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thatswhatshanread's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
1. From BOTM’s description and the book’s general marketing, I fully expected this to be a horror/thriller. It was not. It was more just a family drama with a supernatural sort-of twist with half of the book’s POV set in literal Hell.
2. Every time I picked this book up to read it over the last several months, I was bored. The first half of the book seems like it’s going NOWHERE and nothing stuck. The storyline that follows Peyote in Hell seems completely irrelevant to the storyline in present day that follows The Harrison family.
3. But then, it finally picks up. Once I finally pushed myself to get more into it (after almost DNFing many times), something shifted. The stakes changed. Suddenly the Harrison family story is dysfunctional and mysterious and gripping. The Peyote storyline shows potential of intersecting with the other, some interesting twists come about.
4. Still, it’s confusing. I still have no idea how they will connect, just that now Peyote is actually referencing the Harrison family members and their dilemmas.
5. Peyote and Cal’s plot becomes even more confusing and drawn out. But I’m very intrigued with the POVs from the Harrisons’ side.
6. I finish the last 250 pages within a couple days. The pacing finally hit a sweet spot for me. The imminent ending seemed promising; everything would finally make sense.
7. Except… it wasn’t? And it didn’t?
This really felt like two different books in one. In the end, I was still confused, and disappointed in all of that buildup to… what, exactly? I would have rather read about only The Harrisons. But I guess it was entertaining, nonetheless. Something different. Just maybe not the different I wanted it to be.
Graphic: War, Blood, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Violence, Cursing, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Suicide, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Confinement, Body shaming, Genocide, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Cancer, Child death, Pedophilia, Sexism, and Stalking
elizcait's review
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Cancer and Injury/Injury detail
ktdakotareads's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Gore, Murder, Medical trauma, Drug use, Violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Blood, Grief, Self harm, and Death
aformeracceleratedreader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
I liked following the inhabitants of hell in the form of office workers and learning how to make it through/climb the ladder through hell. The human side of the story was interesting at some parts but not my favorite perspective/parts of the book. I preferred following the Pey and Cal side much more than the Harrison's side of the story.
The ending was a bit of a letdown for me though. It wasn't a bad ending per se, but it just wasn't super fulfilling to me.
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Self harm, Abandonment, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
maggieparedesauthor's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Alcoholism, Blood, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Murder, Pregnancy, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Addiction, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, and Drug use
loy127's review
- 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
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Bullying, Suicide, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual violence, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Violence
jaylee_books's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Violence, Body horror, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, and Blood
blissofalife's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, and Violence
Minor: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Grief, Gun violence, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Sexism, and Sexual assault
symabee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Things of note:
✅️ Short chapters
✅️ Lots of alternating POV
⚠️ Check content warnings. While this book can be humorous, it also contains a lot of dark subject matter.
Graphic: Alcohol, Infidelity, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Eating disorder, Self harm, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Torture, Blood, Gun violence, and Murder
Minor: Gore, Kidnapping, Cancer, Pregnancy, Drug use, Abortion, and Fire/Fire injury
wai's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Graphic: Death, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Murder, Self harm, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Grief, Cursing, and Gun violence
Moderate: Drug use, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Blood, Suicide, Eating disorder, Bullying, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy and Pedophilia