Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Wife Between Us: The First Four Chapters by Sarah Pekkanen, Greer Hendricks

71 reviews

blueyogi's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Drug use, Blood, and Death of parent

shirlm3k's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Abortion

julia091's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse

Minor: Death and Death of parent

_bookally_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

I finally found a thriller that I loved! This is the first thriller where I am intrigued but not anxious by the plot or scenarios. It is also the first time I have enjoyed the plots and not found them cringey or lazy writing. 
 
Although there are some really dark topics in it like DV, suicide, mental illness and emotional abuse to name a few. I still enjoyed it and normally those aspects would be quite triggering for me. 

I actually really enjoyed the characters even though I hated some of them they were still enjoyable. 
I also found it quite confusing at times but I felt like that was the aim and that it really added to the story.

I will 100% pick up more by these 2 authors

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Infertility, Infidelity, Grief, Abortion, and Death of parent

pookiee's review against another edition

mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

3.5

this has one of the better portayals of

domestic abuse

in the thriller genre. some parts are more exaggerated than is typical, but I was impressed by the nuances

”he liked to keep her safe, but also to keep her afraid so she’d rely on him” realization and the not-obvious lovebombing and gaslighting

. the fact that it was pretty grounded in reality made me that much more affected and invested in the story. (although there is an unsuccessful attempt to humanize this character that feels out of place since they’re villainized the entire book & undeserving.)

I guessed a big twist from the beginning, but I still think it was a great one—I’m just very skeptical and thriller-brained. plus this book doesn’t depend on its twists, its plot stands on its own. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Violence, Grief, and Car accident

Minor: Miscarriage, Blood, and Abortion

Details of the domestic abuse:

hit in the face, kicked in the ribs, strangled, her hair pulled, collapses, pushed down the stairs

jkar7's review against another edition

dark sad slow-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? Yes

3.5

The twists in the book weren't exactly unpredictable... there were a couple I didnt see coming. The plot was interesting, the way it intertwined, but I felt like the story could have focused more on fleshing out the side characters than what type of wines they drank. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Classism

Moderate: Terminal illness, Vomit, and Car accident

Minor: Miscarriage and Abortion

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? No

3.75

This was an enjoyable read, and I think I would try these authors again. They definitely did a great job bringing their voices together. I do like a "dark past" story, but sometimes authors can refer to it too often, which makes the reader feel like screaming "oh my GOSH JUST TELL ME ALREADY," which I felt a teensy bit here. Overall, I was surprised multiple times throughout the book, which is great.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse, Death, Fatphobia, Death of parent, and Classism

eaeaster's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Stalking

Moderate: Alcoholism and Panic attacks/disorders

savagesav25's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.25

the pacing of this was so weird but i really loved the twists and turns. definitely one of my fave unreliable narrator books but it was just so slow at some points. did a great job of tying up loose ends though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Grief, and Classism

cbressler80's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.75

Very similar story to others I’ve read with it’s own flair (think the last Mrs Parrish, the housemaid).  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, and Gaslighting