Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham

32 reviews

chelle22's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

colorcrystals's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Drug use, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

vereadsbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

3.5

This story feels more youthful compared to the author’s previous books, which featured adult protagonists and felt more mature. While certain familiar elements of the author’s writing that I like are present, the tone is different. 

Margot tries to move on with her life after losing her best friend in a tragic accident. She finds herself drawn to the magnetic and mysterious Lucy Sharpe during her first year at university. Their friendship takes an unexpected turn after the death of a fraternity boy who is their neighbor, followed by Lucy’s disappearance.

I was expecting a different type of story. It felt flat. The previous books were mysterious and intense, but this book cannot convey the intensity of the obsession and toxic friendship that unites Margot with her friends.
The book is a slow-burn mystery with a dual timeline, something the author usually does very well, as it keeps the reader’s attention on both timelines and their respective mysteries. However, it doesn’t work here.

The book portrays a toxic friendship and female obsession. Margot’s obsession with her two friends is strange. She's dramatic, and I don’t understand why she is so obsessed with Lucy and Eliza. The book tells how intoxicating and magnetic personality both girls had but doesn't show it. Lucy and Eliza seem like characters with little depth or substance.

After one of the reveals, the other pieces quickly fell into place, reading like a checklist of scenes that needed to make the story neat and clean.
There must be better stories that represent this theme more deeply and thoughtfully. Although it reads like another story of toxic friendships that end badly, it is enjoyable. The book captured my attention and kept me hooked for a long time, partly because Stacy Willinghan’s books have their own atmosphere. The book creates a perfect atmosphere of youth and summer. It represents very well those feelings of desperately wanting to belong to something.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

meaghankmc's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I love Willingham’s plot twists. Her books always draw me in and have me reading late into the night, and this one was no exception. I really enjoyed all the characters, too. Lucy was so interesting.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual assault, and Vomit

cdkm9's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

This book captured my attention right away and I was eager to keep reading. I really enjoy the author’s writing style. That said,

I was disappointed by the ending, both because it was unsatisfying and because I don’t think it was very plausible. I can see how Levi’s murder could remain unsolved, but I couldn’t bring myself to believe that they would get away with Lucy’s. For example, wouldn’t they find Margot’s fingerprints all over Lucy’s phone and Eliza’s lipstick and all the items they planted in her room? And what about when somebody inevitably finds the body? I guess ultimately having an ending that neither felt good or felt believable didn’t work for me, but up until the very end I really enjoyed this novel.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Drug use, Rape, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, and Abandonment

Minor: Confinement, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Car accident

amanda_reads89's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Stalking

Minor: Drug use, Rape, and Sexual assault

kimveach's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

The book's first half was paced too slowly, while I enjoyed the second half as secrets were revealed.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Pregnancy

juanat77's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious sad 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

Really enjoyed A Flicker in the Dark and All the Dangerous Things. Expected to like this one as much, but it disappointed. It felt amateur compared to the other two. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Rape, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

nrogers_1030's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Rape, Stalking, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content and Abandonment