Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

24 reviews

meeklovestoread's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.25

The amount of times this book put me to sleep should be criminal. I'm not the type where I have to like the characters to like a book, but my goodness I found Grace to be so intolerable and always constantly overly pessimistic and judgemental of literally everyone. As someone that seems to set on murdering these privileged peoole she seems just as pretentious as they are. The twist at the end still left some unanswered as to what happens to Grace.

And the introduction of Harry felt kinda rushed. I don't know. It just felt pretty random. Him being Simon's son and having him be the one to kill Simon. I don't know how I feel about that considering throughout most of the story we were in Grace's POV.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Sexual content, Murder, Abandonment, Stalking, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcohol, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Grief, and Alcoholism

Minor: Cursing, Car accident, Sexism, and Violence

joanasimao's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Death of parent

Moderate: Drug use and Alcoholism

cursedepub's review against another edition

challenging funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A wry, self-aware, and emotionally manipulative novel. The crime drama aspect was very satisfying; each of Grace's murders made for an incredibly interesting story. While I often don't enjoy the introduction of a twist element close to the ending of most novels, this one was done to better effect than usual - it highlighted the self-important, narrow-minded, and judgmental aspects of Grace's narration, and really brought home just how much the reader is led to empathize with her.

Her victory is, as Harry so wryly mentions, stolen out from under her by a man who was dealt a better hand in life,

and I felt as frustrated as she no doubt was. 

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Charly Clive as Grace

and Paul Panting as Harry,

  and they really brought the prose to life. I felt as if I was listening to my meanest, most dramatic friend tell me a riveting story. It was fun! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Classism, Death of parent, Car accident, Death, and Sexual content

Moderate: Terminal illness, Drug use, and Alcoholism

Minor: Eating disorder

eimear_jane's review against another edition

dark 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Confinement, Abandonment, Murder, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Classism, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Stalking, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Addiction

aliciachauhan_'s review against another edition

dark funny informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Violence, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

capybooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Mental illness, Blood, Car accident, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, and Misogyny

sophs0899's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Grief, Mental illness, and Murder

slama_llama's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

Read this book! Pick it up. The narrator and protagonist is one judgemental and no bs murderer. She has strong opinions on most things (which you’ll find yourself agreeing to quite a bit, much to your charging). Despite her unethical, murderous actions you’ll root hor her (and in turn question your own morals). The story is very well written and totally enjoyable to read. The narrator’s thoughts and action are appalling and you’ll go back and forth with yourself debating if they’re justified (they are not; but yet). 
Not wanting to overhype it or spoil anything- I did not see the ending coming at all- it left me slightly enraged and in disbelief!
Read it, it is fun, you’ll probably think about it for a while too. And annotating it was like going on a picnic. 
Final thoughts: I don’t condone murder, but I do stand for women’s rights. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny, and Alcoholism

kellyloubishop's review against another edition

dark lighthearted 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Drug use, Incest, Murder, Torture, Abandonment, Body shaming, Car accident, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Fatphobia

clairew97's review against another edition

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Pregnancy, Stalking, Terminal illness, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Cancer, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Addiction, Car accident, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail