Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith

95 reviews

yikeslou's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

2.5

Pony is a sweet, hilarious, and relatable MC who is surrounded by a troop of assholes (mostly teens which is semi excusable, they're still finding themselves and learning etc etc, kids are inherently a little self centered, still frustrating to read). Everything wrapped up VERY quickly compared to the slow burning romance plot, but hey I love a happy ending so I can't complain too much

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Deadnaming, Death, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

capriqueen's review against another edition

emotional tense 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? Yes

2.0

The main theme of this book is about how fitting in is about hiding your true self, and doing that is never worth it, esp when it’s to fit in with jerks. It accomplishes it fine enough

I don’t love the notes of misogyny in the beginning with Pony’s thoughts about Georgia being a cheerleader, and I especially don’t like Max. I found him to be a toxic friend with all his ultimatums and demands of performative activism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, and Outing

Moderate: Lesbophobia and Toxic friendship

There is a graphic hate crime assault

in a bathroom toward the end, with the attackers exposing the main character’s chest.

Deadnaming is alluded to throughout, and the deadname itself is named a few times at the very end.

kaywhiteley's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I’m all for characters learning and changing but this was just unrealistic

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime and Transphobia

Moderate: Lesbophobia

bwithwings'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual harassment

bookobsessedmommy's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

4.25

Pony is a trans boy who decides to go stealth at his new school, which isn't a proble until he falls for a cheerleader, Georgia, and needs to tell her his secret. This book was equal parts heartbreaking, infuriating, and sweet. These kids have to deal with the typical Hugh school concerns of popularity and reputation, but when you add in being trans, especially in the south, things get a lot more complicated and even dangerous. Pony's relationship with Georgia is central, but I wanted more with his friend Max. His sister Rocky is my hero. 💜 I would love a little epilogue, but the ending really suited the story well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Outing, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Deadnaming and Toxic friendship

cadriel221's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative 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? Yes

5.0

This book made me cry but in a good way

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, and Violence

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Deadnaming

khakipantsofsex's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Death and Suicidal thoughts

sjeast17's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, and Dysphoria

paydendyer's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

Wish I would've read the other reviews before reading this. It started out good but had quite a lot of triggering things, especially for it being a YA novel. The ending felt very rushed, and the hate crime towards the end was alarming and graphic. I didn't like how the book focused so much on Pony not being out, and how everyone around him pressured him to be out. I think the author was maybe attempting to make a point of why it's not always safe for trans people to be out with the scene towards the end, but it just felt like a terrible way to do that. I don't like the idea that trans people have to be educating other people- some people choose to but nobody should have to. I didn't like Georgia's character and I definitely didn't like how it took Pony being hate crimed to make her want to be with him. Also the dad's words were very triggering as well. Realistic I guess, but just not the type of trans media I was searching for.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime and Transphobia

Moderate: Emotional abuse

readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Lesbophobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

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