Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

36 reviews

bek67'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is the first book of author Sarah Pinborough's that I have read and it won't be my last! I thought I knew where it was going but BAM, I was wrong. Ok, so now I know where it's going but BAM, wrong again! 

It took a hot minute to get going but soon the story sucked me in. The characters are a mess who make a lot of bad choices but I found them interesting none the less. I liked the way to the story unfolds and kept me guessing.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Drug abuse

mzynda's review against another edition

mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Animal death, Death of parent, Drug use, and Infidelity

ssarahbbeth's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Sexual content, Addiction, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Animal death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abortion

ashleymg99's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Holy. Shit. The ending. Everyone says the last 20 pages are crazy and my god, are they right. The payoff is insane. 

I literally got to the last few chapters and I went “ah I know where this is going”. No the fuck you don’t. You think you do, but you absolutely do not. 

All I can say is this book is crazy - between 2 unreliable narrators, time jumps, and secrets, it leaves you guessing until the end. The twist is unexpected in the best way, because it takes everything you thought you knew and turns it on its head. The ending bumps my star rating from like a 3 to a 3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Murder, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Death, Alcohol, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, and Body shaming

sophmcgraw's review

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Abortion

ainrosle's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

If I were to judge this book based on the last third of it, then yes, it would have received high stars. The last few chapters of the book was exactly what I had expected out of the book. The first 2-third of the book is just something you can skim over. Nothing worth noting, nothing memorable. 

It was very slow, the characters aren't loveable and it's so frustrating because it could have been a 5 stars book. I had the wrong expectation of the book going in, thinking it was more of a thriller but really more of a suspense, mystery and paranormal element to it. It does require a suspension of disbelief (a lot of it), which I am generally fine with if it had been executed flawlessly. 

It's just a book with forgettable plot because... there was nothing to remember in the first place...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Mental illness, and Infidelity

Moderate: Body shaming and Death

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

zianna_reads's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Animal cruelty

lindseyrenee's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

The first half to 2/3 was pretty slow and seemed like a dramatic soap opera with all the affairs and weird relationships. When the pace started to pick up though, I was completely hooked and needed to know answers to all my questions! The ending was one that I would have never guessed. I thought I had it nailed down with the second to last chapter and then the last one swooped in and shocked me even more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Body shaming, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Stalking, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Infidelity

Moderate: Drug use and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

brookey8888's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

Honestly this was entertaining but it was also kind of boring at the same time. Nothing thrilling really happened so I kept wondering like what was gonna happen and what was the point. But the ending I did not see coming at all and I was shocked. I don’t know if I necessarily like it but I didn’t see it coming so there’s that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Abortion, Murder, and Stalking

lizziej96's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, Abortion, Miscarriage, and Death