Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Broken Bonds by J. Bree

20 reviews

carsons1996's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.0

It felt like the story really only started in the last 10 pages, but it definitely made me want to continue the series. The complexities of this society of magic users and their connections to each other was interesting to read and I'm left definitely wanting more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Bullying, and Car accident

Moderate: Vomit, Rape, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, Confinement, Murder, Death of parent, Death, and Classism

Minor: Alcohol

antidietleah's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Bullying

witcheep's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

The main character is wrapped in a mystery that just keeps growing the more we learn about her. She is put in a situation where the control of her own life is taken away from her (and it is very distressing to read about it), but she hints that she can manage it and will take her freedom the first chance she gets. I'm interested in finding out what the mystery of her will unfurl into in the sequel(s).

The book left me quite disappointed, though. Mostly I just wish we would have learned more about the FMC's mysterious past and gift in this first book already. Her Bonds are acting very toxic towards her, mist of them restricting her freedom and choises to the extent of kidnapping and treating her in a nearly hostile way even when thwy allow her a little freedom. There is also some university life material that feels unnecessary filler to me: I just want to learn about the mystery, not dwell in the FMC:s crave for normalcy when she clearly is something extraordinary.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Kidnapping

Moderate: Grief, Physical abuse, Bullying, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Death of parent, and Vomit

laurenjackman's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Violence, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Confinement

Minor: Death of parent and Death

Toxic masculinity

mj_86's review

adventurous mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Bullying

Moderate: Death of parent and Kidnapping

Minor: Confinement

melissafelicia's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book reads like one of those reality tv series on mtv; too much cursing, all drama and very little plot, but so entertaining that you keep wanting more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Kidnapping and Alcohol

Minor: Death of parent

lillithstorm's review

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Grief, Bullying, Death of parent, Murder, and Physical abuse

sillih28's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, and Abandonment

Moderate: Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, and Vomit

Minor: Abortion and Miscarriage

bangiebangs's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Oh this was a tricky one.

Things I liked:
- the writing (notwithstanding occasional typos)
- the mysterious setup... this feels like a pretty new take (maybe I just havent read the book series similar to this one?)
- Gryphon. Also Atlas. They seem like rounded people who think before they act. (The rest of the bonds are just insufferably childish, self-centered dudes)

Things I disliked
- he world-building. There is some info about what these bonds are and how they work, but why, when do you usually learn about your bonds, how do you find them (like, some people are "waiting to find" them? Also, seems like you can reject a bond, what happens then? How is power heightened or acquired when a bond is completed? So many questions, but not in a good "mystery we will uncover" way, but more a "causes confusion when reading" way. Also, what is the Resistance resisting against and why? No idea. But they seem to be the baddies for some reason?
- the FMC's naivité. Annoying as hell. I'm personally not a fan of mysteriously self-sacrificing characters, especially when it is then used to explain some shitty behavior without much context?
- description of FMC through the book. She seems to have a normal (or even hot) body in the beginning, enjoying her food, and as soon as she is forced to do more physical exercise the fact her clothes don't fit and are too big gets mentioned a lot. I find that annoying. 
- How old are the bonds? Like, all around same age, or some way older? Some are councilmen and uni professors, others students?

But overall... I read this quickly, and I was hooked. Spice is not happening here (0.5/5 for some drooling over hot bodies), but that's likely because this is setting up the series. Wished that I wasn't so confused half of the time when it comes to in-world politics, but hoping that things will clear up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Torture, Violence, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Stalking

Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, and War

Minor: Abortion and Gun violence

sexual assault neglect (FMC is left without food for days on end, not being taken care of later in the book) FMC is violently implanted with a tracker (against her will)

doubletherazzle's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Solid audiobook read if you can get over the constant use of f bombs and pseudo f bombs. The plot wasn’t too complicated to track while listening and crafting/multitasking. The writing isn’t great and I agree with other reviews that say there’s a lot of whining, but I don’t think it’s an issue. She’s 19 and got a lot crap going on. I find the story interesting and dramatic and will definitely keep going. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual assault, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, and Death of parent

Minor: Abortion, Torture, Vomit, Alcohol, and Car accident