Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh

11 reviews

thebookkeepers's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This book started off strong for me, but the ending came abruptly and the tale felt unfinished. I enjoyed the nonlinear format and how we bounce between current day college & flashback scenes from various times of her childhood. There were some heavy themes in this I was looking forward to seeing the main character over come but didn’t feel like it truly was flushed out once I reached the final page. I was craving more closure for this main character and to know what’s next for her.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Addiction, and Sexual assault

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This was a beautifully written, heavily autobiographical story of Ada, trying to fit into a world of conflicting messages. Never feeling enough for those she loves, lacking privacy and information on her body and growing up, this was an emotional story told in verse.

The slice of life style of this was easy to listen to, despite the hardhips Ada went through. I still enjoyed seeing her grow into herself and find her identity as she navigated home, school, tumultuous relationships and toxic family.

Ultimately, Ada's story was about distancing oneself from the emotional abuse and finally loving for you and only you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Sexual content, and Gaslighting

justgraceanne's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Gaslighting

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual assault

Minor: Toxic relationship

thatenbyisisreads's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book highlights the unfortunate reality of black queer kids not being able to express their unique, authentic selves due to overbearing, strict, and religious parents. I saw a lot of myself through the lens of Ada. 

Especially, within this quote of being expected to learn the duties that come with being a "future wife/mother". "The sixth grade was already impossible without Aunty's return to change everything/ now I can't eat without permission/ I can't watch tv without permission/ It's now my job to clean the kitchen/ as the oldest child/ as the first daughter/ learning her duties as a future wife/ and mother/ who was going to understand/ all I wanted to learn/ was how to make friends/ at school." Growing up, I didn't have a safe space anywhere, including my own home due to this similar situation. 

Overall, It's important to have more young adult books to highlight topics like these because young, queer me would've felt so seen and heard. I love that this generation has the ability to have this representation readily available to them!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Addiction, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Cursing

moniipeters's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Drug use, Grief, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Alcohol, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Rape, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Lesbophobia, and Toxic relationship

aaliyahwalkshere's review

hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault

Moderate: Gaslighting and Sexual content

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Fatphobia

baguettegay's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

It’s always hard to say that you loved a book that talks about someone’s trauma, so I won’t say that I loved it. 
But I *will* say that I’m a sucker for books written solely in verse. Something about this style of writing wraps me up even more into the story and emotions. I love the connection that Candice created between Ada’s love for dance and her journey to discover who exactly she was without the opinions of others clouding her judgement.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction and Alcohol

k_stella's review

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Child abuse

Moderate: Incest

Minor: Addiction

piperlee's review

hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this coming-of-age story infused with honest questions about growing up, familial challenges marked by love, addiction, and parental expectations, exploration of self, and what it means to find purpose in something you love  - all told in such beautiful verse. This book jumps back and forth between Ada’s experience as a college freshman at an HBCU and various years during childhood, and while I know some people were disappointed that the author failed to flesh out certain aspects of Ada’s story, I enjoyed certain ambiguities and the space they allowed for imagination. Ada’s narrative is both captivating and important.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Addiction

Minor: Fatphobia

theromanticace's review

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

Moderate: Sexual assault