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Crank
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: a gifted student, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, Kristina disappears and Bree takes her place. Bree is a total opposite to Kristina - she's fearless. Through a boy she meets, Bree is introduced to the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul and, ultimately, her life.
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Jadams89
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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JenlovesJT47 It‘s definitely a cautionary tale imo. For the first half of the book I really thought she was talking about cocaine and not meth. Totally changed my perspective once I figured that out 😆 5d
5feet.of.fury Honestly I didn‘t feel like it had any message. Like, oh no if you take drugs some bad stuff will happen to you that also happens to other people and there will be no repercussions from getting involved with the Mexican mob, you‘ll raise a baby with lots of family support and a supportive boyfriend. Like??? I know she‘s still on drugs at the end, but she doesn‘t lose friends, family or custody? It seemed like not enough of a reckoning 5d
Read4life I don‘t know that it went deep enough into the repercussions. It is cautionary but I don‘t know that book one will open enough eyes. Perhaps the next two books provide the reckoning. 4d
lil1inblue I think it serves as a cautionary tale. The drug use leads to some pretty horrific experiences. Based on the reviews I read, it resonated with a lot of people. I personally felt it was a little too much like an after-school special for my taste, but I am not the target audience, and that doesn't mean that others can't benefit from it. 4d
Karisa @Read4life I kept thinking, when is the floor going to fall out beneath her feet? She‘s lucky to have such a support system. I‘m not sure that‘s realistic for many. As @lil1inblue mentioned, pretty after school everything works out. Maybe in the later books though as you mentioned 🤷🏻‍♀️ (edited) 3d
20 likes5 comments
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Jadams89
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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JenlovesJT47 Anybody who has ever dealt with addiction could tell you that referring to it as “the monster” is an extremely accurate description. Like a monkey you can‘t get off your back. Very sad to watch the downward spiral. That‘s why I think it‘s important to tell stories like this and they shouldn‘t be censored. ❤️ 5d
lil1inblue @JenlovesJT47 I couldn't have said it better myself. ❤ 4d
19 likes2 comments
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Jadams89
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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JenlovesJT47 Her father infuriated me and a lot of it can be traced back to him. If he showed the slightest bit of interest in what she was doing what a difference that would make. Her mom and stepdad…not perfect but at least they‘re trying. 5d
5feet.of.fury @JenlovesJT47 agree. The author did a good job with the POV because it‘s so teenage that Kristina is as mad at her mom and stepfather (for working or being somewhat distant, for wanting her to do good in school) as she is with her dad (who pretended she didn‘t exist & lead her directly to drugs) 5d
JenlovesJT47 @5feet.of.fury yes exactly! When you‘re a teenager you‘re always mad at your parents but I don‘t think her mom and stepdad were that bad. They were just doing normal parenting things wanting her to get good grades and stuff. 5d
See All 7 Comments
lil1inblue Obviously her father is a terrible influence, and not much of a parent. I wonder if her propensity towards addiction may be inherited, too. I agree with @5feet.of.fury & @jenlovesJT47 about the Mom and Step-Dad. I wonder if they thought her changes were just hormonal teenaged behavior in the beginning. 4d
JenlovesJT47 @lil1inblue we hide so much from our parents at that age. Her mom and stepdad could obviously tell something was wrong but I doubt they thought it was as bad as it really was. 4d
Karisa @5feet.of.fury @JenlovesJT47 It‘s so much safer to be mad at the ones that love us unconditionally. 3d
JenlovesJT47 @Karisa that is so true! 3d
17 likes7 comments
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Jadams89
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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JenlovesJT47 I don‘t know what the main reasons are for it being so banned but I grew up in a religious environment and went to a Christian school from K-5 through college. And I can tell you they would have hated this book because of the drugs, promiscuity and especially the teen pregnancy. They would consider it immoral and ban it from school. And here I sit still deconditioning 20 years later. 😒 5d
Melismatic I‘d think the frank discussions about drugs (including the father‘s drug issues), sex, and abortion would make it pretty taboo but all the more reason why the story is important to tell. 5d
CatLass007 I agree with @Melismatic. Adults are too afraid to let young people learn the truth that might help them avoid such behaviors but such ignorance can have the opposite effect. 5d
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JenlovesJT47 Yes it just sets kids up for failure if you act like the world is all sunshine and rainbows. What happens when your kid turns 18 and is wholly unprepared for the real world. 5d
lil1inblue There's a lot of topics in this book that many consider “taboo“ - drugs, promiscuity, sexual assault, teen pregnancy. I think that these topics could also be triggering for some people. However, the book is really meant to be a warning against these things, not an endorsement, so I don't understand why people would ban it. Like @jenlovesjt47 said, kids need to be prepared for the world's realities. 4d
Karisa @lil1inblue I agree, meant to warn. However, I can see many of my sixth grade students taking the main character‘s pov for complete reality. She keeps justifying how it‘s all not so bad, had more boys being interested in her, and the high being worth it. As adults, we can be horrified by her blindness and the risks she takes. Definitely more appropriate for high schooolers and up with better critical thinking skills 3d
15 likes6 comments
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Jadams89
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Sorry I‘m running late with these again. I‘ll tag everyone in the first post, 5 questions total.

#WithTheBanned

See All 13 Comments
JenlovesJT47 I know it‘s not for everyone but I loved the format and already downloaded the next two books. Never seen an entire story written out like that in poetry form. I think it would be a very therapeutic way to journal. 5d
5feet.of.fury No issue with the format, it made it really sound like a teenager‘s rambling journal. The prose, the references, the random moodswings was all effectively very teenage pretension 5d
Melismatic I felt like the format really felt like a personal headspace especially of a teenager. It felt more organic and believable - less stilted or forced. 5d
CatLass007 The format was interesting. I guess I‘m just over teenage angst and drug abuse. 5d
Read4life I think the format added to the story and (like @Melismatic said) made it feel like it was her mental gymnastics. 4d
AllDebooks I couldn't get hold of a copy, unfortunately. 4d
lil1inblue I loved the format of the book - it was probably my favorite aspect. It made the book more personal. And the structure of the poetry was phenomenal. I loved the concrete poems. 4d
Karisa I thought it connected well to the character and what she was going through. To me, poetry is very good at capturing emotion and not necessarily complete thoughts—worked perfectly here. (edited) 3d
Kenyazero I definitely felt like the poetry format of this one worked well. It might not have worked as well in another format with the same type of emotional impact and quick-moving story the author achieved here. 11h
23 likes13 comments
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5feet.of.fury
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Panpan

I‘m trying to review this for what it is & the intended audience

The author successfully made it sound like a high teenager‘s journal, the references they would find clever. It was a nice stroll down memory lane of being a juvenile delinquent & Hunter S Thompson-ing around high school 😂

I understand this is the 1st in the series but I was wholly unsatisfied with the conclusion of this book.

Excited for the discussion #withthebanned @Jadams89

JenlovesJT47 I do agree about the ending. Felt rather lackluster and like it just stopped with very little resolution. 5d
33 likes1 comment
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Karisa
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Mehso-so

Not a fan, but I‘m not the target audience either. It‘s the story of high schooler Christina/Bree as she getting hooked on drugs which changes her life. Written as poetry, listened to it via audiobook, lots of cringe moments, lots of trigger warnings. #WithTheBanned

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JenlovesJT47
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

I‘ve never read a story in this format and wasn‘t sure if I‘d like it but I ended up really enjoying it and ordering the other two books in the series. It‘s definitely dark and is not for everyone. Looking forward to the discussion for #WithTheBanned2025 ! 4.5⭐️

TheBookHippie I‘ve read everything she‘s written. I love it all. It‘s been decades since I‘ve read this one. I read her books as they came out. 🙃 enjoy the next two! 2w
JenlovesJT47 @TheBookHippie I actually really love the idea of writing out a whole story like this in poetry form. Would be very therapeutic. I plan on starting book two tomorrow! 🤗 2w
TheBookHippie @JenlovesJT47 it‘s how I journal. 2w
45 likes3 comments
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lil1inblue
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Mehso-so

This one didn't quite do it for me. I like the structure of the concrete poetry, as well as some of the writing. But overall, it had an after-school special vibe that I couldn't connect with.

#withthebanned @jadams89

shortsarahrose I read a different book by this author (forget which one) and had a similar reaction 2w
lil1inblue @shortsarahrose I feel validated! 😉 2w
27 likes2 comments
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Melismatic
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

That was dark.

I feared the lyrical poetry style would grate on me at first but overall I think it ultimately added to the frenetic decent described. Looking forward to the discussion here. #WithTheBanned

31 likes1 stack add
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Read4life
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

I finished listening to our May #WithTheBanned #WTB25 book. I‘m looking forward to our discussion. According to the author‘s website, the book is loosely based on her oldest daughter‘s addiction to crystal meth.
#BookSpinBingo #SeriesLove2025

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 4w
TheSpineView Fantastic! 💜📖📚 4w
TheBookHippie This is a series FYI and yes, her daughter. 4w
See All 8 Comments
Andrew65 Excellent 🎉🎉🎉 4w
Read4life @TheBookHippie have you read the other books in the series? If so, do you recommend them? 4w
TheBookHippie @Read4life I‘ve read everything she‘s written, and yes. 3w
TheBookHippie I didn‘t get tagged! Sorry took so long to answer! Oy 3w
Read4life I often wonder how many comments or posts I miss because the tag just doesn‘t show up. 😣 Thanks for the info. I‘m adding them to my TBR. 3w
65 likes8 comments
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CatLass007
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Panpan

I listened to the audiobook for #WithTheBanned and I‘m including it with #Read2025 because I actually finished the book and for #SeriesLove2025 because it‘s the first book in a trilogy that I won‘t continue. I gave it two stars on Goodreads because the unusual style of poetry and prose is the only thing I liked about the book. There are several reasons I didn‘t like it. I‘m tired of YA and teenage angst. I‘m tired of multi book series. (cont)⬇️

CatLass007 But I think the main reason is because I read Go Ask Alice in junior high and, even though I now know it‘s not a true story from a dead teenage girl‘s diary, it still set the standard as a cautionary tale about drugs and sex. There are new drugs available now but I don‘t think the book lives up to the hype. Ordinarily I would bail on a book I didn‘t like but I wanted to see if the book ever got better and I don‘t believe it did. 1mo
Andrew65 Oh no, hope your next book is better. 1mo
CatLass007 @Andrew65 Killers of a Certain Age is excellent and fun. 1mo
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TheSpineView Bummer! Hope your next book is better. #Next 1mo
CatLass007 @TheSpineView It already is. 1mo
5feet.of.fury I‘ll be reading this one too, I know the series was very popular when it was first released but I was out of the target demographic at that point & never paid it any mind. 1mo
CatLass007 @5feet.of.fury I liked her writing style. I hope you and the rest of the group like it more than I did. 1mo
DieAReader 👋🏻 #Next 1mo
DogMomIrene Years ago a parent challenged book 2 Glass in our MS library. The librarian knew I had a BS in journalism so she asked me to be on the “book ban” committee. I was like, it‘s freaking awful. The cheap voyeurism. The cliched “poetry”. The obvious money grab with a series. BUT I wouldn‘t ban it. Thankfully, the other teachers, parents, and community members agreed. Not sure the same results would hold today. Better luck with your next read! 🍀 1mo
CatLass007 @DogMomIrene Is MS Mississippi? I‘m surprised that you were able to keep it in the library. I live in East Tennessee and I‘m surprised there are any books in our library at. Thank you for not banning it. It may be awful but if I had kids I wouldn‘t want anyone deceiving what my kids were allowed to read except me. My parents were fairly conservative but after I learned to read, I was never without a book. My parents knew what I was (cont)⬇️ 1mo
CatLass007 reading and never told me I couldn‘t read something. These days, I buy books because they‘ve been banned with the belief that anything worth banning is worth reading. (edited) 1mo
DogMomIrene @CatLass007 Middle School. I was out in Arizona. Tucson was a blue spot but this was an affluent area, so some conservative folks. I did my student teaching at William Blount High School back in the day. Spent 3 years at UTK. I think that‘s where I fell in love with fall. 4w
CatLass007 @DogMomIrene Middle School never crossed my mind. LOL. We had junior high where I grew up in West Virginia. The Fall is beautiful in East Tennessee. The politics, not so much. (edited) 4w
48 likes13 comments
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Jadams89
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Hey #WithTheBanned readers. @CatLass007 let me know that our May read is available for free on Audible.

See All 11 Comments
CatLass007 I appreciate you sharing this with everyone! 1mo
Jadams89 @CatLass007 Thank you for letting me know! I forget to check things like this ☺️ 1mo
TheBookHippie Oh this is a good one. Enjoy. 1mo
Read4life Awesome!! Looking forward to this one. 1mo
CatLass007 I‘m an audiobook girl so I will always let you know. 1mo
Kenyazero Interesting! I wonder how the audio experience with a book like this will differ! I read Dear Mothman by audio recently and only realized much later that it was a book in verse 🤭 1mo
32 likes11 comments
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LitsyEvents
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Repost for @Jadams89

Happy almost-May, readers! Our selection for the month is Crank by Ellen Hopkins. Hopkins‘ books were banned more frequently than any other author‘s in recent years.

Also, watch for discussion questions for our April read, The Perks of Being a Wallflower coming soon.

#WithTheBanned #buddyread

See original post at https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2859956

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Jadams89
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Happy almost-May, readers! Our selection for the month is Crank by Ellen Hopkins. Hopkins‘ books were banned more frequently than any other author‘s in recent years.

Also, watch for discussion questions for our April read, The Perks of Being a Wallflower coming soon.

#WithTheBanned #buddyread

See All 8 Comments
Read4life I‘m ready to go. This will be my first time reading this one. 1mo
Kenyazero I read this one for a young adult literature course in college. Looking forward to reading again! 1mo
lil1inblue I haven't read this one yet, so I'll be back on challenge this month! I'm super intrigued by this one. 1mo
CatLass007 Just FYI, Crank is free on Audible. 1mo
29 likes2 stack adds8 comments
review
nicolesxaxbooked
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Twainy
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Mehso-so

Mid

Good poetry.

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Eggs
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

Novel-in-verse about meth and its snowballing effect on young Kristina Snow, her family, her body, her friends and her educational success…based on an actual family‘s experiences. There are 2 more books in the series.

#SeriesLove2023
#RushAThon Day 5

@TheSpineView @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES

DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 2y
TheSpineView Fantastic! 2y
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 2y
59 likes1 stack add4 comments
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LiseWorks
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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June 28 #VolunesandVocals Addiction KClarkson love her but never heard this song before. I loved this series, it's a hard look at Addiction from the daughters perspective @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs Sounds powerful 💉 2y
17 likes1 comment
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LiseWorks
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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June 19 #BookMoods Told in Verse One of the best books I read on addiction and teens. There is three in the series, I read the second and waiting to get the third as I can't find it in the library. @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs 💔 💊 ❤️‍🩹 3y
10 likes1 comment
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magyklyXdelish
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Any fans of the Crank series? The real “Kristina” aka Cristal has a YouTube channel where she is sharing her story. She‘s still new and could use more love. So if you liked the books check out her videos ♥️

https://youtube.com/channel/UCiwg6O0GXOahBKLGj4N7GcA

21 likes1 stack add
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weebzx
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Almost read in one day!

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weebzx
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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I'm back and have 11 books to read by my favorite author, Ellen Hopkins ❤

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Jolynne
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

This is a must read for teenagers. For me, I liked the verse style writing and I‘m certainly glad my teen years are long gone! The things teens face today are horrid. Meth must be a horrible place for the user and the family.

Jolynne Turns out this is a banned book, so it fits for the week. 5y
Clwojick Everything by Ellen Hopkins is pure gold! Raw and heartbreaking, but absolute GOLD! Burned is probably my favourite. 5y
10 likes2 comments
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Reading_With_MrsB13
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Very disturbing, yet interesting, take on teenage drug use. Was a quick read, but definitely made me want to read more by Hopkins. I like that she isn‘t afraid to write about things that most people cower away from.

8 likes1 stack add
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Mccall0113
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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In the process of scaling back, these are going to a new home! Better for someone else to read them again than just sit in my basement.

ItsAnotherJen Someone is going to be very happy to get those 5y
69 likes1 stack add1 comment
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S.Kristine
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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"Have you ever had so much to say that your mouth closed up tight struggling to harness the nuclear force coalescing within your words? Have you ever had so many thoughts churning inside you that you didn‘t dare let them escape in case they blew you wide open? Have you ever been so angry that you couldn‘t look in the mirror for fear of finding the face of evil glaring back at you?" -Ellen Hopkins (CrANK)

2 likes1 stack add
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HBox20
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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“I am the face in the mirror, only not.“

KitKat20 Very nice editing on the photo. It definitely caught my attention and makes me want to know more! 6y
walterdel I love the image it looks really good 6y
Turtle2104 I really love how you used all the editing on the photo. It makes me wonder what happens in the book. 6y
4 likes3 comments
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the_hibernator
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

Second book of #24b4Monday Excellent read if you're interested in gritty teen books about people with problems. A banned book because of sex and drugs.

17 likes1 stack add
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Victoriahoperose
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

I really love the way that Ellen Hopkins creates a story that is both poetic and easy to follow. The subject matter is tough when it is about addiction, but she uses her skill to create a contrast in the beauty of her writing and the ugliness of the subject matter. It is jarring, but efficient and I believe this is a big reason why when you read her books, they stay with you.

Joanne1 Great review. 6y
30 likes1 stack add1 comment
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UnabridgedPod
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

I picked up Ellen Hopkins's Crank after Sara mentioned it on our April Book Club episode. The novel has a HUGE impact, detailing the descent of Kristina Snow, a straight-A student, into drug addiction. I listened on @scribd, and--while I'm not sure I caught all of the layers of the verse because of listening--her story moves so quickly that it's easy to see how she was swept off of her focused course. (continued in comments)

UnabridgedPod What begins as simple experimentation takes over her life, and Kristina is consumed by the efforts needed to find drugs, pay for drugs, and hide that she's on drugs. Strong, important read that's still so relevant 15 years after publication. 6y
7 likes1 stack add1 comment
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kaylablogs
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Finished re-reading this yesterday... forgot how great it was! Book 5 of the year already, I‘m so far ahead of my goal of 25 books!

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Ashtonnnnxx3
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
Pickpick

Great read!

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katyreasor24
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
Pickpick

Opens your eyes to the hard hitting stuff

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RiaWritten
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Mehso-so

I dunno. I found it well written but heavy handed. Maybe that‘s the way it‘s supposed to be.

21 likes1 stack add
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RiaWritten
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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I think this means I‘m a goodie two shoes, but I was this far into the book before I realized they were talking about meth. 🙀

Lcsmcat 😂 7y
24 likes1 comment
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RiaWritten
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Waiting for a friend at a lovely coffee shop in Lafayette. Assam tea and tiny cacti!

Zelma Waving from Lafayette! 👋 I live outside of town but running errands here today. 7y
RiaWritten @Zelma Hi hi!! :D 7y
17 likes2 comments
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RiaWritten
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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A little light reading on break at work.

12 likes1 stack add
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CocoReads
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

Wasn‘t sure I‘d like this because I‘m not a huge poetry reader so to tackle a story told in verse form was huge for me. But what a powerful story. I‘ll be ordering the other 2 in the trilogy tonight and am looking forward to book group tomorrow. (Not the food, but the discussion—which is a change).

43 likes1 stack add
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CocoReads
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Book group is in a week. Probably I should read the book. 🤣🤣

CoverToCoverGirl Ya think! 😂 How are things at the new job.. great I hope! 7y
CocoReads @CoverToCoverGirl love the new job! I‘m exhausted and there‘s a lot to learn and remember but overall it‘s great. 7y
CoverToCoverGirl That‘s fantastic so happy for you! 7y
CocoReads Thanks! 7y
45 likes4 comments
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CocoReads
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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When the first part of your week has been a 💩storm, #bookmail makes it all better.

DieAReader Both great books!! 7y
51 likes1 stack add1 comment
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tessavi
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Got more books yesterday 😏

OrangeMooseReads Crank is a good one 7y
tessavi @OrangeMooseReads the format peaked my interest. 7y
55 likes2 comments
review
dawn-pInk
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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Pickpick

This was fine. I loved the prose, but it‘s difficult for me to tell if that‘s the writer or reader. Had an overtone of judgement. Kind o a higher tw rated after school special. Looking forward to listening to the rest of the series, but was not blown away. 3 starts on Goodreads.

MStew Loved this trilogy 7y
dawn-pInk @meghan2714 I just got the second audio book. Gonna start it in the next few days. 7y
MStew @dawn-pInk hope you enjoy😄 7y
15 likes1 stack add3 comments
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dawn-pInk
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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I have the hardest time with audio books,but I‘m finding reading and podcasts are keeping me awake. I‘m trying out listening on a timer before bed. Specifically looking for short stories and poetry is anyone had any recommendations!

10 likes1 stack add
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alecia3dixie
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
Pickpick

I really liked this book. You can really feel her go from an innocent girl to a strung-out addict. It really digs deep into what addiction feels like and how it takes ahold of you. You feel for her and keep reading while you hold your breath to see if she wins or loses to the monster.

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sam.professional_reader
Crank | Ellen Hopkins
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#7favesin7days day 1 of 7 @lauren.lerner