Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

3 reviews

evieolive's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Just as important as I expected but I was really happily surprised to see such flowery writing in a contemporary, I loved the style! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Police brutality

Moderate: Homophobia, Violence, Genocide, Death, Confinement, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Gun violence

Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Antisemitism, Slavery, Body shaming, Mental illness, Grief, Drug abuse, Murder, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

sarahs_shelf_'s review

challenging emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was truly remarkable. I listened to it on audio and I couldn't pull myself away from it. Hammonds Read's writing is truly amazing. 
The book takes place in the final weeks of Ashely's high school career. It's 1992 and the cops who beat Rodney King have just been acquitted, setting off protests throughout LA where Ashley and her family live. The book is told through the perspective of 17 year old Ashley and delves into her thoughts and reflections on racial violence, family history, and more.  Her parents have spent their lives trying to give Ashley and her sister a safe and sheltered life. Still, the aftermath of the injustice that took place send shock waves through Ashley's family and her community. 

There's so much that happens in the book and it was kind of wild to listen to it after the events that took place at the U.S. capital just days ago. One line in particular struck me when thinking about the similarities between police brutality then and the current state of our country was... "You can already feel it in the air, the rest of the city starting to forget."  

A very powerful read that I will be recommending to many. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality

Moderate: Cancer, Bullying, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Drug abuse

booksandcoffeerequired's review

emotional hopeful informative tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs

Moderate: Hate crime, Police brutality, Violence, Racism, and Gun violence

Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Hate crime

There’s heavy use of the n word in this, because of the time period it is set in (1992).