Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin

143 reviews

dfram's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? No

4.25

the ending felt rushed, i enjoyed the build up on the story! i thought i’d cry and really i saw the ending coming, i just wasn’t expecting to happen the way it did.

this book gives a whole new meaning to “last good day”

the characters were relatively likable, except Jamie! i wish everyone’s parents were more present??? anyway, it’s just a book, it just felt like it wasn’t realistic at times

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide attempt, and Car accident

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Vomit, Alcohol, and Pregnancy

Minor: Eating disorder and Sexual assault

graciegru's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Abortion and Sexual assault

spatterson7's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Mental illness, Alcohol, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Vomit

emnah10's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

2.0

Personally this book wasn't my taste, it felt rushed in the end and overall very convenient. The ending wasn't good at all, I had a little more expectations. I liked the beginning of the book, because it explained very easily the feelings and relationships a young girl goes through, something a lot of us can relate to.

But the ending kinda ruined it all for me. I had higher expectations because of the way everyone had hyped it up and when that wasn't met. 

I still liked this book for the most part and this could probably be a good book for people who like endings like that. And when I say the ending disappointed me, I'm not talking about the fact that the thing everyone knew was going to happen did. But at how weak and defeated autumn was represented in the ending. It felt as if all her progress to becoming someone else had simply vanished. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Chronic illness, and Mental illness

reemoony's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

im clawing at my hair and biting my pillow please read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Alcohol, and Car accident

sisa78's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Grief, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Vomit, and Car accident

kotashomelibrary's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death, and Alcohol

Moderate: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Car accident, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Vomit

cschaepe84's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

 

Wow. Just. Wow. So many thoughts about this book, a tale of unrequited love.
But this is a very tragic love story in more than one way. Finny and Autumn have loved each other for most of their lives, and for a while it seemed like they would be destined for the perfect future together...until a misunderstanding occurred when they were thirteen after an unwarranted kiss from Finny left Autumn feeling confused and scared. Since then, they have only watched each other from afar, loving and yet loathing at the same time, with so much left unsaid between them. Throughout the course of the story, we see events unravel, until they finally are able to talk about everything they have been feeling all these years and are able to claim the future they should have had along. Until tragedy rips them apart that fateful night.
The writing feels a bit fragmented, and the story is told scene by scene, which can for a while feel like a string of unrelated events, but this is intentional, and helps you get inside Autumn's head and thought process, as well as see how she interacts around others. Trust me, the events gradually build up, and you can see where the story is going. Even though we don't have Finny's POV, I can read the tension and angst Finny feels for Autumn, and I can understand the conflicting emotions Autumn has for Finny.
Autumn at time is unlikeable. At times she is selfish, insensitive to others, and expects other people to cater to her whim and feels like everything is about her. Also at times has an air of superiority. But, I can also understand her, and I think this captures the insecurity and the highs and lows of growing up. She also has many moments of self-awareness that she can and does have these flaws, and I like how the other characters point this out. It makes Autumn very real and very, very vulnerable in this sense.
Even though I knew this was going to end tragically, as was foreshadowed in the beginning, the emotional impact wasn't any less shocking, and I could feel Autumn's grief, but also, the sliver of her hope. A very intense, emotional read, that is also so easy to fall into as you take the journey with Autumn.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Car accident, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Pregnancy

aralynn's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide attempt, and Car accident

Moderate: Car accident, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Alcohol, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Vomit

charlie222's review against another edition

emotional 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

I loved the relationship between the two characters and how the book was paced. The story covered some interesting topics. Autumn is a very complex character, and I think this adds depth to the story. I also love the writing style.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Car accident

Minor: Alcohol and Vomit