Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

74 reviews

lerix4relur's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

What can I say, I love girlhood, coming-of-age stories. I loved Betty and related to her a lot. Sometimes the saddest part of coming-of-age is facing the realities of the world. At times I hated the mom, Flossie, Fraya, the dad, but you understand them, why they are that way. I reread the beginning as soon as I ended and it is definitely something I want to read again in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Animal death

Moderate: Death, Incest, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Grief, and Racism

Minor: Drug abuse and Abortion

mbrunner's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Child death, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Incest, and Abortion

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Sexism, and Self harm

libbyyjo's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Animal death, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Physical abuse, Child death, Abortion, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Violence, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Body shaming, Self harm, Pedophilia, Incest, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, and Addiction

ashleykhoffman's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

This book was beautifully emotional and I'm sure the author felt a sense of power reclaiming so many dark corners of her familial trauma. 

Everything was nice to read, but there was no pressure for me that was keeping me reading. There were LOTS of dramatic moments, but no ongoing pressure or singular thing I was rooting for or hoping for. It just felt like getting slapped in the face every other chapter for 50 chapters. This family was put through the wringer; Betty, too, was put through it, but she seemed to be the lone member of her family who persevered and rose above in the end. 

I've come to realize that memoir-style stories are just not my favorite, but if you're looking for something full of emotions and lots of triggering scenes that will make you gasp and a wicked surprising ending dramatic climax... you'll love this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Incest

Moderate: Racial slurs, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship

andrearenee42's review

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

Beautiful love story to family with beautiful writing, but read the content warnings 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Animal death, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Rape, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Hate crime, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

very graphic depiction of animal torture, specifically kittens

strawberry_seagull's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This book is written beautifully. It is a fairly simple read, yet it is still chock-full of story and metaphors. My only hesitation with recommending this book to others is the amount of content warnings (which I will list). There are a LOT of different triggering scenes that are extremely graphic. However, despite the high intensity of the novel, I did thoroughly enjoy it. The characters are lovable and the stories they tell can resonate with anyone, even if someone hasn’t experienced the same issues the Carpenters have. My personal favorite dynamic was between Landon and Betty because I was able to see my dad and I in their father-daughter relationship.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Rape, Child death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Abortion, Bullying, Blood, Alcohol, Child abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Incest, and Drug abuse

Minor: Violence, Pregnancy, and Homophobia

elliott_the_clementine's review

dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

I will leave this book unrated. Incredibly written, painfully dark, and intensely important. Please check the trigger warnings before reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Addiction, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Death of parent, Medical content, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Self harm, Torture, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Gore, Ableism, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, Incest, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Rape, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Colonisation, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury

aliciawithoutkeys's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Blood, Child abuse, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, Sexism, Child death, Incest, Grief, Racial slurs, Animal death, Self harm, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Moderate: Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Drug use

cheyarsen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

This book wrenched my soul from my body. Everything hurts. This book isn’t for the faint of heart, but everyone should read it because the message is important. It’s a coming of age story about a girl who survives so much, told through the eyes of her younger self and her daughter’s writing. Please check the trigger warnings before going into this one, it’s a tough one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Bullying, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Abortion, Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Child abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Drug use, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Sexual assault, Death, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Classism, Animal cruelty, Murder, Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Racism, Racial slurs, and Suicidal thoughts

xoxochannychan's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book was the darkest I've read in a very long time. I almost had to DNF it. A very difficult read for mature audiences only. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Animal death, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Grief, Murder, Racism, Addiction, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Bullying, Child abuse, Gun violence, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence