Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes by Elissa R. Sloan

9 reviews

feliciaguestwrites's review

3.5

While this book had a really interesting concept, I honestly just felt that Elissa R. Sloan tried to take on too much at once. For such a short book, there was so many sub-plots and the fact that it was told from all four Gloss members' perspectives, including their future perspectives, made it hard to follow. Granted, there were some really interesting subjects tackled in this book, which I think made it a very timely critique on the power structure in Hollywood, and how that often exploits young women trying to make it big. 

Was this comparable to Daisy Jones and the Six? No. I think if you go into it without that expectation, or that comparison, then you're probably much better off and you may enjoy this more.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Cancer, Stalking, Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, Racism, Drug abuse, Alcohol, and Suicide

louiepotterbook's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Sexism, Racism, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

readbycarina's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racism, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Addiction, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Car accident

icieri's review

dark reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Drug abuse, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Addiction, Car accident, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

avabudavari's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Body shaming, Violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Physical abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Grief

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Medical content

Minor: Vomit, Pregnancy, Outing, Cancer, Abortion, and Animal death

cassie7e's review against another edition

dark sad slow-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

2.0

One star for competent writing, one star for prominent queer rep. If this had been marketed as YA instead of adult, I might have had different expectations. 

Maybe I'm just too old for immature teen drama, but I found all the characters offputting and unlikeable. They are terrible to each other and all think they are in the right, or are responsible for all the wrong in the world. I don't think it's unrealistic, especially in how teen girl performers are exploited, but made it very hard for me to root for any of them or really care how their storylines played out.

I also found the "mystery" of Cassidy's depression confusing. It was neither surprising to me that a character in her position would struggle with mental health for years, nor was there ever a conclusive explanation found for her struggles to justify everyone's bizarre interest/confusion about it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic friendship, Grief, Sexism, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

Minor: Drug abuse, Death, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Cancer, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Biphobia, Infidelity, and Stalking

whitneys_bookstack's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I love when stories show behind the scenes and how the general public can get the wrong idea from media. I also like that the love interest was not entirely predictable. People who liked Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo would love this.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Drug abuse

Sexual assault off page not talked about in detail

maggz's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, and Suicide

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Terminal illness, Stalking, Pedophilia, Cancer, and Abortion

thespinystacks's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I definitely think this was overhyped, maybe if I read it earlier it would have felt more appropriately hyped.

What I enjoyed about this story was that I could remember my love and passion for the female pop groups of the late 90s and early 00s. Because of this, it was easy to think of the realities given in the book. I felt it easy to think of the challenges of the group navigating their new found fame. 

I found with the constant jump in timelines as well as character POV made it hard for me to connect with the book. I definitely became emotional in the epilogue, but up until that point things felt very disjointed and not really building the foundation I think it intended to. 

All in all, it’s an interesting read about the inner workings of a female pop group, but I don’t know that I’ll think much about Cassidy in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse and Mental illness

Minor: Drug use, Drug abuse, Xenophobia, and Violence