Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

84 reviews

kristensreading's review against another edition

challenging mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Hate crime

Moderate: Outing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Stalking, and Homophobia

Minor: Gun violence and Suicide attempt

k8lynn's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-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

i love this book!!! could not stop reading it & when i wasn't reading it i was thinking about it. the audiobook only enhanced this experience!!

*also trigger warning for gay people being forcibly outed to the public

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Homophobia, Hate crime, Racism, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Misogyny, Outing, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Toxic friendship

meganders22's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Bullying, Classism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Outing, Racism, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexism, Mental illness, Drug use, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Car accident, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Drug abuse

miri42's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Toxic friendship, Violence, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Classism, Homophobia, Bullying, and Racism

Moderate: Racial slurs, Stalking, and Suicide

Minor: Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Murder

emily_mh's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

I don’t want to write too much about this read, because I fear I would spoil something by accident, and I truly think the best way to experience this book is to go in not knowing much about the plot, so that you’re as confused as the MCs and disocvering the trurth right alongside them. The only reason I’m giving this less than five stars is because of some pacing issues. The first half could have been tightened up more, and more time needed to be spent on the climax. There was also an aspect of one MC that felt a bit shoehorned in and underdeveloped. But other than that, this was a truly phenomenal read, both insightful and harrowing. There were so many layers to the plot and characters that Àbíké-Íyímídé artfully constructed and peeled back for the reader. I can see why everyone raves about this work, and I’m really looking forward to reading Àbíké-Íyímídé’s 2024 release.

Rep: gay Black MC, sapphic biracial Black/white Italian/Nigerian-American MC, bi SC, Black Achillean SC

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Violence, Homophobia, Bullying, Outing, Racism, Gaslighting, and Hate crime

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Vomit, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Car accident

Minor: Murder, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Child death, Sexism, Sexual content, Death, Blood, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Drug use, Ableism, Police brutality, Bullying, Religious bigotry, Slavery, and Pregnancy

Major: three uses of the n-slur, eugenics Moderate: imprisoned loved one, capital punishment Minor: disownment, toxic masculinity, texturism, sick loved one, suicidal ideation, disordered eating

katelynprice's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

I loved the premise of this book, but it was a bit too long. It was a slow burn and took a long time to build up to the action and resolution. I was also frustrated and yelling at the characters in my mind because I thought they would make smarter decisions at times. However, the overall plot was really good, and it was a gut-punch of a book. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content

Minor: Death, Drug abuse, Violence, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, and Addiction

aurora4847's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.75

Ace of Spades was such a good read, especially for a white college graduate during Black History Month. While the stakes seem so low in the beginning, the tension and mystery keep ramping up the further in you get. It feels almost like a paranormal thriller, but with the monster being systemic racism instead of a demon. The ordeals Chiamaka and Devon have to survive are truly horrifying, and terrifyingly realistic. While it may seem exaggerated for the sake of the story, it really isn't too far off what black students actually have to deal with in academia. Chiamaka and Devon's differing socioeconomic statuses adds another layer of complexity in how they handle and think about what they're enduring. Ace of Spades is practically required reading for any white person who's benefited from access to higher education, especially more elite private schools and universities, and actually gives a damn about how POC are treated in those spaces.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Outing, Homophobia, Classism, Stalking, and Racism

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Violence, Blood, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Police brutality

This book is about systemic racism and eugenics. The main characters are the victims of harassment that grows to assault, hate crimes, stalking, and abuse. They are repeatedly betrayed by trusted individuals.

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

emilyreads15's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

4.5

This book is POWERFUL. I’ve truly never read anything like this before and I’m super thankful that my book club chose this as one of our reads. Not only was it deeply emotional but it was also very enlightening and inspiring. Ace of Spades was not only an interesting read with an interesting plot but it also discussed real world stereotypes and issues that I think more people should be aware of. This book and these characters allowed me to see our world from a completely different perspective. I was aware that racism is very much still a thing to this day but never to this extent. I’m thankful to the author for writing this book to allow readers, like myself, to learn more about topics that may have never been exposed to me before. 

On top of the meaningful message, the story was also beautifully written with lots of diversity and fast paced chapters that always kept my attention. I’ve given it 4.5 only because it’s not an all time favorite but it is easily one of the best books I’ve ever read. So much happened throughout the book, it was never boring and I’m very happy with the ending.

Overall this book was so beautiful and emotional. I 100% recommend this not just to readers but to everyone. I think every person should read this book at least once in their life. I’m looking forward to reading more by Faridah Àbíké-íyímídé in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Racial slurs, Drug abuse, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug use

Minor: Gun violence, Death, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, 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