Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

As de picas by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

394 reviews

theuncannydani's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Racism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Stalking, Classism, Death, Car accident, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual harassment, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Confinement, Alcohol, Suicide, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual violence

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Cursing, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug abuse

frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book is extremely correct in saying it’s like Gossip Girl meets Get Out.  It’s a psychological thriller for sure.  If you didn’t like Get Out, or found it too much, this might not be the best book for you

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Classism, and Racism

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

softgalaxy's review against another edition

dark 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? No

5.0

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. I could hardly put it down. It is spine-chilling. But it is reality for Black people in a world that holds whiteness above anything. 

I had my theories but what came about in the end was much more horrifying. Àbíké-Íyímídé weaved such an intense storyline that just stays with you. 

I felt so strongly for Devon and Chiamaka. The psychological torture that they were going through was unreal (something I’d never experience as a white person). 

Just an amazing book from start to finish. It had me hooked. Can’t wait to read more from Faridah in the near future!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Blood, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Death of parent, Bullying, Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Gun violence, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Hate crime

simbarabbit20's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Bullying, and Hate crime

Moderate: Car accident and Outing

Minor: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

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

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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

bookishkellyn's review against another edition

mysterious tense

• 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

3.5

Senior year starts off with a bang when the only two Black students (popular mean girl, Chiamaka & music geek, Devon) are blasted Gossip Girl style by an anonymous villain (Aces). Chiamaka struggles to uphold her perfectly crafted image while Devon fears for his safety. The culprit reveal was surprisingly sinister. The book went off the rails near the end with the Bigotry 101 dialogue and naivety of the main characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Bullying

Moderate: Homophobia, Outing, Racism, and Classism

Minor: Death of parent, Racial slurs, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

motz_stick's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book is perfect. It’s harrowingly realistic as the beginning lulls you into a sense of safety and familiarity before suddenly ripping it all away. Honestly, at the beginning I hated Chiamaka,

from her willingness to justify Jamie’s convoluted behavior to being an accomplice to murder,

but seeing the change she underwent was phenomenal. I left this book feeling so proud of the characters and like I had been there with them living it. The puzzles in this book are perfect too. Some are easy to solve so you feel like you know what’s happening just for it to all twist into a distressing finale. I was left so amazed by this book I feel like my definition of 5 stars is forever changed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Car accident, and Murder

Moderate: Grief, Forced institutionalization, Drug abuse, and Sexual violence

Minor: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Classism

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.

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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. 

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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

molroseh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Racism, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Stalking

Moderate: Death, Gaslighting, Blood, Car accident, and Death of parent