Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

13 reviews

thalia16's review

dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia

Moderate: Addiction, Death of parent, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Death, Sexual content, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Blood, Classism, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Alcohol

kelisabeth's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexism, Slavery, Classism, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Violence, Xenophobia, Abortion, Addiction, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

daydaybookbay's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I rated this book a 9 out of 10. I really enjoyed the blast to the past, reminding me of The Scarlet Letter and the Salem Witch Trials. Having the history woven into the fictional storyline makes it feel more real. It is clear so much research was put into the writing of this story.

The way Isobel's Synesthesia was written really captured me. This beautiful visual that she learns to embrace privately. With such an experience many people today can not fully understand, it hurts to know Isobel was practically afraid of herself.

My favorite parts to read were the scenes Isobel was sewing, All the details of the dresses and clothing and the descriptions of embroidery in the gloves created the images in my mind. I love it. So much description went into it, but it felt light like music.

While we watch Isobel grow, we see the women supporting women every step of the way. Nell and Mercy take different approaches to help Isobel, but both women warm my heart.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Murder, Racism, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Alcohol, Addiction, Blood, Classism, Drug use, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Self harm, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, and Racial slurs

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Death, and War

ncamp214's review

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Sexual content and Drug use

Minor: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, and Slavery

sxndaze's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

Once he said, I invented you and you came. Now he's saying the opposite: that I am the conjurer, and he is the conjured.

gorgeous and fascinating. the twist on the scarlett letter’s origin story is interesting to weird and isobel is a great character to read. it drags a at times,but the payoff is good

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

mels_reading_log's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

“It’s not that we are witches or faeries or that we deny God. It is that we are more beautiful and strong together than apart.”  Men are scared of things they don’t understand. During the Witch Trials they hunted and murdered anyone who was different or skilled in a way they were ignorant to, all the while standing behind God as if He would endorse such foolishness. This story is the fictional story of the real Hester Prynne of the Scarlet Letter. I loved the strength, grit and determination of the outcast characters. They saw who they could trust and stuck together. This was such a good book!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Death, Grief, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Pregnancy, Slavery, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Violence

redheadorganist's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Blood, and Drug use

Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, and Addiction

captainmarcy's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Drug use, Colonisation, Death of parent, and Slavery

rachelwhicker06's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction

Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, and Terminal illness

Minor: Abortion and Forced institutionalization

laheath's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

4.0

Although I had fantastic English teachers in high school, I remember the study of The Scarlet Letter being dry though the story was pretty good overall.  This book imagines the origin of Hawthorne's inspiration for that book.  With the inclusion of such details as strong female characters, references to the Salem witch trials and the Underground Railroad, and issues such as classism, equality, and freedom, this is a very interesting story of a woman making her way in the world with her own gifts.

Unfortunately, once again, the audiobook does not include the author's notes, which I've been told detail her research.  These should never be left out of audiobooks!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Sexism, Slavery, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Racism, and Abortion

Minor: Sexual content, Drug use, and Classism