Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrash

9 reviews

amaranth_wytch's review

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Homophobia, Violence, Bullying, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny, Outing, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Classism, Cursing, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Suicide, Deadnaming, Rape, and Stalking

brinnavirginia's review

emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Animal death, Mental illness, Alcohol, Grief, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death, Dementia, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Violence, Outing, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Murder, and Transphobia

inkylabyrinth's review

dark emotional tense

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This was more bleak than expected, and it was missing some of the dark humor and campness from the first few chapters. Still, I simply could not put it down. Full of intrigue and court room drama, it's more a grim coming-of-age than a thriller for sure.

I wish there was less "and that's when my life was about to get much worse" and more trust that the story was unfolding just fine on its own. But the writing went down ever so smoothly, and I will be keeping my eye on what else Thrash writes.

However, setting your book in the 90s is not an excuse to use the R slur over and over. It was quite unnecessary.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use

Moderate: Sexual violence and Child abuse

Minor: Ableism

holleranaboutbooks's review

dark emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

This is a gripping literary thriller that left me breathless! When the Satanic Panic hits small-town New Hampshire, 14 year old Lacey Bond loses everything - her parents, her sister, her innocence, and even her identity. I was completely captured by this gutwrenching narrative where the only justice is that which you seize for yourself. The portrayals of PTSD and trauma in this book were so relatable and vivid. And to be honest, I just wanted to give Lacey a hug by the end for what she had endured.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Gun violence, Murder, Lesbophobia, Drug use, Blood, Death, and Sexual harassment

readingwithgoose's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

2.5

The writing is really good and I think the story was told well. I just felt no joy while reading it. Not quite "trauma-porn", but everything just kept getting worse and darker and idk. Don't recommend if you want a fun read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Violence, Grief, Gore, Pedophilia, Self harm, Murder, Suicide attempt, Death, Lesbophobia, and Outing

Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Addiction, Bullying, and Blood

nickel_books's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This novel is not for the faint of heart. Thrash's adult debut chronicles the life of a New Hampshire teen whose whole family is caught up in the Satanic Panic, experiencing tragedy and trauma for the 20 years that follow the fateful night of her parents' arrest. Rainbow Black is a challenging read that produces a wide range of emotions - anger, frustration, horror, dismay, compassion, and a smidgen of hope. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Pedophilia, Rape, Transphobia, Animal death, Deadnaming, Gore, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Child abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Death, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, and Violence

hsheehan85's review against another edition

slow-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? It's complicated

2.75

The book started out really interesting. I liked following the story of the satanic panic during the 90s and what it was like to be gay during that time. Then, the main character kept making comments of something that happened and it felt like forever before we get to where it actually happens. Then takes even longer to get to the point of it all after the event. It felt to me like a lot of filler to make a longer book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Murder, Transphobia, and Homophobia

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Bullying

hannabee's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Violence, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Outing, Homophobia, Gun violence, Lesbophobia, Suicide, and Deadnaming

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, and Drug abuse

book_ish_bitch's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Drug use, and Homophobia