Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

As de picas by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

331 reviews

airr's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Drug use, Racism, Homophobia, and Addiction

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Grief, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Blood, Car accident, Murder, Stalking, Death, Death of parent, and Violence

lnms04's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Physical abuse, Outing, Drug use, and Emotional abuse

elfyn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Fucking fantastic. Challenging in all the right ways. I finished it in one sitting.

I literally cried at reading dr and professor in the epilogue.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Drug use, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Stalking, Addiction, Death, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Grief, Bullying, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment

oleaceae_18's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Such a good book! I felt like it was a little bit slow in the beginning, and the resolution at the end was wrapped up a little too quickly in my opinion. But this book is such a good depiction of systemic racism and how everyone around you really is involved. I loved the friendships developed among the black characters. The gaslighting and microaggressions were so aggravating to read, but only because it's so real. I highly recommend reading for everyone. And the authors note was really touching. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Gaslighting, and Racism

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Homophobia, Outing, Car accident, Gun violence, Colonisation, Police brutality, and Racial slurs

nillech's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

A simmering evil lives within these pages of frustrating cruelty conquered only just by a hope that community can triumph over the complexities of generational indoctrination.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Murder, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Homophobia, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual content

ismildlypoetic's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

5 stars are typically reserved for books that changed my life or I hyperfixated on them

While I don't know if Ace of Spades fits those qualifications, its resemblance to media (that very much did have some core memories) and the importance of its message, plus the way it had me turning pages, I very much feel that this book deserves the 5 stars anyway.

For fans of Pretty Little Liars, this book gives that horrendous cyberbullying experience we're familiar with, plus the added twist of

systematic racism.

There were multiple times I wrote in my reading app that I was terrified to turn the page, knowing that whatever was coming wouldn't be good for our two title characters.

Now time for my infodump:

As for the characters, Devon, I loved. I loved him from the first page. I think he has a genuine care for people, even those who've wronged him. He shoots high, but he does what is right to get to them, and I truly admire that.
As for Chiamaka, my love-hate relationship with her was strong. There are very few people in this world she cared for besides herself, and she didn't give a shit who fell as long as she didn't fall with them. However, I am very happy she got a happy ending. And I hope she kept on her journey of self-growth in those sixteen years after Niveus burned.

I highly recommend this book, especially for those who see themselves, like me, relating to some of the other characters at Niveus. We could all use a lesson in seeing others from a different point of view.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, Bullying, Car accident, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Alcohol, Stalking, Death of parent, Outing, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Blood, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Vomit, and Sexual assault

mkelly's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

this book is fucking chilling. an incredible and difficult read but so worth it. would rate higher than 5 stars if i could. cannot wait to read what àbíké-íyímídé writes next

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Homophobia, Stalking, Outing, Hate crime, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Car accident, Drug use, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

lulibooks's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Blood, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Drug use

the_true_monroe's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

When I started the audio book, I did not expect it to go the way it did. Although as I went through, I knew what was coming but not to the degree that it came. Wow.

Definitely a psychological thriller, with similar vibes to ‘Get Out’ (although both are completely different stories focusing on different aspects of horrors related to racism). 

4 stars because there was a lot I wish was expanded upon, like a follow-up on characters such a Belle, Scotty, Andre and Jack.

Also, I absolutely love how on the author’s websites there is art depicting the major characters. I have a hard time visualizing things based on descriptions and that really helped! I only found it writing this review since I went searching for one of the character’s names. 

I really enjoyed the author’s note, which mentions how the book was written over the course of her college career which is very symbolic to the course of the story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Outing, Death of parent, Classism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Racism, and Stalking

Moderate: Confinement, Violence, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Blood, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Trafficking

Minor: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Vomit

asurasantosha's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Car accident, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Outing, Racism, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Stalking

Minor: Mental illness, Alcohol, Drug use, and Homophobia