Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Wicked King by Holly Black

38 reviews

diana_raquel's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Sexism, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, War, Gore, Death, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, and Sexual content

yuidf's review against another edition

adventurous tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Toxic relationship, Death, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death and Death of parent

orakuruno's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

Now this is an enemies to lovers

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, War, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Confinement, Blood, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Drug use, Bullying, Violence, Toxic friendship, Grief, and Gore

Minor: Kidnapping, Sexual content, Trafficking, Torture, and Slavery

saretta02's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use and Murder

cherryfreckle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Blood

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Drug use

Minor: Addiction, Vomit, and War

7_nicole_7's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Definitely not a bad book, it was better than the first one. This time there was way more suspense and the book had more originality. Though I disliked the repetitive language and the fact that it was so highly plot-driven. I think there should have been more focus on the characters as individuals and how they interact. Still, I did like it, especially the ending was really entertaining. I have high hopes for the last book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Addiction, Drug use, Alcohol, Murder, Body horror, Alcoholism, Classism, and Death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, and Alcoholism

Minor: Violence, Self harm, War, and Torture

ladypalutena's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

4.0

Honestly, I'm reeling from this book. Reading it in physical form lets me know that the last 100 or so pages are a DOOZY, whereas with the Kindle version, I was like "All right, 60%, here we go!"

I picked this up on my way home from work and read the whole thing in less than three hours.

And I'm mad about it.

Okay, sure, I guess we could have seen Cardan and Jude falling in mutual dislike/maybe even love with each other, but it was so sudden, and I know the marriage is one for political power, but man. It came completely out of left field, to me.

This book felt less predictable than it's predecessor, but at the same time, it felt like it was missing something. Like Jude, who has only been at this whole spy thing for a little under a year, is suddenly a master assassin? Even though she grew up with Murdoc as a father, she's still human, and as such, the fae should be the ones overpowering her. I know it's fantasy, and that I picked up a book about fairies/faeries, for goodness sakes, but at least give me a bigger time gap than what we've got.

The third book in the series is currently listed as being "en route" to my local library for pickup, so maybe I'll be able to put this story to rest in a few days.

Much like with the Scholomance series, this feels like it was once a duology that ballooned into a trilogy, and some things seem thrown in just for shock value. I'm still very interested in seeing where this goes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Drug use, and Kidnapping

shelvesofivy's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

I know that sometimes sequels suffer, but I personally found this one leagues above the first book in terms of tension, intrigue, and overall pacing. God these characters now have me in a chokehold <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Death

Moderate: Torture, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Self harm, Sexual content, Vomit, Grief, Drug use, and War

depictions of drowning

rafacolog's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Torture, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Drug use

kymboh78's review against another edition

dark slow-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? It's complicated

2.5

Full review coming soon 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Misogyny, Death, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug use