Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Luster by Raven Leilani

107 reviews

avacate9's review

emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Medical content, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Pregnancy, Racism, Self harm, Abortion, Addiction, Police brutality, and Sexual violence

dori39's review

challenging dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Racism, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

Moderate: Police brutality, Drug use, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide, Mental illness, Gun violence, Animal death, and Alcoholism

sofiatriestoread's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Death, and Drug use

Moderate: Physical abuse

Minor: Infidelity

ejsreads's review

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

Darker themes and humor than I would typically go for with very unlikeable characters, IMO. However, the writing style is. absolutely. genius. 
 
3.5/5 stars only because it was difficult for me to sympathize with the characters, plotline, and thematic elements (which I personally deem as bizarre emptiness à la "millennial fiction"). 
Nevertheless, Lelani's prose is incredibly captivating and deeply human albeit grotesque at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

Moderate: Medical content, Racism, Sexual violence, and Police brutality

Minor: Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Drug use, and Suicide

dorsetreader's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad slow-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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Self harm, Medical content, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Police brutality

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Addiction, Mental illness, Infertility, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Abortion, Alcoholism, Animal death, Classism, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, and Toxic friendship

harrirebekah's review against another edition

challenging dark funny slow-paced

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

2.5

2.5 ⭐️ A confusing one. Really enjoyed the start of this book, but for something so relatively short this took me so long to finish the last 80 pages.

I’m not gonna lie I was completely lost after the 110 page mark, I felt like I slipped a chapter. I also really didn’t vibe with the Eric of Rebecca at all, I felt conflicted about Edie and just miserable for Akila.

Idk I thought there were some interesting themes around being a twenty-something who is lost post-graduation, dealing with a lot of built up trauma and an honest and witty take on sex and relationships. But, I just didn’t love it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Drug use, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts

orireading's review against another edition

dark 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: Alcoholism, Racism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicide, Alcohol, Medical content, and Police brutality

Moderate: Abortion and Vomit

betttyy8's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Blood, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Medical content, and Addiction

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Drug use, and Infertility

Minor: Gun violence

raynaaskiverr's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infertility, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

blackloreuk's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Raven work is brilliant here! We get into generational trauma, the adultisation of young black girls, and the affects of slut shaming. 

I didn’t really like the fact that Eric was white but raven may have done that to present the racial and gender power dynamics. 

Raven gives a backstory to every aspect and helps us understand Edie thought process in everything she does. She doesn’t justify or try and make her character a victim she simply talks about it. Helps the reader really understand what is happening in the book!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse

Moderate: Abandonment, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, and Medical trauma