Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Over the Top: My Story by Jonathan Van Ness

42 reviews

emilyhiegll's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

lbwach12's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Alcohol

ophalen's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

simoneliesbeth's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

tieflingmom's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

pacifickat's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

I'm not sure I could have read a memoir about someone with more different life experiences to my own, but here's to a year of reading broadly! 

The audiobook absolutely made this book work for me as a reader. There were so many jokes and moments that relied on anticipating the correct voice intonation in order to completely land, and it was fun hearing JVN's humor come through in the audio narration. Plus, I would have hopelessly butchered all the Russian pseudonyms in my head.

Lots of trigger warnings could be applied to this book (childhood trauma, sexual content, drug use, self harm, bullying, etc.), but I have rarely heard more accurate or compelling descriptions of addictive behaviors and the self-destructive-yet-all-consuming mental state behind them than here. This felt like an extremely honest and open account of the author's most formative life experiences, and I can't help but admire that. 

I also really appreciated learning a bit about AIDS/HIV stigma, treatments, and current positive prognoses when caught early and managed carefully. This kind of information is truly a public service to get out there in the open.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Self harm, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Dementia, and Alcohol

Minor: Eating disorder and Fatphobia

amoremeg's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced

5.0

This book was so informative and deeply JVN. I learned so much about them and all of it through the most original and self-loving perspective. Truthful, compassionate, and funny the whole way through

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Drug abuse, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, and Pedophilia

Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, and Infidelity

minaegg's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

4.75

Very vulnerable and heavy read with difficult subject matter. The book is still beautiful and uplifting, with some lovely humor. Jonathan shows that despite experiencing trauma and adversity, we all have the capacity to heal and thrive. Ultimately his story is about learning to love yourself and to forgive yourself, to care for yourself, to know that you matter, always. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Blood, Medical content, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug use, and Terminal illness

bebidocrimes's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring fast-paced

This captures Jonathan's voice so so well, it feels like we were just chatting at a coffee shop. I have been told time and time again, directly or indirectly, that I am too loud, I'm too much, I won't stop rambling on and on when I'm excited about something. It just feels so good to be reminded that I can find people who will love me for all that I am. Looking forward to getting my hands on his next book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Grief

mothjor's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

4.5

its the first memoir i've ever read, but its honestly so good! the whole book has the classic "jvn-tone" that everyone loves. i kinda regret not listening to the audiobook version of this just because the way it is written is very much him.
the content is also so engaging and beautiful, we get a whole new side of jvn that is not showed in other contents often, it's intimate and honest without leaving behind the brilliance and positivity of his personality

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Homophobia, and Sexual content