Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

384 reviews

ninahuynh's review

emotional funny 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? No

4.0

After seeing the videos and trailer of the film adaption floating around and telling myself I'm going to read the book first, I finally did! They are an adorable couple. Their relationship via email and text were fleshed out, but when they are in person, it feels like we can do with a few less sex moments. The ending leaned into the political side of the story, so unless you're verse or interested in US Presidential election, you will likely end up skimming through it to the character portions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Homophobia, Stalking, Addiction, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Sexual content, Alcohol, Cursing, and Racism

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Incest

marcan's review

hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.75

Not a fan of the pet names that were used

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol and Sexual content

Minor: Drug use, Death of parent, Addiction, and Homophobia

quiet_reader's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Outing

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent and Cancer

cats33's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Biphobia, Death of parent, Sexual content, Death, Grief, and Homophobia

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Cursing, Alcoholism, Addiction, Infidelity, and Sexual assault

Minor: Misogyny, Cultural appropriation, Sexism, Colonisation, and Racism

amygracewillis's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

Might have liked this more if the audio book man didn’t have an annoying voice. 

Didn’t enjoy a single character and it gave me the book repeatedly.

3 stars bc it wasn’t awful and there were some nice bits in it, just not for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, and Abandonment

Minor: Biphobia and Homophobia

knockoffrainbow's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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: Addiction, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Grief, Homophobia, Alcohol, Outing, and Racism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Biphobia, Cancer, Classism, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Mental illness

Minor: Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, and Stalking

riannanana's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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: Outing, Homophobia, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Deportation, Sexual harassment, Racism, Drug use, Stalking, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Addiction

plantdonut's review

emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Outing, Grief, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Alcohol

Minor: Xenophobia, Colonisation, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

levitatingnumeral's review against another edition

hopeful fast-paced

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

4.25

It’s cute, it’s hopeful and it’s very much all about the happy endings.
Sure, it’s not a complex masterpiece with deep character analysis, but it’s a light read that manages to handle some heavier topics with sensitivity. It’s a feel-good book and it was heart-warming.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing and Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Homophobia, and Addiction

swiftpool's review

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

3.5

Super cute and an easy read. June adds so much more depth to the story compared to the movie. Her character also lends depth to Ellen and the different ways she treats each child. I even at one point predicted June would, as a journalist, out her brother due to being jealous of the love and attention he receives. Instead we got a living older sister self sacrificing parts of her own life to be there for him, from giving up her relationship to leaking photos of her and Henry to dispel rumors around Alex and Henry. Her flirtation with Nora and Percy was also super cute, funny, and ambiguous, letting Alex and Henry take the spotlight. Seeing Nora being feral in the background of scenes was cute. Even Leo adds a tumultuous family relationship to the story the movie doesn’t have. Liam, too, adds a lot to Alex’s story and self reflection. I was glad he came back into his life as a friend - and after seeing the movie, them biking to Alex’s house makes much more sense with Liam around. The only real cons I have were with Nora handled Alex coming out, and the scene where Alex barges into the palace. Honestly I didn’t love how Nora takes Alex coming out to her. Just because she’s queer and already guessed, doesn’t mean she should be so …. up front about it? Especially because even though we see her as logical and clinical, she is also said to be his best friend, and who he goes to for everything even above his sister. It felt like she was pushing him off, like, “yeah so what?”, despite coming to terms with sexuality being big and scary to Alex despite knowing he’d be accepted. As for the palace scene, it’s not that big of a gripe because it was very much written like a real fight - I just don’t happen to love Henry’s character in the moment. And they do, in the morning, clear up that he was an ass. But Henry lashing out at Alex despite being the one to fall first, kiss him first, and then ghost him multiple times and expect Alex to just accept that? Annoying. Definitely could use more communication skills. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Sexual content

Minor: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Cursing, Addiction, and Alcohol