Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Promise Boys by Nick Brooks

11 reviews

pucksandpaperbacks's review against another edition

Phoenomonal story. Phoneomal audiobook. No notes!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Violence, Police brutality, Death, Alcohol, Murder, and Pregnancy

zombiezami's review against another edition

4.0

This was a fantastic social thriller. It was heart-wrenching to read about how this fictional school abused students, knowing that in real life, so many adults think you can brutalize children into being successful adults. 

There were a few plot threads that felt like they weren’t explored as much as they could have been. The ending also felt abrupt.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Murder, Police brutality, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Addiction, Classism, Blood, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Cursing

Minor: Pedophilia, Suicide, and Sexual harassment

Gangs, incarceration

redroseses's review against another edition

dark hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Death

Moderate: Blood and Murder

Minor: Racism, Pregnancy, Classism, Alcohol, Violence, and Alcoholism

smalika's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Confinement, and Racism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, and Abandonment

lana72905's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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

3.75

I loved the format of the book. The fact that it played out as a news tory of an actual case was an interesting take on a mystery novel that I haven't seen before. It was a little confusing at first, realizing that we didn't start directly at chapter one but rather with interviews, but I got used to it and I did enjoy it! What makes this inly 3.75 stars for me though was the book seemed rushed. The ending to me, whole I didn't expect it,

it felt a little cliché and rushed to scramble together an ending. It was pretty clear the boys would be innocent, but I felt like they could've found out a little bit differently. I just felt like the ending could've been different and not rushed.

. My other gripe would be the fact thst because of those interviews, while I liked them, we didn't really see the real plot takefold until halfway through the novel. It felt dragged out and while it brought depth to characters and the stories, I just wished it didn't rake so long to come to the real plot. But, overall it is a good book and I did enjoy it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, and Gun violence

Minor: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

reaganisreading's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Murder, and Racism

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Ableism, Pedophilia, and Alcoholism

ghostlyprince's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Classism, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Child abuse, and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, and Alcohol

Minor: Abandonment and Panic attacks/disorders

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I enjoyed the story, and the killer wasn't who I was expecting, though plenty of hints were dropped as to who it might be. I liked the focus on who these boys weren't bad kids they were just seen that way because of the color of their skin and the neighborhoods they were from. I also really liked the epilogue and seeing where they ended up.
Also the full-cast audio really drew me into the story and was amazingly done!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Classism

Moderate: Xenophobia, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Violence, and Gun violence

Minor: Sexual harassment

betweentheshelves's review against another edition

dark 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? No

4.5

There was a lot of hype for this book, and for good reason! I'd actually really recommend the audiobook because it has a full cast and really immerses you in the format of the reading experience. This is exactly the type of novel that teens will devour; a bit of mystery, a bit of a thriller, and some hard-hitting issues at the center of it. If I could have, I probably would have listened to the entire thing in one sitting. It was that engaging!

Brooks introduces some twists and turns, and while ultimately, I had an inkling as to what actually happened, I appreciated the red herrings included throughout the book. I can definitely see teens who enjoyed books like One of Us Is Lying and The Hate U Give also enjoying this book. Can't wait to recommend it to teens at the library!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Gun violence, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Alcoholism

Minor: Mass/school shootings and Injury/Injury detail

bookswithca's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Racism

Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Racism, Classism, Bullying, Addiction, Blood, Stalking, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence