Beauty Queen

i havent read a book since i was in school. i read this book and i felt like i was sam. i went thru everything that she had went thru. this book gave me so much inspiration on not to do heroin anymore, it's just so hard when the high is so great. i loved this book and recommend EVERYONE to read it!

When 19-year-old Samantha Strasbourg is dumped by her boyfriend Teddy she thinks life is completely over. The daughter of an alcoholic mother and a hock player father who abandoned both of them, Sam struggles to accept the depression that has taken over her life. In a search to gain independence from her mother and her mothers' predatory boyfriend Sam moves into her own apartment and starts the journey to become an actress. Along the way Sam continues to see a therapist and although she would like to salvage some sort of relationship with her mother she realizes that this may never happen. Her mother continues to abuse drugs and alcohol and allows her abusive boyfriend to squander her money. Sam and her best friend Nicole decide to start working at a topless club (The Web)to make more money and while they are bother underage Sam dances and Nicole trains to become a bartender. On Sam's first night of dancing, she realizes she is too nervous to take her top off. Behind stage, Sam sees a fellow dancer using heroin. Sam does join her and immediately becomes addicted to the feeling created by the heroin. Sam writes in her journal that she can only take off her top is she has shot up heroin. She writes that she loves the way the drug makes her feel and dance. Sam meets a man, Angelo, who is a regular at The Web. Sam and Angelo become very close. He is extremely wealthy (could it be because he is a wiseguy??) and buys Sam whatever she wants. Sam resists telling Angelo about the heroin. Later on in the book, Sam starts a sexual relationship with a cop named Blaine. Although Sam thinks that Blaine is fabulous, Nicole, Angelo, and everyone else at The Web disagree. Sam disregards everyone's warnings and continues to see Blaine. Her heartbreak when things don't work out leaders her deeper into the world of heroin use. This book really pulled me in, and it is a thrilling reading experience I must recommend. Other recent books I loved include: Ghostworld, The Losers' Club by Richard Perez.

When 19-year-old Samantha Strasbourg is dumped by her boyfriend Teddy she thinks life is completely over. The daughter of an alcoholic mother and a hock player father who abandoned both of them, Sam struggles to accept the depression that has taken over her life. In a search to gain independence from her mother and her mothers' predatory boyfriend Sam moves into her own apartment and starts the journey to become an actress. Along the way Sam continues to see a therapist and although she would like to salvage some sort of relationship with her mother she realizes that this may never happen. Her mother continues to abuse drugs and alcohol and allows her abusive boyfriend to squander her money. Sam and her best friend Nicole decide to start working at a topless club (The Web)to make more money and while they are bother underage Sam dances and Nicole trains to become a bartender. On Sam's first night of dancing, she realizes she is too nervous to take her top off. Behind stage, Sam sees a fellow dancer using heroin. Sam does join her and immediately becomes addicted to the feeling created by the heroin. Sam writes in her journal that she can only take off her top is she has shot up heroin. She writes that she loves the way the drug makes her feel and dance. Sam meets a man, Angelo, who is a regular at The Web. Sam and Angelo become very close. He is extremely wealthy (could it be because he is a wiseguy??) and buys Sam whatever she wants. Sam resists telling Angelo about the heroin. Later on in the book, Sam starts a sexual relationship with a cop named Blaine. Although Sam thinks that Blaine is fabulous, Nicole, Angelo, and everyone else at The Web disagree. Sam disregards everyone's warnings and continues to see Blaine. Her heartbreak when things don't work out leaders her deeper into the world of heroin use. This book really pulled me in, and it is a thrilling reading experience I must recommend. Other recent books I loved include: Ghostworld, The Losers' Club by Richard Perez

I really liked this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to read fiction about drugs...well, even if you don't, I still recommend it. I couldn't put this book down. Sam, the 19 year-old girl who is writing, falls into heroin and deceit. She makes friends, but they only drag her deeper into the life that is destroying her. She falls in love with a guy who was a cop, and is wanted for arrest. Her new friend, Angelo, tries to keep her from him and keep her in a life that she should be living, and guides her and keeps their friendship alive. I loved this book and I think that anyone who reads it will, too.

A review by AllisonThis book is about a naive 19-year-old girl named Sam. Sam has several problems in her life. It begins when Sam's boyfriend breaks up with her and she gets depressed about it. Sam has problems with her alcoholic mother and her mother's boyfriend. She finds an apartment to move into so she can get away from her mother. She also gets a new job as a topless dancer. Working at her new job, Sam is introduced to the drug heroin. It is her "magic potion" while she is dancing. The author gives vivid descriptions of Sam of how she feels when she shoots up. "As soon as he left, I danced another set, then went into the bathroom to shoot up again. And I did too much! My heart was racing like mad, almost jumping out of my chest, and I had to lie down on the floor to get myself back together. I felt like I was going to die. My ears closed up and my head felt all fuzzy. Then it slowed down and it was like I was fading away, leaving my body. Then I started to come to." (Page 101.)Linda Glovach, the author, does a great job writing this book. She makes it seem so real with each and every journal entry. She pulls you into Sam's world and makes you feel empathy for her. (...)