Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Δάκρυα Ξυράφι by S.A. Cosby

33 reviews

jessiebertram's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Murder, Torture, Violence, Transphobia, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Racism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Racial slurs

thebi_brarian's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-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

An entertaining enough read but I found the narrative style really jarring. I'm not sure if it was intentional but it felt like it could do with a really thorough edit.

The plot was fairly cliche and very predictable. 

I did, however, enjoy it well enough. It would have scored higher but for the writing quality.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction and Sexism

ldruckreier's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Child death, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Mass/school shootings, Outing, Murder, Racism, Transphobia, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Tough read but captivating

yowlot's review against another edition

I'm able to excuse a complete lack of women in a man's book because sometimes it just be like that. But the line "his chest was tighter than a v!rg!n's pu$$y" from one of the main character's was too much, I couldn't take it anymore. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Addiction

chaosdemonmonster's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective 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

I loved the way intolerance and learning went hand in hand for this book. It was written in a way that made it really believable that people were able to change their views on people unlike themselves. I found it very uplifting to see that given the current political climate in the USA. This book managed to take on a number of themes but still made them feel cohesive and like they belonged together in the story. I definitely would recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Gore, Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, and Homophobia

Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Transphobia, Alcoholism, Deadnaming, and Terminal illness

Minor: Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Cursing, Chronic illness, Excrement, Addiction, Infidelity, and Vomit

amandasbookreview's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

 

“Tears ran from his eyes and stung his cheeks. Tears for his son. Tears for his wife. Tears for the little girl they had to raise. Tears for who they were and what they all had lost. Each drop felt like it was slicing his face open like a razorblade.”

RAZORBLADE TEARS

I don’t think I will ever recover from Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby. Ike Randolf has been to prison but has built a life for himself ever since. Nothing can prepare him when he gets the news that his son, Isiah and Isiah’s husband, Derek have been shot and killed. Now Ike and his wife are raising their young daughter. Ike and Isiah had a very strained relationship, especially when Isiah came out and told them his plans to marry Derek. Buddy Lee had a very similar relationship with his son Derek. Their guilt and grief are now a driving force to avenge the death of their sons.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: racism, prejudice, hate crimes, murder, rape, transphobia, homophobia, grief, kidnapping, deadnaming, violence

This book is not for the faint of heart. It is not just violent but extremely emotional. Isiah was Black. Derek was white. And they loved each other. They loved the life that they built with their little girl. Ike and Buddy both shared prejudices against their sons. They loved them (what they thought was love) but could not accept them. But we all know that you can’t truly love someone unless you can accept and celebrate their true selves. Throughout the book, Ike and Buddy have to face their prejudices head-on and deal with the guilt that they could not reconcile. Buddy has his own prejudices as well and even though he and Ike form a bond, Ike still challenges him to examine his racist tendencies.

This book really challenges the reader. After hearing some of the words that were said to Isiah and Derek by their fathers…it is hard to feel for them. It just goes to show the complexities of toxic masculinity. But as Ike and Buddy form an awkward friendship, I was ready for them to burn the city to the ground so they could get justice for their sons. That doesn’t excuse their behaviors but it does show that they know how they acted is wrong and that they need to live with the words and actions they inflicted on their children.

This is a fast-paced and violent read. I will never get the images of a body in a wood-chipper out of my mind. But I could not put it down. The narrator, Adam Lazarre-White is phenomenal. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Torture, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, and Transphobia

raynaaskiverr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Murder, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Racism, and Violence

alistinexo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

 This book was a rough one, and i don't mean it was rough to read, i mean what happens throughout the book is rough. so glad i read it though.

i cried like a baby at the end when buddy lee died and ike was talking to him and the boys at the cemetery.

  this one really gets you thinking about how important it is to love your kids (or anyone) no matter what because they could be gone tomorrow and they need that love while theyre ALIVE, not when theyre 6 feet under. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Racism, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Car accident, Hate crime, and Kidnapping

kirbycm1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Transphobia

karachapp's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Deadnaming, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia