Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

149 reviews

gottbooks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

5.0

I really enjoyed this book. This story gave me Eat, Pray, Love vibes with the current day main character taking some time away after a fight with her husband. Additionally, there are mystery thriller vibes from the events in the late 1700s. Kept me engaged and interested through its entirety. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Vomit, Pregnancy, Death, Infidelity, Infertility, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

brennacathleen's review

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abortion, Death, Suicide, Medical content, Infertility, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, and Child death

onlyvitro's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Terminal illness and Vomit

Minor: Incest and Sexual harassment

linwood's review

emotional mysterious reflective 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? No

3.0

The idea behind this book is very intriguing but fell flat for me in the execution. Having three narrators, two in the past and one in the present was jarring. I found myself wanting to skip to the contemporary parts. The modern day character was the most interesting to me and the more mysterious part of the story, however this section often had to be rushed in order to make room for the past stories. I find myself wishing this book was different. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Vomit, and Miscarriage

turrean's review

medium-paced

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

2.0

Instead of a plot, there’s a wild concatenation of coincidence. Nearly impossible scenarios are engineered by mistake, and police investigations are derailed by pure dumb luck. The author definitely created a gripping sense of tension and excitement, but it’s largely built on the fact that characters—particularly the gormless American woman and her manipulative man child partner—inevitably make the wildest and most illogical choices possible.

And sheesh, the mAgiCK pOtiOnS…Please note, that’s magic with an “ick.” If Ye Olde Tyme remedies and potions worked a tenth as well in the real world as they do in fiction, a lot of modern medicine would be unnecessary. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder and Pregnancy

enlamont's review

hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Grief, Pregnancy, and Murder

Moderate: Medical content, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Vomit, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Terminal illness, and Suicide

katsherms's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-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

Unfortunately a ton of potential in the first third winds up mostly being a "The straights are not okay" drama

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Murder

rblack1515's review

slow-paced

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

2.75

Unfortunately this book takes about 200 pages to truly get interesting. Caroline's story is equally predictable and infuriating. Nella and Eliza could have carried the story on their own, though the three perspectives read very similar in tone and personality. 
Far too much mention of fertility, pregnancy and "the womb" for my personal taste 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Miscarriage

ballousclues's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - phenomenal. highly recommend to all 

My friend recommended this book to me recently since she read it and loved it. I didn't expect to fall in love with the story like I did. This book does an excellent job of reminding us that sitting in our own discontent doesn't do anything to aid us and that sometimes a leap of faith is necessary. The book follows the parallel lives of women in two different time periods and draws light to the similar stories they are writing. The story heavily focuses on character development and has a clear plot. The book was an easy read for me and the writing was well done. I could see there being a second book! It would be fun to get a bit of a follow up on Caroline through a bonus chapter or something.
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SPOILER

Like I said, I didn't expect to love this story as much as I did. It made my heart very happy that Eliza's potion worked as she had intended for it too and that she was able to share her success with Mr. Pepper. I like that the book leaned heavily into "we are all writing our own story" and that if we settle into our own discontent, we can't be surprised when it comes around to bite us. I love that the book allowed for Eliza, and maybe Nella, to continue on with their lives and gain a better hand in life from their run in with the law. I also really liked how the book talked about Caroline's toxic relationship. I think many folks have had a partner that has threatened, or attempted, suicide as a way to gain control in the relationship. I appreciated the message that you are more than what you may give yourself credit for and it's never too late to pursue your passions.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, Abortion, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Chronic illness, Infertility, Cancer, Vomit, and Grief

This book heavily talks about the inability to conceive, or successfully carry a child to full term. The book also talks about infidelity and the fallout from cheating in a relationship. I would pass a word of caution to anyone who has strong grief around children or the concept of pregnancy.

asanders88's review

adventurous reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I'm not sure why I let this book sit on a shelf for so long! The twists and turns at the end had me captivated!
The story follows a centuries ago apothecary full of poisons and secrets and the clues she left behind for a present-day woman, going through her own struggles, to find.
While I did find the book a little slow in the middle, the ending more than made up for it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Suicide, Death of parent, Infertility, Medical trauma, Child death, Infidelity, and Death