles. High school is often a lot of small fish feeling big in an even smaller pond. Johnson captures those weird interpersonal struggles, cliques, hopes, dreams, and heartbreaks in a way that feels real and true to the high school experiences.
 

The scenes of conflict, particularly about Liz's queerness, were very stressful. Especially being outed so publicly; high schoolers can be awful and as painful as that was to read about, it felt realistic. Johnson's depiction of Liz and Mac's push and pull, young love, breakup, and reunion is classic, and wonderfully specifically queer. The book has a good message and great characters delivering that message. 

 

I think some folks may see the story as cringe-y or struggle to get into it - I think it's not for everyone. As someone who came out later in life, this is a book I wish I had in high school, a story where I could see my emotions and tumult reflected back to know I wasn't alone. Despite the story being centered around prom and its lead up, I appreciated the depth Johnson gave to her plot through her side characters and the clear importance of music, discussions around mental health, and very frank examination of intersectionality.

This is well worth the read. It is a feel good YA novel with heartbreak and love, bravery and growth, and deserves every golden crown.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Chronic illness, Classism, Death of parent, Racism, Toxic friendship, Biphobia, Cancer, Mental illness, and Outing

thereadingteapot's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

Adorable YA about the wrong kind of girl running for prom Queen in a small Indiana county. This needs to be a rom com like 20 minutes ago. It’s fun while still bringing up important topics like coming out, being your true self, realizing what friendship and love should be. Please get this movie done do I can watch it! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Sexism, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, and Sexual harassment

brookey8888's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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

This was so cute. Sometimes you just gotta read a cute diverse romance/contemporary. 
I honestly loved all the topics discussed and all the different relationships. I felt like that was really relatable(the friendships). I thought the romance was super cute and it wasn’t the center of the story. This is mostly just a story about a black lesbian coming into herself and being more confident, which I just love and am happy there are stories like this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Medical content, and Misogyny

longlost's review

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-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

liz lighty my dearly beloved

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Bullying, Medical content, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Grief, Vomit, and Hate crime

Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Addiction

danileah07's review

funny medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Bullying, Homophobia, and Outing

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Medical content and Vomit

beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Cursing, Grief, Hate crime, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

Minor: Alcohol

One of the main topics discussed in the book is sickle-cell disease, an inherited group of terminal blood disorders. The MC's brother inherited it from their mother, who died due to complications of sickle cell. There are several scenes towards the end of the novel where the brother is hospitalised due to acute chest syndrome.

lish_e's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring medium-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

3.5

 “And I know then what I've always known: Campbell is never going to make a space for me to fit. I'm going to have to demand it.” 

This is a cute story with some nice characters, but it was a bit too perfect for my taste. Everything always turned out good for Liz so you could already guess how the story is going to end.
Nonetheless, Mack and Liz are an adorable couple. 
I also liked that the main character had a realistic development. She grew at her own pace and did not change her whole personality.
It was a nice and easy read with a wholesome story.
 

“I don't believe in fairy tales and love at first sight and all that, but for just a second, I think this girl and those eyes and the way her freckles dot the entire expanse of her face are cute enough to make a believer out of me.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Outing

Moderate: Death of parent, Vomit, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Terminal illness

martereadsbooks's review

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted sad tense medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Death of parent

musebeliever's review

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content and Outing

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

toberomanced's review

emotional funny inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

It doesn’t take much for a book to make me cry, ESPECIALLY if it has strong sibling ties, but this one has be tearing up again and again and again. One of the best YA books I’ve ever read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Bullying

Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Vomit, Racism, Medical content, Death of parent, and Chronic illness

Minor: Car accident, Cursing, Grief, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexism, and Toxic friendship