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mdonn20'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
3.5
Graphic: Self harm, Drug use, and Physical abuse
esme_may's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Self harm, Gun violence, Murder, Blood, Infidelity, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Body horror, Torture, Suicide, Bullying, Cursing, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Abortion, War, Car accident, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Medical content
mstormodolge's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall, this book was fucking fire. It’s such a unique plot with some really interesting characters and ideas plus the surprises actually surprised me sometimes. Like even the ones I expected I still gasped aloud at how they were revealed. And the ending is so perfect! Like it’s such a strong book. I loved how many characters you got to watch and how their stories interacted and I adored how much Pey changed throughout it. It’s such a good dark book I just can’t see myself ever owning a book with self harm in it at this point in my life.
I’d still recommend it, but while being wary.
Graphic: Self harm and Violence
Moderate: Eating disorder, Murder, Drug use, and Physical abuse
mxbadger's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse
Minor: Infidelity
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
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
abookandaspotoftea's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Self harm, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Murder, Death, Toxic relationship, Grief, Body shaming, Infidelity, Alcohol, and Bullying
Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Murder, and Gun violence
tiffanne11's review
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, Murder, Infidelity, Alcohol, Torture, Drug use, and Death
Minor: Self harm, Child death, Death, Drug use, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Cancer, Child abuse, Gore, Pregnancy, Suicide, Vomit, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, and Mental illness