Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The September House by Carissa Orlando

75 reviews

jeannelynne24's review

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-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

4.0

While I loved this book (it kept me guessing with the wild swings!), it DEFINITELY needs trigger warnings!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Dementia, Cannibalism, Abandonment, and Alcohol

coco78337's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

beckerdoodle9's review

dark tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

g_xandra's review

dark emotional funny mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicide, Violence, Vomit, and Murder

darlingkelly's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

A brilliant allegory about the female experience and one hell of a horror story (which the female experience often is). The final twist is so wonderfully satisfying, I had to set the book down to applaud. Kudos to author Carissa Orlando.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide

fkshg8465's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

This was better than I expected it to be. Until the last few chapters, I kept questioning reality and wondered how I could suspend reality at the same time. It was the same feeling I had watching Everything Everywhere All at Once. I loved the relationships Margaret cultivated. And I appreciated the mother-daughter dynamic too. That was probably the most real thing about the book and also the best part for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

chelbelle122's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

The beginning had me at a 5. The middle was so slow I thought about stopping. The end wraps everything up nicely...but it was so rushed. I wouldn't say I was surprised by any of the plot twists but I did love the nonchalant attitude of the main character. I would watch the BBC version of this in a moment...but probably wouldn't read it again.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

wordsareworlds's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed this twist on a more classic haunted house story. It had me guessing until almost the end which way it would go, and ultimately I was very satisfied by how everything came together. I keep thinking about the fine line the author walked in revealing the MC's past and wanting the reader to ask just how unreliable the narrator is. Strong themes about the cycle of abuse and how survival can manifest in very different ways for different people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Blood, Dementia, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction and Alcohol

Minor: Suicide and Fire/Fire injury

aparker89's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail