Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

31 reviews

theinstabookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Ever since I listened to the audiobook for RAZORBLADE TEARS, narrated by Adam Lazarre-White, last year, I knew I wanted to go the audiobook route for all of S.A. Cosby's books I read, as long as Adam narrates them. His deep, gritty voice lends itself so well to the stories S.A. Cosby writes. There were very heavy topics that the author does not shy away from discussing in this book, some of which are, unfortunately, current and prevalent in society today, such as race and religion. You should go into this knowing there is quite a bit of gore and graphic violence and I would strongly suggest looking up content warnings. The story was also a detailed police procedural and I would have liked more suspense and shock factor.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Mass/school shootings, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide, Racism, Suicide attempt, and Child abuse

Minor: Death of parent and Alcoholism

astoriareader's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

SYNOPSIS:

• Titus, a former FBI agent and current sheriff, returned to his small hometown in Charon County, Virginia, to take care of his elderly dad.
• The book opens with a school shooting, and without giving away more, the investigation pivots to deeper, darker secrets in the town.

MY THOUGHTS

• Very-well written + good pacing 
• FINALLY! A diverse group of characters 
• Police-procedural thriller 
• Impressive character development 
• Loved the main character, Titus, and found him easy to root for 
• Satisfying ending 
• Cosby is a talented storyteller 
• Explores many tough topics, such as racism, hypocrisy, prejudice, religion, and prevalence of systemic, intergenerational hatred
• Heavy read; would encourage folks to check out trigger warnings
• I read a lot in these genre, and this book is an excellent reminder of why it’s important to read work by Black authors. Sadly, in 2023, Black authors’ voices are not as prevalent as they should be, and Crosby’s work is a scarce treasure in the literary world. Cosby takes time to incorporate race into the character development and plot, and he offers an glimpse into Black lives in rural America. 

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Police-procedural that touches on racism & other important topics. Diverse story by talented Black author, who actually offers Black perspectives (a scarcity in the literary world, particularly in this genre)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Racial slurs

Minor: Alcoholism

corpoto's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, and Grief

Moderate: Alcohol, Gun violence, Hate crime, Slavery, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, and Addiction

poetsofsweetpea's review

dark mysterious tense slow-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

5.0

An engaging thriller that unraveled like a mystery.  The lines of the small town were so artfully drawn I felt like I could feel it's oppressive borders. The characters came alive even as they were dying on the page and I worried  that no one was safe.  This story was a good mix of small town southern politics and scary urban legends. I was worried when it started with a school shooting, but it quickly moved past that, into darker territory.  I loved Titus, he is a true hero. It was easy to root for him, easy to forgive him and hard to let him go as the book ended. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Racism, Torture, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mass/school shootings, and Violence

d0505's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Child death, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Alcoholism

tlaynejones's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.25

I enjoy SA Cosby’s books, they are fast paced and compelling reads which include some interesting social commentary. Having said that they have more of a profoundly masculine feel than most books I would consider reading. This is not necessarily good or bad, but is noteworthy for its consistency and thoroughness. This is a world of straight cis men relating to other straight cis men. There are a few peripheral women, but they aren’t fleshed out, and mostly just provide a reflection for the male character to bounce off of. There were no identified or implied queer characters in this book. Considering Cosby’s last book was an examination of homophobic toxic masculinity in Black southern men, I found this interesting. 
I plan on continuing to read Cosby, as a queer woman I do understand the desire to immerse yourself in and explore the subculture to which you belong. Especially when that culture is largely erased and oppressed by the dominant images. But a part of me does wonder if Cosby’s love of, and questioning of, his culture will include more feminism in the future?
CW for ALL the violence in this book. Including towards children. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Racism, Murder, Grief, Kidnapping, and Classism

Moderate: Trafficking, Child abuse, Death, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Pedophilia, Gun violence, Drug use, Religious bigotry, and Sexual violence

jamie_rich's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Torture, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Excrement, Drug abuse, Cursing, Child abuse, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, Mass/school shootings, Domestic abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Alcoholism, Animal death, Violence, Racism, Drug use, and Blood

chessakat's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Sexual assault, Gore, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism and Addiction

amandas_bookshelf'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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Mass/school shootings, Cursing, Gore, Murder, Religious bigotry, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Torture, Car accident, Child death, Classism, Grief, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racism, Alcohol, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cancer and Mental illness

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug use, and Drug abuse

lcg527's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Titus is the first elected black Sheriff in a rural town in Virginia. On the one-year anniversary of his term as Sheriff, a high-school shooting in town occurs killing the town’s most revered teacher. A gruesome backstory unfolds in the investigation of this teacher, the shooter, and a serial killing lone wolf on the run. This rural community is divided due to race, addiction, and religion. These themes are part of this story. SA Cosby is a talented writer and this book is as gritty and propulsive as his other works. This is not for sensitive readers - there are a lot of grisly details of deaths and perverse violence. The narrator of the audiobook is terrific! Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Grief, Blood, Gun violence, Murder, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Death, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Violence, Child death, Trafficking, Torture, Religious bigotry, Racism, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Hate crime