Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

124 reviews

stephliljazz's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

As second book in the Ninth Gate series I am just hooked to this story. I cannot wait for book three I hope it comes out sooner than later! I don't know how to describe the book without spoilers so I'll just leave it with a couple quotes.

"People shouldn't have to march through the world fighting all the time."

"I will serve you till the end of days."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Drug use, Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Torture, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Abandonment, Slavery, Stalking, Grief, Vomit, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Death, Animal death, Alcohol, Violence, Torture, Classism, and Police brutality

Minor: Classism

alexijai98's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Death, Blood, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug abuse, Addiction, Drug use, and Forced institutionalization

sgrunwald96's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-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

I really enjoyed this book. I think it was better than 9th house and focused more on the core set of characters than on all of the societies. It suffered some of the same issues as the first one in there’s too much going on and it can be hard to track all the different names and old plot points but most of the confusion just comes from assuming you remember the first book. Super fun. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence, Body horror, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Racism, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail

jillyjills's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

Very different than the first book. The pace was all over the place. Very slow in the beginning and rushed in the end. Would have been much better if there was less quantity, more quality.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, Animal death, Addiction, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Violence, and Torture

oliviaclaire's review

adventurous dark 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

4.0

Hell Bent has been one of my most anticipated reads of the past couple of years. Having devoured Ninth House I kept hoping that every announcement from Leigh Bardugo would be a release date for her second Alex Stern novel. Well, the day has come and it doesn't dissapoint. 

Hell Bent follows Alex's journey to retrieve Darlington from the depths of hell, a daunting task at the best of times. Throw in a threatening blast from the past and things become even more complicated. I have always admired book heroines who don't fit the sterotypical trope. Alex is dark and scarred and unapologetically a survivor and she fits beautifully into the equally dark academic world that Bardugo continues to craft around a very convincing portrayal of Yale. The lore in this series really draws me in and I loved learning more about the origins of the houses and the ritual of the Gauntlet. Everything from locations to magical items to new characters were fully and descriptively fleshed out and every individual felt immediately recogniseable from the others. 

The only gripe I have with Hell Bent is that for a book of 480 pages it really does move a break neck pace for most of the narrative. There isn't much room for the characters, and therefore the reader, to stop and collect their thoughts. We're always hurtling into the next piece of the action. 

All in all, Hell Bent was well worth the wait and I'll now return to being patient and pained as I wait for news on the third and final book in the trilogy. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Death, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Addiction, and Sexual assault

outra_joana's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-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

Moderate: Death, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Gore, Death of parent, Cancer, Sexual content, and Drug abuse

girlwithoutearing's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

Hell Bent is a good sequel to Ninth House. It picks up the fast pace and high stakes.
My only complaint is that Alex seems to control some of the other characters a little to well at the end of the story, making some vilians arrive at the right place at the right time a little too effortlessly. It would have made for a good climax if there had been more complications for the main cast of characters at some points. It is explained afterwards that more steps had been taken for that to happen "off screne", but it all went down a little too smoothly imo.
I did really like the characters and their relationships, though. Their friendships or lack thereof felt realistic and I enjoyed reading about them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, and Vomit

Minor: Suicide attempt

marg0tte1109's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Addiction, Sexism, Torture, Classism, Gore, Self harm, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

frawst_disasta_reads's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is dark and full of tense but enthralling action and characters.

To me it was more enjoyable than NH.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Murder, Gore, Blood, Death, Classism, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Addiction, Cancer, and Slavery

enyltiak's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

As with the Grishaverse, I find myself so comfortably tucked into Alex's world—of Yale, of Lethe, and of magic. I'm brokenhearted to have to leave it. These books are a new favorite, a perfect read for anyone who enjoys magic, mystery, and darkness. This book had me gasping aloud, crying, slamming it shut in anxiety, and jumping up and down at clever steps and reveals. A masterpiece of modern fantasy and a must-read for any "dark academia" lovers. <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Gore, Gun violence, Death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Violence, Self harm, Animal death, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Slavery, and Racism