Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Villa: A Captivating Thriller about Sisterhood and Betrayal, with a Jaw-Dropping Twist by Rachel Hawkins

32 reviews

charlotte_37's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Drug use, Cursing, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, and Child death

Minor: Alcohol, Miscarriage, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail

tdawgg07's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

A brilliant blend of a fun summer read about friendship with a dark and winding mystery, this book seamlessly combines themes of art and history with a twisty mystery in an idyllic, summery setting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship, and Blood

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Classism, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Cursing, Grief, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Death, and Suicide

lialovesreading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Infidelity, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Child death, and Cursing

Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Vomit

Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

chanlo1994's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Blood, Drug use, Death, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity

Moderate: Vomit, Child death, and Chronic illness

Minor: Miscarriage

Loved the twists

tierraskye's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Blood, Alcohol, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Death of parent, Miscarriage, and Murder

Minor: Abortion

nursestern's review against another edition

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

4.5

This book was twisty and captivating, I enjoyed the relationship dynamics between Chess and Em. I also enjoyed the similarities between their friendship and the relationship of Lara and Mari. The deeply interwoven tale of the residents of Villa Aestas will have you on the edge of your seat, devouring every detail as you try to piece the puzzles together. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, Suicide, Child death, and Murder

staceen's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

It took me a minute to get into the 70s plot, but once I did, I flew through this book. A fun thriller that I thought was really different. I was a little surprised by some of the author's choices, but not mad. 

For example, Matt actually wasn't poisoning Em, Chess was telling the truth about only sleeping with him once, and are we not going to address the fact that Chess stole Em's book and wanted to take credit with her agent? I did love Mari's last secret at the very end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol

Minor: Infidelity

wrestleacademic's review against another edition

mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

It would’ve been a higher star rating without Mari’s final diary entry that to me undermined the whole narrative.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Blood, Alcohol, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Infertility, Vomit, and Suicide

elisalasater's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Murder, Violence, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Pregnancy

heypretty52's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcohol, Child death, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Violence, Suicide, Stalking, and Blood

The grieving of an description of child death is explicit. The miscarriage by another character isn't explicit and is only briefly mentioned.