I read it for a book report once upon a time. And I absolutely hated it. Not because I didn't like the story or the subject matter or whatever. I hated it because it was so depressing. Seriously, that book is just so goddamn sad. But the main thing that makes it so sad is that it's probably the autobiography of multi millions of teengirls out there.
Promiscuity... drug addiction... getting knocked up... street life... getting thrown in prison... sooo amazingly fucking depressing, and pathetic that people can allow themselves to become like that. They don't even deserve to live.
Same reason why I couldn't bear to read the sequel.
I love them (I've read them all at least 5 times each)