Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

32 reviews

calebmbuys's review

dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Gore, Violence, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

wganas4's review

dark

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Animal death

nexusgoblin's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

It definitely nails the overwhelming and frustrating parts of visiting family, to the point where I was just as stressed as the characters. I love that this turned out different than I was expecting and made me appreciate it a lot more than if it had been the standard 'house that doesn't want to be sold' idea. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism and Self harm

x_spookybooks_x's review

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident

Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Self harm, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

mitchreads's review

dark funny tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Death of parent

rocketsaurus's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Self harm, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

alexisgarcia's review

mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

this was pretty good but a little too silly to really scare me. i’ve never thought dolls were scary so this didn’t get to me that much, i also thought the ending was kind of out of nowhere?? idk. i do love Hendrix’s writing though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

apoppyinthewind's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The basic premise is that main character Louise gets the call no one wants to get and learns both of her parents have died in a car accident. She has to go back home to deal with the funeral, the estate, and the messed up family she's kept at a distance since moving away decades ago. Her younger and only sibling is the most difficult part as they continually bicker over the estate and past hurts/trauma but it gets a whole lot worse their mother's doll & puppet collection seem to be moving on their own.

So yeah, if horror series like Puppet Master and Chucky freaked you out you'll certainly find this story creepy. Be forewarned there is some eye stuff and body mutilation. And a fuck ton of grief and trauma over losing a parent/parents.

If you've ever had to go through an estate process you may relate hard to Louise's exhaustion and sorrow. At least I did and I think the author accurately captured the experience. My only complaints are: One, I felt like it dragged a bit near the end when Louise's daughter Poppy became a larger part of the story and two, while Mark's background reveal was interesting (and makes me want to know more about radical puppets) it felt disconnected from the story especially with the big reveal at the end. Like, what happened to Louise & Poppy makes sense with the reveal but Mark's made less sense once you know the real reason all these things happened.

Still, I'd recommend it especially if you already like Hendrix's other books.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Gun violence

aryelee's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Absolutely in love with this book. Grady Hendrix is incredible. I was hooked from the first chapter and finished reading this in one day, I just couldn't put it down. 

The complex, troubled relationship between the siblings, the family's need to bury their darkest secrets and never speak of it again, the consequences of both these things! And how they have to band together to survive the haunting and go great lengths to help each other... I'm obsessed. I love stories centered on complicated families and this hit! This really hit!

I loved the use of puppets and puppetry, how the puppet is its own living thing possessing the puppeteer when in use. I loved the dolls and how their childhoods were so relevant even decades later. I loved every interaction between the siblings and how it gradually changed into something better so that they could both get out alive.

I would give this five stars, but the plot was predictable. Though enjoyable to read, it wasn't as mysterious as I would have wanted it, but it's still very good. Though I called the plot twist in the first section of the book, even knowing what it is didn't stop my enjoyment of the rest of the novel, but it did dampen the scene when that information is revealed. 

The themes of family, siblings, and mothers and daughters are so good. History constantly repeating itself, the need to pry into the secrets held by the family (and by themselves) and the struggle to be honest and vulnerable... Truly an incredible novel. I do love horror with themes like these.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death and Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism and Gaslighting

_readerfromtheblacklagoon_'s review

challenging dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail