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Rx
Thyme Gilchrest is an honors student.
Thyme Gilchrest is popular.
Thyme Gilchrest is on student council.
Thyme Gilchrest is a drug dealer.
Like piecing together a logic puzzle, Thyme has organized a complex trading system that enables her to obtain the meds her friends need. They all come to her to diagnose their problems and provide the "cure" -- be it Prozac, Ritalin, Vicodin...She's therapist, doctor, and pharmacist all in one. She helps people. And that makes her feel a little more in control -- a little more capable of dealing with her own frantic high school life. Because Thyme Gilchrest is nothing if not good at dealing.
Thyme Gilchrest is popular.
Thyme Gilchrest is on student council.
Thyme Gilchrest is a drug dealer.
Like piecing together a logic puzzle, Thyme has organized a complex trading system that enables her to obtain the meds her friends need. They all come to her to diagnose their problems and provide the "cure" -- be it Prozac, Ritalin, Vicodin...She's therapist, doctor, and pharmacist all in one. She helps people. And that makes her feel a little more in control -- a little more capable of dealing with her own frantic high school life. Because Thyme Gilchrest is nothing if not good at dealing.
262 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
February 26, 2010
I started reading this "Ripped From The Headlines" novel when I was bored at work on a Wednesday night. It's a pretty quick read, so I had made enough progress in it by the end of the night to feel like I had to finish it.
Basically, Rx is the story of Thyme Gilcrest, a grade-grubbing honor roll student who, succumbing to academic pressure, begins taking Ritalin as a "study aid."
As with all stories that run the gamut of "after-school specials," this choice to Thyme running out, and she begins to *dundunduhhh* deal drugs. Prescription drugs, hence the title. She gets Paxil for Genivieve so she won't be so awkward around people, Valium for Kevin so he can relax to give class presentations, and thinks she is at least helping people by "diagnosing" and "treating" their mental disorders. Following the downward spiral plot model, nerdy little Thyme eventually even gets caught up in the party culture of her small Connecticut town (small, but it has a party culture anyhow for the purposes of the novel) showing up with a "party sampler" of drugs for everyone to share.
Basically, none of the characters in the book is likeable or sympathetic and almost everyone is using prescription drugs illegally. Thyme is the epitome of needy, sad high school girls. Best friends Lida and Suze are a joint-smoking hippie/hookah-smoking party girl, and a poster-child for unsafe teenage sex, respectively. Thyme's parents both use drugs, her mom at one point notes she needs to contribute to the "xanax pool" for one of her coworkers who is flying out on a business trip.
Even Will, the love interest, who is the only character who is against the use of drugs (he refuses to use Ritalin for what has been diagnosed as ADHD) isn't likable. He is known for destroying a student's bike, and later throws an iceball at a Hummer based on his holier-than-thou ethical code. I hate Hummers too, but I am mentally stable enough to see that a snowball fight might not be the best venue for my political soap-boxing.
In short, yes, illegal prescription drug abuse is bad. Yes, I get it, Tracy Lynn (or your real name, Elisabeth J. Braswell, what's with all the pseudonyms) but this story is lame, the moral is heavy-handed, and your characters make me want them to get caught and thrown in the slammer.
Basically, Rx is the story of Thyme Gilcrest, a grade-grubbing honor roll student who, succumbing to academic pressure, begins taking Ritalin as a "study aid."
As with all stories that run the gamut of "after-school specials," this choice to Thyme running out, and she begins to *dundunduhhh* deal drugs. Prescription drugs, hence the title. She gets Paxil for Genivieve so she won't be so awkward around people, Valium for Kevin so he can relax to give class presentations, and thinks she is at least helping people by "diagnosing" and "treating" their mental disorders. Following the downward spiral plot model, nerdy little Thyme eventually even gets caught up in the party culture of her small Connecticut town (small, but it has a party culture anyhow for the purposes of the novel) showing up with a "party sampler" of drugs for everyone to share.
Basically, none of the characters in the book is likeable or sympathetic and almost everyone is using prescription drugs illegally. Thyme is the epitome of needy, sad high school girls. Best friends Lida and Suze are a joint-smoking hippie/hookah-smoking party girl, and a poster-child for unsafe teenage sex, respectively. Thyme's parents both use drugs, her mom at one point notes she needs to contribute to the "xanax pool" for one of her coworkers who is flying out on a business trip.
Even Will, the love interest, who is the only character who is against the use of drugs (he refuses to use Ritalin for what has been diagnosed as ADHD) isn't likable. He is known for destroying a student's bike, and later throws an iceball at a Hummer based on his holier-than-thou ethical code. I hate Hummers too, but I am mentally stable enough to see that a snowball fight might not be the best venue for my political soap-boxing.
In short, yes, illegal prescription drug abuse is bad. Yes, I get it, Tracy Lynn (or your real name, Elisabeth J. Braswell, what's with all the pseudonyms) but this story is lame, the moral is heavy-handed, and your characters make me want them to get caught and thrown in the slammer.
March 23, 2020
I should have stopped...
I really wish the word "retarded" was not used even once. A story about prescription drug addiction that high schoolers with a lot of pressure might have. The language ruined it all for me.
I really wish the word "retarded" was not used even once. A story about prescription drug addiction that high schoolers with a lot of pressure might have. The language ruined it all for me.
January 9, 2015
January 9- Most of the book just made me angry but there were a couple moments I found funny/endearing--really the only things saving this from a 1-star rating. My favorite was in chapter 24, right after .
>The ending was alright and definitely not expected. I did end up throwing the book against the wall because Thyme is so irritating and apparently incapable of learning her lesson.
In high school, hell is not the absence of God, but communication.>Besides the few positives, I hated all of the characters. Every single one. Thyme was the only person who had any sort of dynamic (in The Twenty, but also the druggy/party scene, and the weird thing she had with Will + her two best friends), but her personality was so gross. She never seemed to be satisfied with anybody except Will, and she victimized herself all.the.time. She whined and whined about how hard school was and how she hated her parents and hated her best friends. She was just a jerk, not to mention the ridiculous amount of times she used the words "autistically" and "retarded." I thought maybe that was just Thyme's thing but then Will (Mister Social Justice / Fight the System) said "retarded" too. Ugh. Every character besides Thyme just seemed like another high school stereotype. Meera--the Science Fiction Freak. Will--the Artsy Hipster. Suze--the "Slut." Lida--the Flaky Pothead. Like, change things up a little. Please.
>The ending was alright and definitely not expected. I did end up throwing the book against the wall because Thyme is so irritating and apparently incapable of learning her lesson.
October 20, 2008
Thyme Gilchrest struggles with her homework, unable to concentrate. She tells her parents, and suggests trying Ritalin, but they don't listen. Maybe they're too busy having wine after work.
Will has the opposite problem. His parents think he has ADHD, but Will is just lazy. And now he has a bottle of Ritalin he doesn't want.
Thyme pockets it, and realizes she is not the only one who could use some "assistance". Soon, she's got a system set up, and is the dealer at her school for legally controlled substances. She swears she's going to stop, right after the SATs. Or maybe after the crucial second marking period.
Whatever. Now she's getting invited to the cool parties, instead of just the lame ones the kids with the highest GPA's in school go to. And that's what she always wanted. Right?
Will has the opposite problem. His parents think he has ADHD, but Will is just lazy. And now he has a bottle of Ritalin he doesn't want.
Thyme pockets it, and realizes she is not the only one who could use some "assistance". Soon, she's got a system set up, and is the dealer at her school for legally controlled substances. She swears she's going to stop, right after the SATs. Or maybe after the crucial second marking period.
Whatever. Now she's getting invited to the cool parties, instead of just the lame ones the kids with the highest GPA's in school go to. And that's what she always wanted. Right?
January 14, 2025
Was waiting for something or anything to happen ??? Could鈥檝e been good if there was even a tiny plot twist or literally anyyyy excitement at all lol and since it鈥檚 such an old book reading some terms used so casually was kinda cringey now in 2025 馃馃
November 28, 2021
I didn鈥檛 love this book, but it was entertaining. The language is supposed to reflect the persona of a high schooler, but at times I just found it cringey and unrealistic. The main character is a high achieving girl who ends up dealing prescription drugs and ultimately learns how bad of an idea it is, which is supposed to be the message of the book (don鈥檛 do or deal drugs) but I don鈥檛 feel like that message came across that clearly. Frankly it may even glorify the idea of drug dealing to high schoolers. There鈥檚 also some misinformation about prescription drugs in the book, which as a future pharmacist, bothered me a great deal and probably shouldn鈥檛 be spread to teen readers.
September 3, 2015
Rx by Tracy Lynn is about students in a New York high school that begin to take "study aids" to help them focus on the material the school gives them. The book focuses on Thyme Gilcrest, a junior in high school who starts to take Ritalin to help her complete her work and study for SATs. She becomes addicted and has to start dealing to support her drug habit. In the book, Thyme says to an acquaintance, "This isn't the answer, it won't fix anything. You're supposed to be sad. This will just...put it off." (Page 243). This shows us how young adults and even adults want to use drugs as a way to dilute the pain they are feeling. People think it is an easy way out, but the high is only temporary. I chose this quote because it gives us an understanding of why people turn to drugs and drug abuse. Personally, this book was relatable because this is a rising problem within young adults, and it was interesting to read about how someone who abuses thinks. I did not have any dislikes about the book, it is easy to read and can be hard to put down.
May 5, 2017
It was hard for me to get into this book for some reason. The writing was not was I was used to, and it started kind of slow. But as I kept reading it finally picked up and it wasn't a bad book in the end.
November 19, 2018
Really well written, I was hooked the whole way through!
February 25, 2023
Oh the angst鈥�. I read this book when I was 14 and thought it was VERY scandalous. This was the book I chose for my reading challenge category 鈥渁 book you had to sneak to read as a child鈥�.
May 28, 2009
This is a quick read, pretty good.
It's one of those 'topic' books that's gonna age itself out because of all the (almost necessary) pop culture references and slang.
Topic - prescription drug abuse.
I'm a bad person to review this, since damn, I wish I'd had access/been on half those drugs in high school. And I was in the same social circle as Thyme. Fighting to stay in the "top 10%" of the class.
Except I was more like Meera.
And I didn't figure out till sophomore year of college that I didn't want to be a drone.
But... I had pretty bad undiagnosed depression through those years.
I like the snarky tone of the protagonist. Very real life - breaking the 4th wall and addressing the readers with the "now, if this were a movie, this would be where I'd fall on my knees thank god I'd missed X happening to me and give all this up. Sorry, real life doesn't work that way."
Hardly a 'how to' manual, and it does address the dangers of drug addiction, but I'm surprised it didn't cop out with more of a happy ending.
(The author's 'afterward' nonwithstanding.)
Not great unless you're into the pop culture and YA tone. It'll bore most people over 16. Unless you're a drug abuse counselor. *shrug*
It's one of those 'topic' books that's gonna age itself out because of all the (almost necessary) pop culture references and slang.
Topic - prescription drug abuse.
I'm a bad person to review this, since damn, I wish I'd had access/been on half those drugs in high school. And I was in the same social circle as Thyme. Fighting to stay in the "top 10%" of the class.
Except I was more like Meera.
And I didn't figure out till sophomore year of college that I didn't want to be a drone.
But... I had pretty bad undiagnosed depression through those years.
I like the snarky tone of the protagonist. Very real life - breaking the 4th wall and addressing the readers with the "now, if this were a movie, this would be where I'd fall on my knees thank god I'd missed X happening to me and give all this up. Sorry, real life doesn't work that way."
Hardly a 'how to' manual, and it does address the dangers of drug addiction, but I'm surprised it didn't cop out with more of a happy ending.
(The author's 'afterward' nonwithstanding.)
Not great unless you're into the pop culture and YA tone. It'll bore most people over 16. Unless you're a drug abuse counselor. *shrug*
September 25, 2012
Rx by Tracy Lynn was a very interesting book to me. This book really opened my eyes to different kinds of drug abuse, not just the one's you hear about frequently (cocaine, marijuana, etc). I never thought of the perceived "good kids" or the "smart kids" being the ones to take any sort of drug. However this book really showed how easy it is to fall into the trap of prescription drug addiction. 'One time', that's what most people say, 'just this once and I will never use ritalin again. I just need it to do this presentation today. It's under control'.
I think that the way Thyme ends up selling the drugs and obtains the drugs in the first place is very relatable. This makes the whole idea of taking, buying and selling prescription drugs seem like it's no big deal as long as you have it 'under control'. Overall I really enjoyed this book and how the storyline seemed relatable and easy to visualize.
I think that the way Thyme ends up selling the drugs and obtains the drugs in the first place is very relatable. This makes the whole idea of taking, buying and selling prescription drugs seem like it's no big deal as long as you have it 'under control'. Overall I really enjoyed this book and how the storyline seemed relatable and easy to visualize.
February 27, 2011
I was really excited to read this book as soon as I bought it... I shouldn't have been. The main character is despicable on almost every level, whiny, annoying, bland. I couldn't bear to read about her perceptions, maybe this is just me but I couldn't stand it. The only reason I gave this two stars is because it was fairly realistic and it did have some elements of things that go on with prescription medications in high school. Even though I did manage to find some holes in the plot that were more than likely not intentional, it was still horrid to find lack of detail where there should have been. If this is Tracy Lynn's first novel, I may cut her some slack but please, for the love of books, keep your annoying, bland characters out of main positions (especially if they don't change throughout the book).
December 24, 2010
Was OK, I guess. Not that great of a read.There wasn't really anything that made the book stand out from any of the other drug books I've read. It was just average...
It was really drugs. Dealing, receiving, trading, using and all that. Pretty much everyone in this book used drugs.
The main character was pretty stupid and annoying to me and the other characters were just really just there to be there.
I don't rally know what to say to this book and I'm not sure how you could try to make it better. You could try, but I don't think that you'll really achieve anything unless your amazing... (don't know what I meant by that)
So anyway, this book was OK and if you want to read it, go ahead, I don't recommend it though...
It was really drugs. Dealing, receiving, trading, using and all that. Pretty much everyone in this book used drugs.
The main character was pretty stupid and annoying to me and the other characters were just really just there to be there.
I don't rally know what to say to this book and I'm not sure how you could try to make it better. You could try, but I don't think that you'll really achieve anything unless your amazing... (don't know what I meant by that)
So anyway, this book was OK and if you want to read it, go ahead, I don't recommend it though...
June 4, 2008
This book is about Thyme, a high school student who thinks she has ADHD. Her parents don't believe that, so she ends up stealing a bottle of Ritalin from a friend. She discovers that it helps her study better, so she starts trading her mom's Xanax for Ritalin with her classmates to keep up her supply. Eventually she starts dealing other prescription drugs, until a tragedy strikes the school. Then Thyme has to decide if she's really helping or hurting her other classmates.
This book takes you into the pressures of staying on top in high school. It's a great read geared more towards the YA crowd, but I still enjoyed it.
This book takes you into the pressures of staying on top in high school. It's a great read geared more towards the YA crowd, but I still enjoyed it.
November 16, 2009
This book wasn't the greatest. There really was nothing specifically lacking, it just wasn't that memorable. I thought it was going to be better and more exciting by the description on the back. It just seemed like one long "don't do drugs" seminar. It also seemed a little unrealistic to me, as of every character having access to perscription meds. It also was a little confusing keeping all the characters and their personalities straight. This novel was good, but I don't really recommend buying it.
September 7, 2011
I think this book is interesting. the plot and everything. An AP student living life secretly as a pill popper, and eventually a drug dealer. I would of never thought of this kind of story. It would always be the "bad kids" doing drugs, but in this book every one does drugs, the "twenties" , and potheads. Only the straight people of course stay drug free. but the world she lives in is very different, and she's not really enjoying life trying to impress and live for others. I read it not too long ago, and I do have to say the beginning is slow and boring I would say? it's a nice book though
April 4, 2015
Intriguing book... Deals with drugs, the education system, self-definition, etc. Not really mind-blowingly brilliant in any sense but it definitely has some things to digest. It's a complicated problem, self-worth gets wrapped up in grades; grades aren't generally an accurate measure of learning; drugs help people get higher grades. (I mean pharmaceuticals, Xanax, Ritalin, Valium, that type of thing.) Complicated mess? Yes. Easy solution? No.
(Also the author defined Coldplay as a goth band. I mean... I'm not sure if goth bands or Coldplay should feel insulted.)
(Also the author defined Coldplay as a goth band. I mean... I'm not sure if goth bands or Coldplay should feel insulted.)
December 4, 2018
It was a very quick read as Tracy Lynn has written it so well. I never thought one of these books would become somewhat addictive which is ironic as the main character overcomes an addiction to illegal prescription drugs.
The book is very relevant to what is going on in schools and colleges today and shows how desperate people can get for grades and social security.
I would highly recommend this to anybody mainly teens and young adults as it is not relatable necessarily but relevant.
The book is very relevant to what is going on in schools and colleges today and shows how desperate people can get for grades and social security.
I would highly recommend this to anybody mainly teens and young adults as it is not relatable necessarily but relevant.
May 11, 2020
It was a quick read but there were no likable characters in this book. I felt no sympathy for Thyme and I honestly just wanted her to get caught dealing just so she actually had something to complain about. This book did show how easy it is for teenagers to get drugs. Although after all Thyme went through she can't seem to break the cycle which irritated me.
April 16, 2019
I needed a small interlude from all the fantasy I've been reading lately, so I decided to pick up this short YA Contemporary that I've had on my shelves for a few years. Unfortunately, this book was a huge disappointment and a waste of time. It wasn't worth reading. We follow the main character named Thyme Gillcrest who's an overachieving honour student who begins taking Ritalin as a "study aid." I didn't like her as a character. The story is written stream of consciousness like being inside her head. It's like hearing a voiceover monologue during a TV show, or movie. She comes off as whiny, annoying and so juvenile. She got on my nerves very quickly. I didn't like any of other characters either. None of them were likeable. Thyme is feeling pressure to be perfect and compete with her classmates to get into a good college. She begins dealing prescription drugs, and unsurprisingly, she starts becoming addicted herself.
She gives Paxil to Genevieve, so she won't be socially awkward at school. Kevin wants Valium so he can relax while giving oral presentations. Thyme feels like she's doing a good thing by helping her "friends" cope with their problems. She even gets caught up in the partying scene and things go from bad to worse. Thyme is a typical sad high school girl. Her two "best friends" are Lida, a stoner and "Suze," a poster-child for unexpected teen pregnancy. The characters in general are so two dimensional with absolutely no personality or definition to them at all. Even Thyme's parents both abuse drugs and are barely involved in her life. Her father even disguises his drug use with frequent exercising and the supposed "healthy vitamins" he takes daily. I mean, could this book get anymore awful? It can.
Thyme's love interest Will isn't even remotely interesting. He's the only in the novel who's against Thyme's drug use. He's known for having sudden bouts of anger and a vandalism problem. He also has no personality like the other characters. I feel like the author was just sticking a label on the characters and her characterization was done.
I didn't even like the conclusion. There was no progress in Thyme's development. I was hoping she would change, or have some arc, but she didn't. There was just a continuation of Thyme's self-destructive behaviour. I didn't find the book to be insightful, or meaningful. It was a boring story that couldn't end soon enough. I purchased this book from Book Outlet three years ago and didn't pay too much for it. It's a good thing because I definitely won't be reading this again. I wouldn't recommend this book. Spend your time reading something you know you'll enjoy.
She gives Paxil to Genevieve, so she won't be socially awkward at school. Kevin wants Valium so he can relax while giving oral presentations. Thyme feels like she's doing a good thing by helping her "friends" cope with their problems. She even gets caught up in the partying scene and things go from bad to worse. Thyme is a typical sad high school girl. Her two "best friends" are Lida, a stoner and "Suze," a poster-child for unexpected teen pregnancy. The characters in general are so two dimensional with absolutely no personality or definition to them at all. Even Thyme's parents both abuse drugs and are barely involved in her life. Her father even disguises his drug use with frequent exercising and the supposed "healthy vitamins" he takes daily. I mean, could this book get anymore awful? It can.
Thyme's love interest Will isn't even remotely interesting. He's the only in the novel who's against Thyme's drug use. He's known for having sudden bouts of anger and a vandalism problem. He also has no personality like the other characters. I feel like the author was just sticking a label on the characters and her characterization was done.
I didn't even like the conclusion. There was no progress in Thyme's development. I was hoping she would change, or have some arc, but she didn't. There was just a continuation of Thyme's self-destructive behaviour. I didn't find the book to be insightful, or meaningful. It was a boring story that couldn't end soon enough. I purchased this book from Book Outlet three years ago and didn't pay too much for it. It's a good thing because I definitely won't be reading this again. I wouldn't recommend this book. Spend your time reading something you know you'll enjoy.
December 7, 2017
Thyme Gilcrest is an overachiever. She鈥檚 in her Junior year of high school and has been racking up the extracurriculars and AP credits she needs to get into a good college. At her high school, there are three main cliques: the jocks, the rich kids, and The Twenty. The Twenty is Thyme鈥檚 nickname for the students with the top twenty GPAs in her graduating class. She BARELY made it into The Twenty, with GPA number nineteen or twenty. But, Thyme is struggling to stay in the top tenth percentile of her graduating class and is in dire need of a 鈥渟tudy aid鈥�. For weeks she has been trying to get her parents to take her to the doctor for a Ritalin prescription because she believes it will help her focus. So, when one of the other students in The Twenty is prescribed Ritalin and refuses to take it, she takes advantage of the situation and cops the prescription for herself. At first, Thyme is only using Ritalin to get her GPA up but, when her pseudo friend (more of an acquaintance really) Dave vents to her about needing to get better grades, Thyme advises him to take a couple Ritalin as 鈥渟tudy aid[s]鈥�. Soon, word gets out about her 鈥渟tudy aid鈥� at school and her classmates start coming to her for 鈥渟leep aids鈥�, 鈥渁nxiety aids鈥� and so on. Thyme stumbles into the world of drug dealing and before she knows it, she鈥檚 top dog. But as Thyme will soon come to find out, 鈥渘othing [is] free鈥� and her rise in the social hierarchy will come at a great cost.
This book deals with the taboo topic of prescription drug addiction. I believe Tracy Lynn deals with this topic masterfully. She stresses the gravity of prescription drug addiction but also captures how its use has been normalized among students. Rx is important because people need to realize that drug addiction is not limited to students with low GPAs or from low socioeconomic statuses.
This book deals with the taboo topic of prescription drug addiction. I believe Tracy Lynn deals with this topic masterfully. She stresses the gravity of prescription drug addiction but also captures how its use has been normalized among students. Rx is important because people need to realize that drug addiction is not limited to students with low GPAs or from low socioeconomic statuses.
April 10, 2018
So, other than this book being INSANELY boring, I had a real problem with the message, but more on that in a minute. First, this book Bored. Me. To. Tears. I did not care about the main character, Thyme, at all. She was vapid and predictable. And, you know, a drug dealer. Also, this book had virtually no plot except for Thyme selling prescription drugs, trading one drug or another drug, and complaining about her best friends. *yawn*
But, my biggest, hugest, most GIGANTIC complaint is that there were no repercussions for Thyme's actions. None. She sold drugs, got herself hooked on Ritalin, drank to excess, used other hard drugs, sold drugs to a girl who ultimately committed suicide and... got accepted to a good college. She was never caught. She served no jail time. And the one other dealer who DID get caught only received community service in the story (what ultimately happened with his case is never revealed). So, the lesson in this book to teens is, you can sell/use illegal substances and, as long as you are smart, you won't get caught. There's no consequences to be seen here. NO. This is NOT the message we need to be sending to our youth.
Oh, and Ritalin is repeatedly referred to as "just a 'study aide.'" I think we're supposed to see through that and understand that the author thinks it is more serious than that, but that is not ever really made explicitly clear. Just so much wrong with this book; I truly think it borders on dangerous, and I am considering removing it from my classroom shelves.
But, my biggest, hugest, most GIGANTIC complaint is that there were no repercussions for Thyme's actions. None. She sold drugs, got herself hooked on Ritalin, drank to excess, used other hard drugs, sold drugs to a girl who ultimately committed suicide and... got accepted to a good college. She was never caught. She served no jail time. And the one other dealer who DID get caught only received community service in the story (what ultimately happened with his case is never revealed). So, the lesson in this book to teens is, you can sell/use illegal substances and, as long as you are smart, you won't get caught. There's no consequences to be seen here. NO. This is NOT the message we need to be sending to our youth.
Oh, and Ritalin is repeatedly referred to as "just a 'study aide.'" I think we're supposed to see through that and understand that the author thinks it is more serious than that, but that is not ever really made explicitly clear. Just so much wrong with this book; I truly think it borders on dangerous, and I am considering removing it from my classroom shelves.
December 21, 2020
This book is one I've read probably 50+ times. It is a fast read and a good one in my opinion. Reading other reviews, I think this book is a great example of everyone interprets things differently. Many reviews state Thyme as an unlikeable character. I disagree with them, as I think Thyme represents a driven, yet struggling student who believes she had undiagnosed ADHD. She also has a curiosity in all things pharmaceuticals (I also share this interest, so maybe that's why I don't hate the character). She also struggles with a friend group from childhood that has seemingly ran its course and fitting in with her other group that is way too obsessed with getting into college. I will say that is the one thing in this book that seemed unrealistic, the focus on academics. However, in this book it does correlate with the intense drug use that Thyme gets wrapped up in as she begins to sell and diagnose other people and deals to them accordingly. This book has a somewhat surprising and open ending. I thought there would be a sequel but I don't believe there is one. If you're into drug books like me this one is definitely one to check out. I'm not saying it's the best book ever, but it's not nearly as bad as some of these reviews make it out to be.
April 29, 2020
This book was... not good. On so many levels. Lynn tries way to hard to seem 'with the times' and she fails spectacularly at it. As much as she makes fun of certain characters for sounding like a cliche teen drama, her entire writing style comes of as just that. She tries to be witty and sarcastic but it just comes off as needy and desperate. She also has a fundamental misunderstanding of modern high schools. No one goes into the bathroom and starts loudly asking for drugs, that's literally not a thing. The tylenol/pamperin, sure we all traded contraband otc painkillers in the bathroom, but no one just runs around asking for fucking heroin or oxy.
Lackluster writing aside, most of Lynn's medical information is just straight up wrong. As someone who has studied psychopharmacology (how drugs interact with the brain), she's plain wrong. It's blatantly obvious that she did a few quick WebMD searches an called it good. Not good, and definitely not ethical to publish work with such misleading information.
Read for the 2020 Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge, Prompt #1: A book with a title that doesn't contain the letters A, T or Y
Lackluster writing aside, most of Lynn's medical information is just straight up wrong. As someone who has studied psychopharmacology (how drugs interact with the brain), she's plain wrong. It's blatantly obvious that she did a few quick WebMD searches an called it good. Not good, and definitely not ethical to publish work with such misleading information.
Read for the 2020 Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge, Prompt #1: A book with a title that doesn't contain the letters A, T or Y
July 4, 2014
I started reading Tracy Lynn鈥檚 young adult novel, Rx鈥� because I wanted to gain a deeper understanding into the world of drug addiction. I wanted to see more of how people become addicted to drugs and why they start taking drugs to begin with. Needless to say, I was not disappointed in this novel.
Rx is a young adult novel told in first-person by a high-school senior, Thyme. At first glance the only thing that seemed unusual about Thyme was her name which she explained herself in the novel. Thyme was just your typical high-school senior fighting for a high GPA, participating in various extra-curricular activities to boost her transcript, and fretting about college applications.
One of Thyme鈥檚 biggest problems in life was her inability to focus. She worried about her GPA and the fact that although she is one of the 鈥渢wenties鈥�, (a name she uses to refer to the top 20 students in her graduating class),she was only in the bottom percentage of that 20. She studied endlessly taking Kaplan prep courses, working on SAT study guides,and preparing for her AP class tests. However, she believed that if she could only focus more she would be able to study harder and therefore improve her GPA and increase her chances of getting into a good school.
One day, while eating breakfast with her family, Thyme announced her desire to see a doctor 鈥� a special kind of doctor. She believed that she had ADD and would like to be treated for it through the use of prescription medication 鈥� namely Ritalin. However, her parents dismissed her and told her that she did not have any mental, emotional, or behavior treatments. Thyme was then left to solve her problems on her own.
While Thyme may not have been at the top of the list for the Twenties 鈥� she was no dummy. Thyme was actually quite intelligent especially when it comes to the world of prescription medication. This proved to be both a positive and a negative thing. She knew that Ritalin was exactly what she needed to treat her ADD and to make her more focused.
Obtaining Ritalin proved to be much easier than Thyme ever anticipated. She was able to get it relatively easy from a friend whom was prescribed it but refused to take it. She quickly snatched the bottle and began taking it regularly. She was impressed by how well it seemed to treat her ADD. Studying was no longer a problem. Her grades improved. She had more energy. Sounds great, right? WRONG.
Thyme grew more and more dependant on it. She HAD to have it. And when she didn鈥檛 have it, she went through severe withdrawal. Reading about Thyme鈥檚 withdrawal from Ritalin was like reading of a heroin addict鈥檚 withdrawal from well,heroin. People always assume that prescription medication is safe because it is FDA approved. But there is definitely such thing as too much of a good thing, especially when you are your own doctor.
Since Thyme was never actually prescribed Ritalin and was not going to a doctor to actually be treated for her condition, she had to take matters into her own hands when it came to obtaining Ritalin. The stolen bottle of pills only lasted for a limited time, and as she seen through her terrible withdrawal, she needed more. Desperately. Her body was now completely dependant on it.
Thyme had to take some risks and sometimes drastic measures to get more Ritalin. This resulted in stealing it from those she knew had or may have had it, and eventually, becoming an all-out drug dealer with lists of who could get her Ritalin, how much it would cost, and if there was any medications she could trade for it.
Turns out Thyme wasn鈥檛 the only one without a doctor and in need of prescription medication.
There were many people in her town of Ashbury that were in the same boat as Thyme: self-diagnosing and in need of a prescription pill to provide a quick-fix for their problems. Thyme never had any problems finding people to trade with or sell to. In fact, sometimes she even began diagnosing and suggesting pills to people herself. She was becoming a well-known and professional dealer in Ashbury and it was ruining her life.
When one of Thyme鈥檚 clients committed suicide, it changed her. She felt guilty for providing her with pills which may have encouraged her to commit suicide. She vowed to stop dealing altogether. While she may have followed through on the dealing end of things, she never quite kicked her addiction to Ritalin. The novel concludes with Thyme away at college with just two Ritalin pills with her 鈥渏ust in case鈥�. She tried to flush them down the toilet, but quickly tries to get them out of the water before it is too late. This just goes to show how easy it is to become addicted to prescription medication and how difficult it can be to quit.
What I liked the most about Rx was how real and raw it was. Thyme is very easy to relate to. The author does not try to paint her as being a bad person and you never want to call her a 鈥渄ruggie鈥� and even 鈥渄ealer鈥� seems harsh. You sympathsize with her and at times almost find yourself supporting and agreeing with her use of Ritalin. She does not even seem like a bad person for dealing drugs 鈥� she sounds more like someone that is trying to help her peers and herself at the same time.
Lynn created a very real story with Rx that allows the reader to open their eyes a bit to see how serious prescription medication drug addiction is. The reader gains a sense of awareness of how easy it is to begin taking prescription medication and how difficult it is to quit. It makes you realize that drugs are a very deep problem with today鈥檚 youth and that goes for way more than just the stereotypical use of weed. We as a society should be on the lookout for prescription drug use in schools, and we should realize that it鈥檚 not just a problem with 鈥渟toners鈥� but even with the well-rounded college-bound kids like Thyme.
Rx is a young adult novel told in first-person by a high-school senior, Thyme. At first glance the only thing that seemed unusual about Thyme was her name which she explained herself in the novel. Thyme was just your typical high-school senior fighting for a high GPA, participating in various extra-curricular activities to boost her transcript, and fretting about college applications.
One of Thyme鈥檚 biggest problems in life was her inability to focus. She worried about her GPA and the fact that although she is one of the 鈥渢wenties鈥�, (a name she uses to refer to the top 20 students in her graduating class),she was only in the bottom percentage of that 20. She studied endlessly taking Kaplan prep courses, working on SAT study guides,and preparing for her AP class tests. However, she believed that if she could only focus more she would be able to study harder and therefore improve her GPA and increase her chances of getting into a good school.
One day, while eating breakfast with her family, Thyme announced her desire to see a doctor 鈥� a special kind of doctor. She believed that she had ADD and would like to be treated for it through the use of prescription medication 鈥� namely Ritalin. However, her parents dismissed her and told her that she did not have any mental, emotional, or behavior treatments. Thyme was then left to solve her problems on her own.
While Thyme may not have been at the top of the list for the Twenties 鈥� she was no dummy. Thyme was actually quite intelligent especially when it comes to the world of prescription medication. This proved to be both a positive and a negative thing. She knew that Ritalin was exactly what she needed to treat her ADD and to make her more focused.
Obtaining Ritalin proved to be much easier than Thyme ever anticipated. She was able to get it relatively easy from a friend whom was prescribed it but refused to take it. She quickly snatched the bottle and began taking it regularly. She was impressed by how well it seemed to treat her ADD. Studying was no longer a problem. Her grades improved. She had more energy. Sounds great, right? WRONG.
Thyme grew more and more dependant on it. She HAD to have it. And when she didn鈥檛 have it, she went through severe withdrawal. Reading about Thyme鈥檚 withdrawal from Ritalin was like reading of a heroin addict鈥檚 withdrawal from well,heroin. People always assume that prescription medication is safe because it is FDA approved. But there is definitely such thing as too much of a good thing, especially when you are your own doctor.
Since Thyme was never actually prescribed Ritalin and was not going to a doctor to actually be treated for her condition, she had to take matters into her own hands when it came to obtaining Ritalin. The stolen bottle of pills only lasted for a limited time, and as she seen through her terrible withdrawal, she needed more. Desperately. Her body was now completely dependant on it.
Thyme had to take some risks and sometimes drastic measures to get more Ritalin. This resulted in stealing it from those she knew had or may have had it, and eventually, becoming an all-out drug dealer with lists of who could get her Ritalin, how much it would cost, and if there was any medications she could trade for it.
Turns out Thyme wasn鈥檛 the only one without a doctor and in need of prescription medication.
There were many people in her town of Ashbury that were in the same boat as Thyme: self-diagnosing and in need of a prescription pill to provide a quick-fix for their problems. Thyme never had any problems finding people to trade with or sell to. In fact, sometimes she even began diagnosing and suggesting pills to people herself. She was becoming a well-known and professional dealer in Ashbury and it was ruining her life.
When one of Thyme鈥檚 clients committed suicide, it changed her. She felt guilty for providing her with pills which may have encouraged her to commit suicide. She vowed to stop dealing altogether. While she may have followed through on the dealing end of things, she never quite kicked her addiction to Ritalin. The novel concludes with Thyme away at college with just two Ritalin pills with her 鈥渏ust in case鈥�. She tried to flush them down the toilet, but quickly tries to get them out of the water before it is too late. This just goes to show how easy it is to become addicted to prescription medication and how difficult it can be to quit.
What I liked the most about Rx was how real and raw it was. Thyme is very easy to relate to. The author does not try to paint her as being a bad person and you never want to call her a 鈥渄ruggie鈥� and even 鈥渄ealer鈥� seems harsh. You sympathsize with her and at times almost find yourself supporting and agreeing with her use of Ritalin. She does not even seem like a bad person for dealing drugs 鈥� she sounds more like someone that is trying to help her peers and herself at the same time.
Lynn created a very real story with Rx that allows the reader to open their eyes a bit to see how serious prescription medication drug addiction is. The reader gains a sense of awareness of how easy it is to begin taking prescription medication and how difficult it is to quit. It makes you realize that drugs are a very deep problem with today鈥檚 youth and that goes for way more than just the stereotypical use of weed. We as a society should be on the lookout for prescription drug use in schools, and we should realize that it鈥檚 not just a problem with 鈥渟toners鈥� but even with the well-rounded college-bound kids like Thyme.
September 24, 2021
Thyme Gilcrest is a part of the Twenty, the twenty top academic students at her high school. But she doesn鈥檛 believe she has the talent to be there. So when she gets hold of a classmate鈥檚 Ritalin prescription, she begins to use the popular study aid drug to focus on her studies. But as the pills start to run out, she needs to find a way to get more. Soon she is trading narcotics like OxyContin and Paxil to get her study drugs. And she wonders how she became the drug dealer in her school. But she doesn鈥檛 know how to stop.
This book was an average read. There was just something about the characters that seemed unnatural. Every single character seemed to be doing drugs, sleeping around, or something else unsavory. Even Thyme was difficult to relate to. She sinks so fast into dealing drugs, and she doesn鈥檛 really seem sorry. The plot was interesting, but the characters were difficult to like. A decent book, but I read for characters, and they just weren鈥檛 the kind I could root for.
Drugs are a big problem today, and not just the illegal ones. Yes, they are a problem in schools, and study aids are often abused in the hyper-competitive race to get into the best colleges. And they are a problem even in corporate companies where bosses push their employees past the point of natural ability and function. So, considering the subject matter, I would recommend this book to older teenagers and above. Just be forewarned that the plot is better than the characters.
This book was an average read. There was just something about the characters that seemed unnatural. Every single character seemed to be doing drugs, sleeping around, or something else unsavory. Even Thyme was difficult to relate to. She sinks so fast into dealing drugs, and she doesn鈥檛 really seem sorry. The plot was interesting, but the characters were difficult to like. A decent book, but I read for characters, and they just weren鈥檛 the kind I could root for.
Drugs are a big problem today, and not just the illegal ones. Yes, they are a problem in schools, and study aids are often abused in the hyper-competitive race to get into the best colleges. And they are a problem even in corporate companies where bosses push their employees past the point of natural ability and function. So, considering the subject matter, I would recommend this book to older teenagers and above. Just be forewarned that the plot is better than the characters.
December 24, 2022
Where do I even begin... If it wasn鈥檛 for her constant questioning or her on going rambling, I felt like this book was written to give a boring 鈥榮uburban white girl that likes the black bad boy but it can never be because she needs drugs for school and he doesn鈥檛 need them鈥�. This book is all over the place but tries to stay on course which sounds like she on drugs while writing the book. I鈥檓 being a little harsh but I never wanted to read a book more quickly so it would end. This book could have potential if she didn鈥檛 brush the race issue in the book like 鈥榳ell maybe it鈥檚 about race鈥� like girl it鈥檚 your book pick a side?! I was really interested and hoping it would be a book about a popular girl falling into drugs and try to balance high school, life, and her drug habit but it was shamefully water down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2022
Shortly into this book I wasn鈥檛 very excited about the rest of the writing. As much as I loved the concept, it was not executed properly. I started to take this book less seriously as soon as I saw the R slur. Though it is a quick read, it鈥檚 a bit of a disappointing one. Rx is set through a teenage girls perspective but hardly is able to capture that teenage feeling through the writing. The feeling of selling drugs in a high school, the dialogue, and word choice were very obviously not chosen thoroughly. As much as the plot and idea of this book interested me, it did not captivate me. Perhaps this book is a little outdated to me as a teenager in 2022 and not in 2005.
December 26, 2017
I struggled finishing this book because the main character, Thyme, was extremely selfish, annoying, and fake. I can see the importance of the plot and the message behind it all, But Thyme got away with everything, not really reaping a punishment for abusing prescription drugs. Also, there were a few plot holes with her friend, Suze. I honestly would not read this again, nor recommend it. There are way better books that go through the prescription drug epidemic and how it affects young teens.
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