Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

190 reviews

gretchenplz's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I was SO ready to say nice things about this book. And then the last 200 pages happened.

The award for the most random and inexplicable "third-act breakup" goes to this book. Like... what is the actual hell just happened? No warning. No hinting. Just made up. Randomly. Out of nowhere. Absolutely absurd.

And then *POOF* magically erased like it never happened. Surely there was SOME other way to move forward the plot without THAT taking place???

All the other twists were painfully obvious, which is why I am so insulted by this one in particular. There was a better way to move the plot forward the same amount without it. But that might have cut 100 pages from the book. And God knows SJM can't possibly put out a book shorter than 800 pages these days.

Also… did SJM panic at JLA’s popularity and decide that she needed to come up with a similarly convoluted power hierarchy/structure?! There was no need!!!

And please don't get me started on the "sudden onset powers!"

That's just SJM being SJM.

I could go on about recycled characters/personalities, but I won't. I'm sure you noticed. Bryce is at least not blonde, so the self-insert is a TAD less obvious. Because she's sooooo not like other girls!!! 

I will be waiting for Hunt's complete personality transplant in Book Two and for Bryce to end up with... One of her brother's buddies? Conner's brother? Idk, but I'm sure it will happen. 

The ending making me emotional is not enough to erase my memory of all the bullshit. But that just seems to be how SJM's books go. One day she will change her formula and I will fall over in shock. But today is not that day.

Big fan of the demon cat, though! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

suenoyume's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Torture, Murder, Grief, and Slavery

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Eating disorder, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

ashleynp24's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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

4.75

I absolutely loved this book. It’s so different from previous SJM novels and I loved she tried the mystery genre out while still having that fantasy element. 

The single reason I’m giving it a 4.75 is because I felt like there was a lot of romance between the two protagonists but it was such a slow burn for the whole book until the end when the climax hit. I wish there’d been just a little more before that point. 

The ending had me sobbing uncontrollably. Danika and Bryce’s friendship during the drop was so special and I loved how at the end there’s closure with the rest of the pack. My biggest sob fest was for LeLe sacrificing herself.

Overall I loved the book and am excited to start the second to see where it goes from there. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Drug use, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Body shaming, Sexism, Death, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gun violence, Grief, and Drug abuse

shellind75's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Abandonment, Drug abuse, Addiction, Drug use, Body horror, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, and Alcoholism

larajgriff1's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed this book a lot.  It reminded me of the Anita Blake books by Laurell K Hamilton and I loved those in high school.  However I am giving this book 4 stars cause I just really hate how LONG Maas's books are.  I do not need to be reading something that could double as a bludgeoning weapon!  Also just the nonchalant comments of looking at someone's boobs, ass, pecs... someone might enjoy it, I do not, so it knocked it down for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Torture, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Classism, Animal cruelty, Grief, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Murder, Suicide attempt, Addiction, and Gun violence

emr2220's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Grief, Slavery, Addiction, and Death

Moderate: Suicide, Gore, Violence, Gun violence, and Alcoholism

reasek's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Blood, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Drug abuse, Animal cruelty, and Slavery

bowedbookshelves's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Alcohol, Grief, Physical abuse, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Cursing

rchulin1's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, War, Medical content, Physical abuse, Addiction, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Grief, Gun violence, Blood, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Alcohol, Cursing, Mental illness, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Car accident, Gore, Classism, Death, Hate crime, and Murder

dahliareadsalot's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

I don't know if there will come a time that this book doesn't make me cry tears of joy and sorrow in the same sitting. I usually am emotionally raw after this one -- from having my heart filled with such happiness to plummeting depths of sorrow. 

And if a book can have me emotionally attached to it, it holds a special place in my heart and on my shelves. 

This book has it all, by the way. It's a murder mystery, found-family, spicy love story, and has an emotional pendulum that is all the place. In my own way, I crave the way Bryce cares for those she loves. A love that strong is scary, but the loyalty and safety and acceptance that comes with it -- even at the risk of losing it -- is something special. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Drug abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts