Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

7 reviews

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

woweewhoa's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Outing, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Medical content, Police brutality, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

alexafuson's review

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

I had high expectations for this book, and it did not disappoint! Àbíké-Íyímídé does a fantastic job of presenting systemic racism and showing how Black students, especially Black queer students, are targeted by the system of education. As an educator, this was uncomfortable to read, but uncomfortable in a way that is very necessary for white people to feel. The book explored intersectionality through its depiction of race, gender, and sexuality. 

I was riveted from the very beginning. The plot was intense and fast-paced, although I did feel like the end was really rushed. I don’t feel like I really got to know the two main characters, because they were more representatives of different identities rather than fully-developed characters. However, I was still extremely invested, and I would recommend this book to anyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Racism, Stalking, Outing, Blood, Sexism, Murder, Misogyny, Classism, Car accident, and Mass/school shootings

marioncromb's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

The things this book reminded me most are the films Master (2022) and Get Out (2017), so if you liked those, check this out and vice versa.

I thought this book was great, super tense and gripping as the stakes ramp up and up for the two leads and as more of the mysterious rumour-spreader Aces is uncovered. It could be frustrating when as a reader you're a few steps ahead of the characters (why they don't realise Ward is clearly A Baddie from the start...!) but thats very much a staple trope of the horror/thriller genre to be shouting 'don't do that! don't trust them!'

It maybe missed a trick having queer leads but not asexual/ace ones!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Racism, Bullying, Outing, Racial slurs, Violence, Homophobia, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Stalking, Death of parent, Car accident, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Adult/minor relationship

liaandersson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

I am beginning to understand the true depth of racism. The book gave me a lot of insight and made me realize how afraid I have been on the topic of racism. Every page gave me knowledge. Read this book!

Update: It has been a couple of months since I read it and I can tell all of you reading this review, hand to the heart, it is constantly in the back of my head. I have started my own journey towards becoming an anti-racist, and this book is one of the many reasons why. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Physical abuse, Bullying, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Outing

Moderate: Car accident, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

nyoom's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Slavery

sarah984's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a wild ride of a high school thriller about two students who are targeted by a mysterious figure who seems to know everything about them. The first half was a little too slow for me, but the second half knocked my socks off. The twists were great, the character voices were fun, and I liked the ending.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Outing

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide attempt, and Vomit