Rating: 
Summary: Dark Journey -- You'll get pulled in!
Review: 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
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book!
Review: I very much recommend this book. After THE LOSERS' CLUB by Richard Perez, a down-and-out story of a hapless writer addicted to personal ads, it's the best book I read so far this year. BEAUTY QUEEN is about a girl named Sam who's having trouble with money, her mother, and her mother's abusive boyfriend. She decides to move out into her own apartment. Since money is hard to come by when all she's doing is working at a fast food place, she decides to become an exotic dancer. Sam later on gets addicted to heroin. And slips into the hash reality of drugs. A superb book and a must read! I couldn't stop caring about what happened. Like all great books it's a little disturbing and not something I'm bound to forget soon! Try this book!
Rating:
Summary: This book is so real
Review: This book is so real, its almost too real. Scary scenerio that this woman put herself into. A tormented life filled with highs and lows beyond what most would ever see in life.
I do believe this book, if read by one person in the throughs of what this woman was living through, could be healed then this book will be historical. I also hope that this book will be in all Libraries,Schools etc.
Abuse comes in so many forms. I recommend a couple of other books as well. Nightmares Echo by Katlyn Stewart,Lost Boy by David Pelzer and Running With Scissors by Augusten Buroughs
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST BOOK EVER!
Review: This book was so amazing...I had to do a boring book report for school this year and didn't want to read a book(im not a big reader)but the teacher made us go to the library since we also had to do an oral report on any book. I was looking to find a short story novel that was interesting but when I saw the hard cover of "Beauty Queen" and the picture on it I was curious to know what it was about...I took it out and started to read.It described how a young tennage girl struggles with her life being a heroin addict due to depression.Her mother was an alcohlic and her mother's boyfriend always tried to make sexual passes at her.She got a job as a topless dancer.There is where she started doing heroin since she was too scared to go on stage she felt as if the heroin gave her courage and strenth to dance. She ends up meeting a police officer and fall's in love.The police officer was also a drug addict and didn't know how to take care of girls.Sopposely his wife was led to her death since he was so unfaithful.This book was writting in diary entries and was soooo good...I would love to actually read this over and over...
Rating:
Summary: True to life story that takes you to the edge and back.
Review: I am 17 years old and I was on herione. After reading the reviews, I couldn't believe that people didn't like this. Although I have been clean for two years, I remember what my life was like. This book was scary and hard to read for me because I have been there. I think it would be good for any one else because it's so realistic. It takes you to rock bottom but before you're caught, you put the book down. I think teens today should definatly read this book. It might give them a scare and they will never start drugs, once they realize how unglamourous the world truly is. It is not a happy story and if you expect to find one, I guess I can't say you'll like it, but if you want the "real deal" about living the life of a druggie, I reccomend it.
Rating:
Summary: eye opener>>amazing
Review: i've never been one to read a book on my own. this was the first full book i read for my own pleasure and i couldn't put it down. i've read it three times and would read it again... the story is amazing and keeps you intrigued. i would def recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: True to heart
Review: This book made me very sad but i loved it. 19 year old Sam is struggling at home with her alcoholic mother and her mother's boyfriend Reed, who constantly makes passes at Sam. She decides to get her own apartment. She is currently working at a chicken restaurant. She and her friend decide to start a cleaning service and one of their customers says she knows of ways the girls can get money fast and easy: dancing. Sam decides to try it out. Then other dancers tell her she could make more as a topless dancer. The only way she would build up the courage to do this is with heroin. So she starts shooting up and one thing leads to another. Her thoughts and events are written in her diary, which she confides in deeply. throughout her tough addiction it doesnt help that she is stood-up by her "boyfriend". He just makes matters worse.
In some parts of the book I hated Sam and her boyfriend. I can't understand why she did what she did. It's sad. Then in some parts I pitied her. Her mother is too busy with her own problem that she wont help her daughter. The people who do know about Sam's problem dont really try to help her. but i guess you have to help yourself before others help you. Linda Glovach says she can personally relate to the heroin thing. She does a great job with this novel. Wasn't the best teen drug book i've read but it is worthwhile. it's a quick read and will leave you speechless. PEACE & LOVE
Rating: 
Summary: unrealistic, yet effective
Review: As I began reading Beauty Queen, I didn't really like it. I felt that it was sort of unrealistic (it seems that Sam develops a herion habit over about three days), and the drug use felt very contrived. Despite these issues I had with the book, about halfway into it, I began to connect with Sam. Although you don't get to know her all that well in the short novel, small details about her--her taste in movies, her endearing naivete, make her a lovable character in many ways. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but felt the drug use was not portrayed very realistically.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book
Review: A friend handed me the book in the library as a joke because of the title. I read the back, and it sounded interesting. When I read this book, I didn't want to put it down. Cliché or not, I think it was very good. It shows how trying drugs once to help you relax can lead to needing it all the time.
Rating: 
Summary: Lame and toothless
Review: It'd be perfect for an after school special or a life time original movie. It hits every cliché that I could imagine. I was surprised to see her hit all of them in one pretty short novel-way to go.
| 
