Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour

151 reviews

republicofben's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

What an incredible, reflective book! This isn't just a romance novel, plus one could argue the romance isn't actually the main focus of Sara and Emilie's stories. This book had a much more serious, sad tone than I expected, particularly early on. Make sure you go into this book looking for this kind of story, but I'm the right mindset it's a great read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Abandonment, and Self harm

Minor: Terminal illness, Car accident, Child abuse, Body horror, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

lady_valhella's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is dark and emotional, especially if you have any experience with what the two main characters experience. I suppose this book is meant to bear witness, to let the reader know you are not alone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Alcohol, Addiction, Death of parent, and Suicide

waterbear0821's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

A lot of the content of this book is quite dark, but the book on a whole is sweet and easy to read and satisfying.  Beyond the story of the two main characters, their families and friends are interesting and add to the story. I enjoyed how both place and culture were important to the story. I also enjoyed all the talk about food and drinks. I’m not sure that this book will stick with me -it didn’t bowl me over or teach me something- but it was enjoyable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Drug use, and Addiction

Moderate: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Infidelity

stephyrm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, Grief, Drug abuse, Addiction, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent

littki's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Child death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Grief, and Rape

Moderate: Cancer, Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Alcohol, Death, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness

Minor: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, Car accident, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

sestout's review against another edition

emotional sad 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, Grief, Death, Rape, Child death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Pedophilia, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Murder, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Drug use, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Grief, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

garciaga's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

This book was biting more than it could chew. It tries to explore a relationship through time, how you can find someone that is good for you and yet, not be the right moment. And we sort of get to see it, but it doesn't have much impact since the characters are so underdeveloped. Emilie just lets life take her places, not really taking any decisions (not even when finally finding her "life passiom", it kind of just falls on her lap); and Sara has such a horrible beginning, but from then on things just work out perfectly everytime, and there are barely any consequences.
Maybe the problem is that I was expecting a different kind of book. I was also not a fan of the love story, since it takes them half the book to actually meet and then they fall in love instantly. Where's the pinning? Where's the yearning? Where's the idea that love is something that you build and strengthen through time?
Anyway. At least the writing style was beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Drug use

Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual violence

Minor: Cancer

skan's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

The beginning of this book is very slow and it took a while to get used to LaCour's descriptive writing style. Honestly, I nearly DNFed at that point, but it does get better. I preferred one of the MCs over the other (especially at the beginning), but the narration split between the two felt very uneven, which also contributed to my dislike. That said, the book got much better once the two characters got together. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Child death

Moderate: Grief, Drug abuse, and Sexual content

Minor: Drug use and Murder

swampgrandma's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Addiction, and Death

Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use