Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin

5 reviews

theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Confinement

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Hate crime, Gore, Child death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Animal death, Alcohol, Grief, Abandonment, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Infidelity, Stalking, Misogyny, and Cannibalism

bzliz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

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

3.5

I’m kind of bummed about this one because so many people say it is better than book 2 but I don’t think that’s true unfortunately. 

Lou starts this book possessed by Nicholina and it takes the crew a while to realize it and devise a plan to exorcise her from Lou’s body. They’re still on the hunt to eliminate Morgane too so they’ve got a lot on their plate. Célie joins up with the crew with some much-needed money and civility that eases their journey more than once. Just when Lou is freed from her possession, Reid protects her from her mother by making Morgane forget her at the cost of his own memories of her and they have to find a way to stop Morgane while Lou and Reid find their way back together. 

Ultimately, way too much of the book ends up with Lou possessed or Reid with memory loss and I don’t think it helped the story. There’s enough going on without those back to back hurdles. We also could have cut the mermaid plot line completely. I really like Célie’s addition to the crew and her desire to be more than what she was born into. Jean Luc is generally less likable but his inclusion showed that it isn’t impossible to change for the better. The final battle was pure chaos and so many characters that I barely remembered kept popping up which made it hard to focus on what was actually happening. 

I did have a teary moment during the epilogue because

they saved a seat at the wedding for sweet baby Ansel and he got to see his friends be happy and healing and then he got to go be with his parents in the afterlife and it hurt my heart in the best way.

Content warnings:
Blood, death, injury, violence (on page):

Lots of violence, injuries, etc because of the nature of the plot. Blood witches are involved so there is plenty of blood flowing.

Fire/fire injury (on page):

Coco’s grief causes an unceasing hellfire that can’t be put out until she works through her grief. Lou and Reid are sentenced to burn to death and almost do but are rescued by their crew just in time.

Confinement (on page):

Lou and Reid are kept in a cage following their failed attempt to infiltrate the city.

Death of parent (on page):

Coco’s mother must die for her aunt to die; Morgane gets her comeuppance after a big speech about how she couldn’t really love Lou.

Sexual content (on page):

Mostly fade to black scenes between Lou & Reid. Very mild.

Grief (on page):

Everyone is still reeling from Ansel’s death but mostly Coco because her grief causes an unending hellfire that destroys parts of Cesarine.

Alcohol (on page):

Scene of Lou, Reid, Jean Luc & Beau getting drunk together and playing truth or dare. They have hangovers after.

Cannibalism (off page):

Discussion of La Voison and Nicholina eating human hearts.

Torture (off page):

King Auguste definitely green-lights torture via rat even if it isn’t explicitly said.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Grief, Confinement, Death of parent, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol, Cannibalism, and Torture

kat1105's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Classism, Death of parent, Murder, War, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Kidnapping, Death, and Torture

leedolee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

This series has easily stolen a place in my heart and these characters will truly remain favorites of my mine. 

The world, the magic, the action, the drama, the twists, the relationships, and the plot were outstanding! Yes, my least favorite trope was found in this book but I enjoyed the novel regardless. 

Lou and Reid will be one of my favorite ships. Always. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and War

Moderate: Alcohol

mollyanne624's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Gore, Grief, and Cursing

Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Torture

Minor: Abandonment and Alcohol