Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman

3 reviews

beth_s98's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

I really thought I knew where the story was going, and then there was another twist. It made sense, but

I was so heartbroken over the betrayal of the actual killer

I’m not sure I could read it again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Gaslighting, Child death, Violence, Death, Alcohol, Murder, Sexism, Grief, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, and Sexual harassment

lindsayerin's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Murder, Grief, Child death, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Violence and Sexual assault

Minor: Drug abuse and Adult/minor relationship

emily_mh's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

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

1.0

It is not often I come across a book that I don't like a single thing about, but unfortunately They Wish They Were Us was one of these. Nothing happens in this book. There is no proper investigation as you would expect in a mystery/thriller book, and no character development. I couldn't stand most of the characters. Jill herself is so judgemental it's gross, and her friends are horrible

and are redeemed without doing anything to earn it

. The "Players" plot line is the ONLY plot line for half of this book, and then half of the plot line for the remainder of the book and it just wasn't interesting. There was an attempt at an analysis of misogyny within hazing but it didn't really go anywhere. I was really disappointed that the book turned out the way it did as I've been looking forward to reading it for a while. Regardless, I am still interested in reading They'll Never Catch Us as the premise sounds interesting and this book was only Goodman's debut.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Blood, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Confinement, and Misogyny

Moderate: Cursing, Grief, Drug use, Alcohol, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Violence, Physical abuse, Child death, Murder, and Death

Minor: Drug abuse, Car accident, Ableism, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Death of parent, Cancer, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Torture, Self harm, Antisemitism, and Adult/minor relationship