Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

As de picas by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

92 reviews

voidature's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Grief, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug use, Gun violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

aurora4847's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.75

Ace of Spades was such a good read, especially for a white college graduate during Black History Month. While the stakes seem so low in the beginning, the tension and mystery keep ramping up the further in you get. It feels almost like a paranormal thriller, but with the monster being systemic racism instead of a demon. The ordeals Chiamaka and Devon have to survive are truly horrifying, and terrifyingly realistic. While it may seem exaggerated for the sake of the story, it really isn't too far off what black students actually have to deal with in academia. Chiamaka and Devon's differing socioeconomic statuses adds another layer of complexity in how they handle and think about what they're enduring. Ace of Spades is practically required reading for any white person who's benefited from access to higher education, especially more elite private schools and universities, and actually gives a damn about how POC are treated in those spaces.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Stalking, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

This book is about systemic racism and eugenics. The main characters are the victims of harassment that grows to assault, hate crimes, stalking, and abuse. They are repeatedly betrayed by trusted individuals.

talonsontypewriters'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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Outing, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Grief, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol

camrich's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Outing, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt

theuncannydani's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

emilyreads15's review against another edition

emotional fast-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

4.5

This book is POWERFUL. I’ve truly never read anything like this before and I’m super thankful that my book club chose this as one of our reads. Not only was it deeply emotional but it was also very enlightening and inspiring. Ace of Spades was not only an interesting read with an interesting plot but it also discussed real world stereotypes and issues that I think more people should be aware of. This book and these characters allowed me to see our world from a completely different perspective. I was aware that racism is very much still a thing to this day but never to this extent. I’m thankful to the author for writing this book to allow readers, like myself, to learn more about topics that may have never been exposed to me before. 

On top of the meaningful message, the story was also beautifully written with lots of diversity and fast paced chapters that always kept my attention. I’ve given it 4.5 only because it’s not an all time favorite but it is easily one of the best books I’ve ever read. So much happened throughout the book, it was never boring and I’m very happy with the ending.

Overall this book was so beautiful and emotional. I 100% recommend this not just to readers but to everyone. I think every person should read this book at least once in their life. I’m looking forward to reading more by Faridah Àbíké-íyímídé in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

softgalaxy's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No

5.0

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. I could hardly put it down. It is spine-chilling. But it is reality for Black people in a world that holds whiteness above anything. 

I had my theories but what came about in the end was much more horrifying. Àbíké-Íyímídé weaved such an intense storyline that just stays with you. 

I felt so strongly for Devon and Chiamaka. The psychological torture that they were going through was unreal (something I’d never experience as a white person). 

Just an amazing book from start to finish. It had me hooked. Can’t wait to read more from Faridah in the near future!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Stalking, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

the_true_monroe's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious 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

4.25

When I started the audio book, I did not expect it to go the way it did. Although as I went through, I knew what was coming but not to the degree that it came. Wow.

Definitely a psychological thriller, with similar vibes to ‘Get Out’ (although both are completely different stories focusing on different aspects of horrors related to racism). 

4 stars because there was a lot I wish was expanded upon, like a follow-up on characters such a Belle, Scotty, Andre and Jack.

Also, I absolutely love how on the author’s websites there is art depicting the major characters. I have a hard time visualizing things based on descriptions and that really helped! I only found it writing this review since I went searching for one of the character’s names. 

I really enjoyed the author’s note, which mentions how the book was written over the course of her college career which is very symbolic to the course of the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Death of parent, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury

sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Wow. I really enjoyed this! It was fear and anxiety inducing, like a thriller should be! 

Ace of Spades is the story of Chiamaka and Devon, the only two Black students at an almost all white prestigious high school in America. Someone named Aces stars revealing the two student's secrets and more to the whole school. Aces is out to get Devon and Chiamaka, but who are they? and why?

My only complaint was that the "WHO DID IT?" was spoiled for me thanks to the marketing team and book listing on Amazon! I went to buy this book from Amazon (as it was on sale) and the synopsis on their website spoiled the big reveal for me.

I sometimes hate when the synopsis says, "this novel is X show and Y book/movie put together!", because there's either hardly a comparison or it's spot on and then the story is no longer a surprise. In this case, the examples were the film "Get Out" and the show "Gossip Girl". The comparisons were spot on and because of that, there were few surprises left to figure out on my own.

Overall, I really liked this novel, I'm giving this 4.5 stars out of 5, I'm knocking off .5 stars because I guessed some of the ending on my own. I'm also knocking a star off because Chiamaka was a jerk and unpleasant, and half the book was from her point of view so I couldn't avoid her annoying personality.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I listened to this for free on libbyapp.com

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

almirareads's review against another edition

dark funny inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

I’m just gonna say…Ace of Spades is THAT BOOK! Following the mystery of who “Aces” is, there was NEVER a dull moment. Devon and Chiamaka are incredible narrators, filling in what the other left of, and who doesn’t love a platonic enemies to lovers trope?

This book is almost 400 pages and I’d have read it all in one day if I were able to beat sleep. My jaw was DROPPING every other page. Ace of Spades makes it a big point to talk about Black people assimilating to whiteness and why that cannot work out. 

You find yourself not trusting anybody in this book- now THAT’S a good mystery. Also points added for being a Black queer novel! Everybody say THANK YOU FARIDAH!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault