Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Thirsty by Jas Hammonds

14 reviews

sugarcainn's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book was incredibly well-written and the story was so good. It's a great coming of age, finding yourself story that includes a strong friendship that ultimately makes it through the turmoil. Thirsty is a powerful, sad and angry story about addiction, losing yourself and ultimately rebuilding your life. This book made me incredibly angry from start to finish and I think that's what it's supposed to do a little. Read the trigger warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Transphobia, and Toxic friendship

featherinthewind's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

First of all, amazing. This book deals with so much and it is centered around drinking and the complexity of relationships, and as someone who wanted to self destruct all the time as a teenager because of unstable coping mechanisms, I loved this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

bitesizedbeet's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Outing, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Infidelity, Vomit, and Cultural appropriation

otakatoe3's review

adventurous challenging reflective sad tense fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Vomit, Grief, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

bellavictoria's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Racism, Transphobia, Vomit, Outing, and Alcohol

skye_era_books's review against another edition

challenging reflective 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

5.0

Thirsty is such a raw and real book based on very very real struggles that many young people face - alcoholism. I always love Jas’ queer and bipoc characters and how they make them so real with all of their struggles.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Alcohol

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Outing, Gaslighting, and Classism

imstephtacular's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Wow this book is a kick in the teeth! It absolutely wrecked me and slowly pieced me back together. It’s hard but it’s beautiful 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Blood, and Cultural appropriation

dvliyvh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Homophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

bibliomich's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

I was only a few chapters into Thirsty when I realized that this book would likely become one of my favorite reads of 2024, and that feeling stuck with me for the remainder of the book. Jas Hammonds is such a talented writer, and one whose work I've been meaning to read for a long time. This book was truly unputdownable, and I devoured it, which was particularly surprising given the heavy nature of the content and themes (including alcoholism, peer pressure, transphobia, classism, and racism).

What I loved:
- The writing style: Jas Hammonds writes in a way that is both beautifully lyrical and also so, so readable. There was a slow-building tension throughout the first three-quarters of the book that made me feel like I couldn't put the book down for even a minute. I absolutely needed to find out where Blake, Ella, and Annetta's stories would take them.
- The relationships: It's so challenging to have such a large cast of characters who all have different, complicated relationships with each other, but this was one of my favorite parts of Thirsty. I especially enjoyed the depiction of Blake's evolving relationships outside of her romantic partnership with Ella.
- The resolution: There were so many directions Jas Hammonds could have taken the story, and (without giving away any spoilers) I appreciated the ending that we were given. It may not have been neat and tidy, but it provided the believable closure I needed.
- The setting: There's just something about a "summer story", and as a former lifeguard who spent whole summers poolside, I was immediately sucked into the story.
- The audiobook narration: This is the first book I've listened to narrated by Alaska Jackson, but certainly won't be my last. The narration was EXCELLENT. Each character had a distinct voice, and the acting was emotionally resonant.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced listener copy!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Outing, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Classism

booksdogsandcoffee's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative fast-paced

4.5

Imagine the vibes of Euphoria intertwined with an exclusive college society for women of color. Blake, her girlfriend Ella, and her best friend Annetta are trying to navigate the challenges of pledging into this society, all while Blake struggles with her excessive drinking. Thirsty delves into themes of alcohol abuse, toxic relationships, family bonds, and the transition from high school to college. Alaska Jackson's narration is exceptional, truly bringing the story to life. This is a must-read book that everyone should pick up.

cw
alcohol
hazing
toxic relationship
gaslighting 
bullying

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Racism, Sexual content, Vomit, and Outing