Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

386 reviews

foxclcves'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

eyescanbecruel's review

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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Alcohol, and Sexual content

Moderate: Cursing, Racism, Grief, Cancer, Homophobia, Death of parent, Addiction, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, and Drug abuse

dandeliongirl's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Outing

Moderate: Alcohol, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Addiction

Minor: Stalking, Religious bigotry, Racism, and Sexual violence

clairelisebella's review

lighthearted 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

Charming beyond belief. I loved reading this book. No notes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing

Moderate: Sexual content, Homophobia, and Biphobia

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Addiction, Cursing, Religious bigotry, Grief, and Confinement

christinaj1021's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.25

This is such a cute story! I loved reading it and have already recommended it to others.

I like the social commentary and the hopeful feels of the book. The characters are definitely loveable and you root for all of them the whole way through. The plot was a bit fast but that is usually the nature of the genre and not a fault in my mind, in this case.

It's definitely got me excited to watch the movie!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content

Minor: Mental illness, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, and Cancer

kburt's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Biphobia, Classism, and Homophobia

Minor: Outing, Grief, and Racism

ladythana's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Bullying

Moderate: Death of parent, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Classism, Alcohol, and Grief

Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Racism, Biphobia, Religious bigotry, and Panic attacks/disorders

yanlapanel's review

lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

It’s fun, it’s lighthearted, and it’s cheesy. It’s a gay enemies to lovers, but one that actually focuses on the aftermath and builds on their relationship. But considering how closely it’s tied into the real world, and our real world politics, it’s not even close to realistic. It’s an idealised version of both the American political state and the British monarchy, and sometimes seems too self-aware of how intentionally unlike the main characters are to either their real world equivalents(Henry), or to whomstever would have been in their position (Alex). Still an enjoyable read.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual violence, and Addiction