Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Birthday by Meredith Russo

7 reviews

bumblemee's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book broke me a little, but also did an okay job of picking up the pieces. Please check the content warnings before reading this book, I think there are a lot of people who will have a harder time reading this book than I did.
This book felt very real, which might sound vague, but I don't know how to describe it better. Morgan and Eric are great characters and their friendship - or rather their journey from friends to lovers - was heartwarming to read. (Eric reminded me of Samwise Gamgee btw, which made me like him even more.) Reading Morgans chapters was very hard sometimes, I wanted to enter the book and be there for her so bad sometimes. If you want to read a book that contains a lot of trans joy, this one is not the right pick for you, even though the ending is hopeful. There is a lot of transphobia, internalized and otherwise and a lot of self-hatred and suffering.

Quick note: Since first writing this review, it came to my attention that there apparently is controvercy around Meredith Russo and her being abusive towards her ex partner. So if you decide to read this, maybe think about getting it from a library or buying it secondhand or something.

Kurze Anmerkung: Es werden teilweise suboptimale Worte verwendet, wie z.B. Geschlechtsumwandlung statt Geschlechtsangleichung. Idk wie das auf Englisch gehändelt wurde, daher dieser Zusatz auf Deutsch. Weiß nicht, warum diese Entscheidung so getroffen wurde, eventuell weil das beim Übersetzungsprozess nicht aufgefallen ist oder vllt auch einfach, weil das ein Wort ist, das zu der Zeit passt, in der das Buch spielt. So oder so finde ich, das hätte so nicht passieren sollen.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Cancer and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content

ravenk28's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.75

A beautiful story about a trans woman's journey to accepting herself. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer and Racism

clementine_lr's review

challenging emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

livinthebubble's review

emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This was such a good book, read it in one day (in two sittings). I was close to tears at several points (though I didn't end up shedding a tear). I loved the two main characters (especially Eric, so wholesome) and the dual POV was top tier. I gave it a 4.5☆ because, in the end, I wanted more of the two characters (though the ending was very cute).

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Racial slurs, and Suicide

maikendignes's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I know some people are criticizing this book for having such a “dream like” ending and for having Eric respond in the positive way he did, but personally that’s just what I need to read sometimes. And people seem to forget that the first four years of the book wasn’t very dream like at all for Morgan.

over all a new favorite of mine!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Drug abuse and Alcohol

kathrinellis's review

emotional hopeful informative reflective tense 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

there’s nothing I would change about the way this touching story is told!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Outing, and Alcohol

eems_madeline's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Transphobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent