Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Things We Couldn't Say by Jay Coles

4 reviews

booktribe's review

emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed this a lot! My favorite part about this book is that it showed the hood from a very loving pov. There’s good and bad about the hood, but it really is a community and this book showed that. 

And I really appreciated this quote in relation to the gang that runs the neighborhood: “They’re more like the Avengers of the hood. All they want to do is protect The Haven, but sometimes they make bad choices and fuck shit up. But so did Cap and Iron Man and Thor.” We never get the same grace for our bad decisions as white people do. 

I loved Gio and his relationship with Theo, his little brother. I need to see more sibling relationships like this because it was so heartwarming. I also really loved Malik, Karina, Ayesha, and Ms. Diane. There were some amazing characters in this story! I didn’t feel a lot toward the love interest though. I thought he reacted very badly to a situation within the story and I just could never get over it🤷🏽‍♀️

Overall I just really enjoyed this book and I think it deserves way more hype!🙌🏽

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Sexual content and Suicide

zombiezami's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful 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

3.75

I liked how earnest this was. This book addresses a lot of issues that teens face. However, as others have said, the prose and characterization weren't quite right, given that the characters were teens. I also don't think it was necessary to describe the sexual encounters between teenagers. Otherwise, I liked this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Racism, Alcohol, Homophobia, Biphobia, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Police brutality, and Gaslighting

Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Drug use, and Death of parent

Gangs, death of a sibling

xoodlebooks's review

emotional reflective medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Racism

Moderate: Abandonment, Violence, Biphobia, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Police brutality

Minor: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Gun violence, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Death

sadandsapphic's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Homophobia