Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Love at First Set by Jennifer Dugan

7 reviews

the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-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

2.0

Every relationship in this book is dysfunctional at best and toxic at worst. No one seems to genuinely like each other, and no one is actually good to each other without having an ulterior motive. The idea that we are meant to support dysfunctional dynamics,

like the two love interests manipulating each other all the time and some straight up gaslighting happening throughout

worries me. The chemistry also seemed to be based entirely on sexual attraction between Cara and Lizzie, which is fine, but doesn't really make the HEA satisfying. The ending also struck me as a lot of miscommunication that could have easily been resolved, so I found myself skimming a lot of the last 5 or 6 chapters. 

There is also no real resolution about Lizzie's mom. It's just assumed she went no contact, which left me without closure as a reader.

The author also specifically noted the races of non-white people, but only noted the races of white people when they were being introduced at the same time as POCs (such as Jane and Sherry). That comes off kind of racist with the white folks being presumed as "default" but non-white people being noted. It also didn't escape my notice that the only racialized people were extremely minor characters with very few lines (Mina, Jane, Ramón).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Biphobia

Minor: Gaslighting and Child abuse

the_lesbrarian's review

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol

Minor: Classism

torikate7's review against another edition

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Homophobia

stacy837's review

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Grief, Child abuse, Abandonment, Cursing, Homophobia, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Alcohol

alexfromistemor's review

emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

I love Jennifer Dugan. She writes in the same way thoughts flow through my brain, which can seem somewhat chaotic at times, but it so familiar that her work always speaks to me.

Unfortunately, I apparently didn't finish my review when I initially read the book so it's not as fresh in my mind any longer (I'm writing this a month and a half later), and so I'll just say I loved this without details. Sorry. >.< 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Alcoholism, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, and Abandonment

a_rich_read's review against another edition

funny lighthearted 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? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Classism, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Bullying, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship

caseythereader's review

emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, and Toxic relationship