Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist

14 reviews

nithya_natalya's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a very fun novel, and once I got into it, moved very quickly. Very dark and bitter, and a satisfying portrayal of the decay beneath the glitz of capitalism and celebrity.

The only reason that I didn't give this five stars is because I wanted it to go further than it did. While the atmosphere and general mood of the novel felt gothic, the climax and resolution didn't feel grisly and tragic and destructive enough. It felt like eat the rich, except we only got the appetizer before the novel was over.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Addiction, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Ableism, Medical content, Vomit, Self harm, Murder, and Confinement

fseely's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Medical content, and Alcoholism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Classism, and Suicide attempt

courtney_scott1025'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I read this fairly quickly, because I fell into the story and was sucked in. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, the pacing, the story. My only gripe is that some elements felt rushed, but it didn't make the book less enjoyable. I have read mostly horror, and I wouldn't say this is gory or anything like that. More mystery, but I loved it regardless. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Alcoholism

Moderate: Violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, and Suicidal thoughts

jillaay_h's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Drug abuse

amandalorianxo's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

The Great Gatsby esque allure was evident when you discover the world Lena finds herself in with the Verdeau family but it’s only obvious in the few parties she finds herself working. Lena, our main character, was living in Italy with her hand when she is told to come home due to her father’s health and the family’s need for an extra paycheck to keep everything afloat. 

  Lena soon finds a job as an assistant “doc” to one Jonathan Verdeau. It’s a little illegal / shifty since Lena dropped out of med school but no one questions Lena after she helps Jonathan when she’s trying to find her train pass to go home post interview. 

Before Lena knows it, she is caught up bit by bit until it’s too late to stop. So I was expecting more gothic / dark vibes but that kind of flickers in and out. It’s more about the messed up mindset of rich people and unfortunately those they attempt to bring down under with them Lena is one of those people Martin Verdeau (the man that hires her) tries to throw under the bus. Lena is caught up fancying the daughter Audrey (I think both MC’s are bi?) If you are into a lightly dark novel (level 0.5/1 in darkness factor) with poison and plants with queer characters, all yours. 

I don’t want to spoil anything but I was a little underwhelmed. The pacing felt a wii too fast towards the last 25% and it was all wrapped up a little too well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

mikaylaxreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Death, Physical abuse, and Medical trauma

anxiousnachos's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense

5.0

Fucking glorious. This book has slithered its vines into my head and completely consumed me. It haunts my soul. This bisexual hedonistic Gothic botanical horror has such exquisite vibes and such a wonderful pitch that I was a little worried it could never live up to what I wanted it to be - and then it did?! Iconic. It reads like a Baz Luhrmann film: somehow hazy and dream-like (or nightmarish), everything in slow-mo or reverse, I close my eyes and I can see scenes play out on my eyeballs so perfectly it has been carved into me. Poisons and sex parties and discussions of classism and murder and bisexuals and a sapphic relationship and a self-destructive man who longs for death ARE YOU KIDDING ME. 

This book was painful. It will cut you and carve itself into your soul and it will hurt. I loved every inch of it. 

Content warnings: drug use and addiction, alcohol use and addiction, chronic illness, chronic pain, non-consensual drug use including use of date-rape drugs, self harm, violence, blood, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, murder, attempted murder, classism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Drug use, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Murder, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Addiction, Blood, and Self harm

zarap's review

dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, and Alcohol

our_bookish_reads's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

What an amazing debut novel! Bravo Kit Mayquist, bravo! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

The events that transpire are so well written that they're believable. Even the characters were believable! My favorite character was Jonathan, I just felt for him and he seemed the most real in this. I was so sucked into this book that I had to force myself to peel it away from my eyes! I was shocked by some of the twists in here and did NOT expect the last few bombshells!  I can kind of get how this is compared to The Great Gatsby in that it compares the filthy rich to the absolute poor.... it also had a slight mysterious ambience while still staying in the Psychological Thriller genre. 
I could go on and on about this book all night, I really could, but I don't want to give away the whole story!

Drug abuse, alcohol, suicide ideation and attempt are very heavy in this, so if that is a trigger, I'd advise you to skip this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Medical content, Alcoholism, Addiction, Murder, Vomit, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Abandonment

booksofdahlia's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Vomit, Medical content, Death, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Alcoholism