Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

69 reviews

kamrynkoble's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

5.0

This was so, so good. Just like with Throne of Glass, I think it helped that the SJM community primed me with what to expect. I went in knowing there would be 200 pages of worldbuilding but was pleasantly surprised by it. Just persevere—it’ll be fine. 

I really didn’t find this slow, despite lots of other reviewers saying so. I really enjoyed the characters and the world, and found the murder mystery aspect so engaging. 

Genuinely, I cannot remember a time where a slow burn was so frustrating to me. Oh my word. I need more in the second book. 

Speaking of the second book: I’m terrified. Shaking. 

Like always, the last 200 pages are insane and I’m still reeling. Maybe I’ll have more eloquent thoughts soon but I really enjoyed this one and I’m so thankful I’ve gotten into fantasy this year. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, and Sexual content

lealovesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Blood, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Slavery

daphnemarie's review against another edition

i don’t even know what the bloody title is let alone what the hell was going on

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Fatphobia, Drug use, Body horror, Alcoholism, Murder, Body shaming, Blood, Gore, Sexual content, Classism, Death, and Cursing

Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and Xenophobia

Minor: Rape

emilysmessydesk's review against another edition

dark emotional

• 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

3.25

I've read both of SJM's other popular series, ACOTAR and TOG, and I wanted to add this one to my list (especially with a few theories spreading that all 3 worlds are connected...). I didn't have a lot of expectations, considering, so I went into it with a decent knowledge of SJM's other worlds.

I liked the world building in this one: the combination of modern day & magical and how that might look. Cell phones for quick text messages makes communication so much easier!!

Bryce is a spitfire and sassy, and there's a lot more to her character. (Which as per SJM's normal formula, isn't revealed until the very end!) Hunt quickly climbed my list of favorite SJM male characters; he's clever and thoughtful.

However, I really did *not* enjoy the twist with Hunt at the end. That felt like it came out of left field, which I'm sure was the point, but there was no other indicators that something was up with him. I waited for the other shoe to drop; surely this is a test for Bryce, somehow? It's just a set-up to catch someone else red-handed? But no, this was actually legit and now we're down 2 side characters and Hunt has royally fucked up.

Here's one of my complaints: SJM's characters are quick to forgive big lies/betrayals/etc. Way too quickly. That doesn't feel realistic, or logical, or even *right* because there's oftentimes a lot to unpack about those situations. And a lot to communicate between characters, if they even decide to keep the communication lines open! This plot point just felt kind of thrown in there at the last second, to stew distrust/drama between the two main characters if only to keep the other main plot moving along. I wish there had been more to it than that.

I did cry when Lehabah sacrificed herself at the end. It felt very real, and that friendship was true throughout the book despite its moments of flightiness. Bryce's reveal of buying her deed and freeing her! So good, so heartbreaking.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Cursing, Alcoholism, Torture, Violence, Drug use, Alcohol, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Addiction

annalee623's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Alcoholism, Drug use, Gore, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug abuse, Gun violence, War, Murder, Slavery, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

kyahs's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing 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

5.0

Absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for the next one. Sarah J Maas keeps me up at night again! BUT the blurb would have ruined a lot of it for me if I read blurbs, don't read it!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Violence, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, War, Gore, Addiction, Blood, Death, Animal cruelty, Torture, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Slavery

dcnireads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense

• 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

Another hit by SJM. Starts off a bit slow and has A SHIT TON of info dumping and complicated worldbuilding that will SMACK you in the face, but once the plot kicks off, (and you'll know when it will) It's a rollercoaster. And one I really, really, enjoyed. Once thought I'd never make it past this book, but here I am now, writing this review. It is so worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Gore, Alcoholism, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, and Violence

cady_sass'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

4.5

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up 
To think I almost DNFed this after 50 pages!!! Which is why I deduct half a star. The first few chapters are really hard to read, they’re nonsensical, lazy world building and make almost zero sense to the point where I felt compelled to put it down. Some friends convinced me it was worth the push so I started over and pushed through part 1, at which point I absolutely *devoured* the rest of the book. I didn’t guess any of the twists, I fell in love with all the characters, my heart broke and pieced itself back together and broke over and over again. Loved this. ACOTAR who? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Medical content, Vomit, Slavery, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Torture, War, Blood, Classism, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexual content, Sexism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

mbrogs2024's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Suicide, Violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, and Toxic relationship

technicallytaylorswift's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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

<Hunt is hot>

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Blood, Animal death, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Violence, War, Sexual content, Cursing, Death, Alcoholism, and Gun violence