Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

As de picas by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

364 reviews

behindherpages's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Racism, Racial slurs, Stalking, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Outing

Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Death, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide attempt

mir_frog73's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional 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

5.0

Holy shit…. That was so crazy. I don’t really read mystery/thrillers but that was so incredible. Every time I thought it would let up it just got worse.

Spoiler

hot take but I’m happy the Jamie died and I hope chi killed headmaster ward 🤷🏼‍♂️ what can I say they are the worst </spoiler >

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Racism, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Outing, Racial slurs, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Minor: Suicide attempt

sproutreads's review against another edition

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Racism, Stalking, Gore, Homophobia, Outing, Racial slurs, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Gaslighting, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicide attempt

mrmarshall591'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: Gaslighting, Outing, Death of parent, Classism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Racism, and Stalking

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

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

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.

Spoiler

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

asurasantosha's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Car accident, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Outing, Racism, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Stalking

Minor: Mental illness, Alcohol, Drug use, and Homophobia

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

Moderate: Death of parent and Drug use

Minor: Sexual assault

deepcurvesahead's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Gaslighting, and Racism

Moderate: Infidelity, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Blood, and Outing

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Drug use, Alcohol, Classism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Rape, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Murder, and Suicide attempt

brinasatt's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Hate crime, Outing, Homophobia, Racism, and Bullying

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Car accident, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, and Stalking

Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

sophee_568's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

5.0

I have nothing negative to say about this book. I loved every aspect of it. I loved the characters, the plot, the pacing, the slowly growing friendship between Chiamaka and Devon, and the themes explored (racism, classism, and homophobia). It was everything it promised it would be. Reading this was such an emotional experience for me. I deeply cared about the main characters, and I was anxious because I did not want them to get hurt. The only weird thing, but typical for YA books, is the lack of parental involvement. I am sure Chiamaka's parents could have helped her and Devon expose the perpetrators. I am happy I finally took the time to read this book, and now I can include it in my 'All time favorite books' list. Also, I will check out the author's next books.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Gaslighting, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, and Racism