Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Regatul spinilor și al trandafirilor by Sarah J. Maas

42 reviews

ketreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

So, I don't usually read romance especially fantasy romance but this was a 'Heck, why not?!' read when I saw my local library had it available.

I did listen to the audiobook, so I suspect I had an easier time with it due to the great character voices and emotions BUT THIS ISN'T HALF BAD?!
I've heard such differing opinions on the Maas books, and most of them lean towards negativity. So, I was shockingly surprised when I started listening to this and found myself really enjoying the story. 
Maas' world and use of fae magic is engaging and her characters were made easy to root for. 

The story's basic premise is Feyre, after killing what she suspects is a fairy transformed into a wolf, is dragged into the fae relm as punishment. Much to her surprise, it's not what she expected. Feyre must now navigate her way through an unknown territory filled with unknowable threats while striving to do what she does best: survive.

MINOR SPOILERS
So yes, this book is a little cliché with it's wish fulfillment. Feyre is, in fact, not taken to a gross mouldy dungeon but a high lords manor to live out her days. While we don't know exactly why she's there initially, the overall reveal wasn't too unexpected. I really enjoyed this part of the story. Listening to Feyre learning about the fae and the 'I wish that were me' aspect of living in a rich house, eating great food, talking to hot fairy men, and having an overarching mysterious secret hidden from her. It was done effectively and kept me invested for the majority of the book.

My one gripe (or many?) is that the last 30% of the book WILDLY shifts gears. While the stakes are raised and we get to see Feyre in action, the overall slimy feeling to characters we're supposedly meant to (I presume) eventually root for just wasn't it. The small bits of world and history we got to see WAS well done and I loved seeing more of the world outside of Feyre and her manor. The character choices that were made and will be made in the coming instalments just isn't something I enjoy/ed.

Overall it's a fun and easy read...mostly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual assault

cinnamonpizza8's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

3.25

It was difficult for me to get into the book because the author kept the reader in the dark as much as the main character. When I finally learned what was going on, it became more interesting, but I also wish there had been more time to develop the main plot point. It seemed rushed and complicated at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, and Violence

simp_librarian's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.0

My first reread of ACOTAR. *chefs kiss*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Grief, Death, Murder, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Mental illness, Excrement, Gore, and Confinement

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

0.25

The main character is impossibly bland and frustrating. She is put through countless toxic or downright abusive situations. Both potential love interests are toxic and abusive. Her family is neglectful and abusive. This classifies, at best, as a dark romance. If you are already unimpressed by the offerings of that genre you will not have a good time reading this. The first sixty percent of the book is boring and toxic. After that it is no longer as boring but triple toxic.  
The audiobook narrator does good with the material she is given but this is definitely not a tale for me. People say the next book is better and this is the worst book in the series but I am not giving this author a second chance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Animal death, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Slavery, Death, Sexual content, Confinement, Vomit, Gaslighting, Rape, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Grief, Drug abuse, and Alcoholism

Moderate: War, Death of parent, Body shaming, Body horror, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Cursing, and Classism

math5475's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Torture, Alcohol, Genocide, Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Vomit, Death, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Sexual content, Cursing, Drug use, and War

siravalondulac's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-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

2.0

weird but eh

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Blood, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Gore

Minor: Sexual content, Torture, and Death of parent

csmall73's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Initially the story kind of meandered through events that don’t seem to have much value to a storyline. Everything does tie in an intricate plot that even extends past its own series. As things develop it becomes quite chaotic and confusing but it is good. You get sucked into the story and into feyre. You must know what happens next even though it breaks her and it breaks you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Child abuse, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Confinement, Drug abuse, Blood, Death, Gore, Child death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Torture, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

soph22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, Violence, Abandonment, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, and Death

sarasmiles's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

First book in a long time that I finished within 24 hours.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and Confinement

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Alcohol, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Medical content, and Sexual content

Minor: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Grief, Drug abuse, Bullying, Genocide, Confinement, and Slavery

carlyoc's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

 A slow and not-that-steamy start to a series I have heard so much about. After abandoning it 100 pages in a few years ago, I decided to give it a second chance. This time I was less distracted by the writing quality and better able to come to care for the characters. I ended up quite enjoying it but I think it could have been half as long.
I was also very frustrated at the main character for not solving a riddle that would have cut out the whole final conflict of the book. For plot reasons, I knew she wouldn't get it until the last second, but the answer seemed so obvious to me.
I'm looking forward to continuing the series, especially to learning more about Rhysand, high lord of the night court. He did unforgivable things, and yet being one of those good bad guys who sometimes does the right thing has me intrigued and mad at myself for it.
I like the twist this story put on the tale of Beauty and the Beast, and I wonder if the rest of the series will bring in fairytale elements as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Drug abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault