Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

20 reviews

melchncookies's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

I’m not sure why, but this book took me forever to finish. That said, what an amazing work. As an adult reading a book on SA for a YA audience, I think this book is amazing. It deals with the unfortunate reality on reporting SA, death, rape-culture, justice, and power unchecked. I love a messy heroine, and Sade is that. 

The middle of the book was the most difficult to get through for me. I felt like the story could have moved along, but the end makes it clear why you had to read all of it. That said, the writing style was excellent. I have not read any other works by this author, and now they’ll go on my watch list.

I highly recommend reading this. It’s a little healing, even for adults.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, Child death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Death

Moderate: Self harm, Mental illness, Addiction, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Murder

jay_da_bookworm's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Mental illness, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Rape, and Death of parent

Minor: Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

sariereads's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Classism, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Physical abuse, Sexism, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Murder, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Drug abuse

Minor: Dementia

thebookdragon_taylorsversion's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I hope we get more stories of this world 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Rape, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Addiction, Classism, Misogyny, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

shugentobler's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad 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

Another win by Faridah in my opinion! When opening, this book was immediately VIBES. Dark academia, autumn, mean girls. I loved it! 
And who was my favorite? Definitely Persephone. Giving Prudence from CAOS, girl slayed me when she said for Halloween she wouldn't be

going to a party, but watching all the Halloweentown movies

girl after my own heart! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Islamophobia and Racism

sprklngglassslipper's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Murder, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Rape

lovelikethiswillendintragedy's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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? No

5.0

Absolutely wonderful :0
I was worried for a bit that a trope that I *despise* (

A male love interest that’s covered in red flags but still ends up with the main character

) would happen, but nope!

The guy is actually a creep, and way worse than what she thought.

I feel kind of bad for being relieved, because the outcome was way worse for the characters that were involved, but I am just so damn tired of the alternative where

the guy is really such a good guy and everything’s fine with him.

 
But enough about that. The characters are wonderful, I thought it was interesting that the iconic popular girl trio wasn’t mean like I was preparing for them to be. They’re actually really sweet and it reminds me a lot of my school!
I loved Baz’s reactions to things, he managed to be the lighthearted “funny character” while still being down to earth and bringing the focus back to Elizabeth when necessary. Absolutely wonderful chaotic good boyo and I love him with my entire heart.
All in all, this book wasn’t what I expected. (Don’t get me wrong, I expected to love it, just not for it to play out the way it did.) The themes the author intended were strong throughout the book, and I read it in like a week, it was so good. 10/10, Baz can steal my soul if he wants, he deserves it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexism, Drug use, Death, Cursing, Rape, Murder, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, Blood, and Kidnapping

Minor: Lesbophobia, Racism, and Mental illness

iridescentdreams's review

dark mysterious sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Gaslighting, Rape, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Death, and Bullying

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Animal death

ckflaherty1's review

adventurous challenging 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Grief, Sexual assault, Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Bullying, Gaslighting, Murder, Sexism, and Rape

For content warnings of sexual assault, the book does not graphically describe the incidents but does mention them and they are a plot point.

bookishbette's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense 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

5.0

Outstanding. Somehow even better than her debut when I truly thought it was impossible to top.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Suicide, Death, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Blood, Mental illness, Rape, Drug use, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Murder, and Grief

Minor: Animal death, Racism, Stalking, and Addiction