Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

39 reviews

kajoreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

3.5

I didn’t really feel the romance. Their crushes on each other came across as part jealousy, part idealization. Their story had potential, but I needed more moments of them actually connecting. Yami pretending to be straight around Bo for most of the book certainly didn’t help.

I did enjoy the book though. I was wholeheartedly rooting for Yami the entire time.

There were some moments that really took me out the book though.. The fortnite dancing?? I wish the editor had put their foot down on that one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

Minor: Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Police brutality, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism

_cherry_'s review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense 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

3.75

This book was like 100 pages too long.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Violence, and Suicide attempt

ruthiedr89's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Grief, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Outing, Classism, and Deportation

Moderate: Misogyny and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Hate crime and Violence

trashpossum's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Deportation

gracepizza40's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring 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

This book is perfect. I highly recommend it. The character's voice is so likable and well-established. The only main thing that kept me from rating in 5 stars was the pacing in some parts of the second half.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Homophobia, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Deportation

Moderate: Biphobia, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, and Deportation

hannahgarstang's review against another edition

Glad I read this, it made me cry and laugh. 

I really loved the discourse around coming out and how it should always be on your own terms and that we don't owe other people that info. 

I also thought the conversations around cultural identity were handled really well. 

This book touched on so many difficult issues around race, sexuality and mental health. It did this while also being funny and even quite fluffy at times. I wish I'd been able to read something like this as a young adult/teen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Religious bigotry, Outing, and Deportation

Moderate: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Violence, and Toxic friendship

naisdayz's review against another edition

dark emotional funny inspiring sad tense 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

5.0

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School is a very important book. It touches on a variety of topics, from coming out (in an immigrant household specifically), being outed involuntarily, religious guilt and shame, as well as racism and homophobia generally.

It took me a bit to get into the book, but once I did, I devoured it. 

Since the book tries to do a lot, it obviously doesn't cut very deep on all topics - but I think it's a great base for doing further research or reading other books about related issues. Therefore, I don't necessarily view it as a weakness.

The mom's switch-up toward the end seemed a little sudden to me, as well. I wonder if she would have reacted the same if Cesar hadnt attempted suicide.

I loved Yami as a character and a narrator. I often found myself smiling or even laughing at her sarcastic remarks. I really wanted to give her a hug.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Homophobia, Racism, Violence, Blood, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Classism, and Deportation

elliereadsthings's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-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

4.0

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

"Mijo, if the Bible tells me I shouldn't love my kids, then the Bible is wrong."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Deportation

Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Abortion, and Classism

tangoscore's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Suicide and Violence

boop123's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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

5.0

 

Straight up five stars. And yes I’m being biased solely because this was me back in junior high.

I loved the sentiments surrounding the timeline on coming out. No one should feel obligated to tell everyone they’re queer and I’m glad this book emphasized that because it is incredibly difficult to come out when the stakes are high, in this case, religious environments. I also loved how the author tackled the relationship between religion and sexual identity because how can one truly have a personal relationship with God (or any other religion) when the scriptures tell them they’re an abomination? I truly resonate with what Yamilet was going through. How she is already panning out her future if ever she was to come out, the money that she has to save if they don’t accept her, having to convince everyone else she’s straight, her sentiments around Catholicism and her sexuality, and how she can’t fully say the word “lesbian” without feeling squirmy like…. this was literally me 😭 

Even though i knew that she was gonna come out and everything would work out because almost all YA queer books, especially ones taking place in high school, end that way, it was nice to read a book like this because she got her happy ending. And we all know there are still people like me who are still stuck in those circumstances knowing the risks. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Homophobia, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Outing

Moderate: Violence, Blood, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Deportation