Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Idol by Louise O'Neill

45 reviews

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

MC reminds me a bit of Rachel Hollis and Gwyneth Paltrow 😅

The beginning was great but then it slowed down around the 50 page mark, and the novel  started dragging making me lose interest. I tried for another 60 pages before finally giving in. Both characters are unlikeable and I don’t mind that but then I need something to keep me invested, and the plot wasn’t doing that.

There’s a lot of telling instead of showing with overly descriptive details causing the story to drag. After looking at reviews, knowing everything that happens isn’t worth the read and I found spoilers which helped confirm I would’ve ended up hating it 🙈 another case of great premise, not so great execution (because I love reading about complicated, dark influencers/the dangers of social media)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Drug abuse

Minor: Eating disorder and Abortion

charlottefannon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Cursing, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Stalking, Addiction, Fatphobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Drug use, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse

Minor: Dementia

madelinequinne's review

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I picked this book up on a whim and i’m so glad i did! i wasn’t expecting much, i thought it was just going to be your run of the mill adult thriller based on the cover, but it was so tense and really makes you reflect on how we view celebrities! it was a great view into the minds of people who commit assualt and how they’re not all these faceless monsters of men who creep in dark alleyways, they can be people who we trust and look up to and who’s persona convinces you that they could never commit an act as horrible as rape. 

I’m obsessed with books that have unreliable narrators, and this one is a perfect example of it. I spent a lot of time switching between believing Sam and her story to questioning that maybe everything isn’t what it’s made out to be and she’s perhaps not as innocent as she’d like people to believe. From big things like whether that night with Lisa was assualt to whether her parents sent her away or if she chose to go to Utah herself, all these twisted tales add up to make her a perfect unreliable narrator. 

I was often reminded of Pretty Little Liars whilst reading this book. The unknown online troll and the ‘popular girl in high school being an awful person’ trope has very similar vibes to that show, and I feel like Samantha is what Allison would have been like as an adult if the writers of PLL hadn’t completely ruined her character. 

I heavily recommend this book if you’re looking for something that will keep you hooked, though i advise checking trigger warnings because there’s a lot of heavy stuff discussed 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Abortion, Eating disorder, Rape, and Stalking

Moderate: Dementia and Death of parent

ilana_pop's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Oh my lord... Made me gasp several times.

People love a comeback, especially when it's a beautiful white woman. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Gaslighting, Bullying, and Drug abuse

jazzy_t's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

1.0

Would not recommend. Sam is a horrible, frustrating, manipulative character and it was hard to read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Mental illness and Drug abuse

ariane06's review

challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Rape, and Panic attacks/disorders

bookishlysophie's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

A really easy to digest book but one that deals with some seriously dark topics. The unreliable narrator makes you question everything. It was a sort of interesting plot twist that kept me reading. I have to say the end felt a bit flat. I’d still recommend.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Abortion, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Toxic friendship

ninawieland's review

emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder

Minor: Abortion, Rape, and Drug abuse

theunfinishedbookshelf's review

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Sexual harassment, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Abortion, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, and Drug use

elles_bells_'s review

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

This story had me hooked. It was pretty easy to read and had some engaging twists, although maybe not that shocking. It was a really interesting character to be inside the head of, but also not terribly complex. 
Interesting themes though of memory. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Eating disorder

Minor: Drug abuse