Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

17 reviews

zoeblair17's review

dark mysterious tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

Literally ALL the trigger warnings! Not a story for the faint of heart but that warning speaks so highly of the writing! Not usually a horror/dark fairytale gal but the way the author tells this story is immersive and captivating 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexism, Addiction, Alcohol, Confinement, Sexual assault, Grief, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Self harm, Animal death, Death, Eating disorder, Racism, Vomit, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcoholism

_annika__'s review

challenging dark emotional sad 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Violence, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

onthelam's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Pedophilia

Minor: Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, and Mental illness

slvt4b00ks's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This story follows Marlinchen, one of three daughters of the greatest wizard in Obylan, as she forges her own path despite living under an abusive father and alongside wicked sisters. Marlinchen soon finds herself driven to disobey her fathers orders to not leave the house after one night at the ballet in Obylan where she meets the heartbreakingly beautiful and tortured Sevastyian. As Marlinchen is sneaking out and living her best life, there is a monster stalking the streets of Obylan stealing the hearts and livers of men. 

This has been my all time favorite book I have read. Period. Reid is a master of weirdly beautiful and unique metaphors and other literary devices. I had no idea people could write and create such beautiful captivating atmospheres that are equally as horrifying and dark.

I couldn’t name all of the trigger warnings that this needs to be filed under. There were parts of this that were very difficult to read. Expect rape, abuse, alcoholism, cannibalism, self mutilation, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, so on and so forth.

That being said I think the author touched on every single one of those sensitive subjects with brutal honesty and also something like grace. 

For a majority of the book I found the story very character driven. Toward the end it picked up but it was so worth it. Highly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Death, Torture, Violence, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Vomit

wonderfulwaytooweird's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Beautiful dark fairy tale like story about trauma and love persevering through it and the damage left over. This gothic romance was raw and hard to swallow but so rich and entrancing. Loved it so much and could not put the book down.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Murder, Alcohol, Animal death, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Cannibalism, Sexism, Chronic illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Self harm, Vomit, and Drug use

maren_hemsath's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Death of parent, Incest, Vomit, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Antisemitism

alicia_ann_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I thought the narrator of this story did an excellent job, from the sounds of other reviews I think I enjoyed the story more because I did the audiobook rather than physical copy.

I was also unfamiliar with The Juniper Tree story and I actually got more of the 12 Dancing Princesses with a bit of Sweeney Todd (although having now read a synopsis of The Juniper Tree I think I can now see how that would replace the demon Barber) 

Anyways, I went into this book having no idea it was going to be as dark as it was and many parts of it made me uncomfortable, but that kind of added to the story for me. 

I would have appreciated trigger warnings at the beginning of the audio, or anywhere on the Scribd app where I got mine from, because while I was not triggered there is so much in this book many many people will be.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Rape, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts