Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais

13 reviews

art_books_chemistry's review against another edition

funny inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

There are a lot of witchy books out there and I've read a fair share myself (some of them over and over and over again (*cough-cough*Harry Potter), but Marais goes in a wonderfully different direction with The Witches of Moonshyne Manor. For one thing, I don't think I've ever read a supernatural/paranormal book with 6 80+ year old women as the main characters! And it was honestly hilarious reading about that carefree dgaf of of the old. 

I do think that after the initial craziness at the beginning of the book, there was a bit of a lull that dragged on until we started getting more of the flashback story. I really enjoyed how Marais wrote her twists where she didn't hide anything from you, except by not including extra details. From the very beginning Ursula is constantly saying how everything was her fault but the more details we're given, you think it's survivors guilt...until you don't anymore. She was also very clear on how diverse her characters were without it being in your face obvious every other page. I also really liked how everyone had powers but in different ways, though they could all do some of the same spells, there were certain things that only each individual could do which made them stronger as a group. 

There were lots of fun, and intense life lessons interspersed with this rollercoaster of a story, which was awesome since it alluded to the long lives the women lived and all the things our elders have to teach us. But it also highlighted the fact that we may know a lot of things when we get old, we don't know everything and we should still listen to those younger than us to continue to learn. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Dementia, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Transphobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexism

Minor: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Infertility, Racism, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry

thereadinghammock's review against another edition

The misogyny that undercurrents the entire plot kept me so distracted from anything else that went on. I want to know what happened with Ruby and what will happen to these witches, but right now I just couldn't. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Alcohol and Bullying

Minor: Sexual content

cjlacyhanks's review against another edition

hopeful 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? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Police brutality

Minor: Transphobia and Misogyny

redheadorganist's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Cursing, Misogyny, Death, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Transphobia, Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, and Police brutality

Moderate: Torture

Minor: Cancer

silverhill's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious 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

Moderate: Dysphoria, Confinement, Grief, Dementia, and Death

Minor: Transphobia, Mental illness, Alcohol, Cancer, Animal cruelty, Racism, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Police brutality

takarakei's review against another edition

funny lighthearted 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? No

3.5

This was a super cute cozy witchy book!! A group of older witches live together and are trying to save their property from literally the patriarchy. I honestly would love to end up living with all my besties in my old age like these women! There’s a little bit of mystery because one of their friends is gone for part of the book, until it’s revealed why but it’s a bit complicated.

I had a bit of trouble discerning some of the different povs on audio.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Transphobia

Moderate: Dementia, Police brutality, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Dysphoria and Sexual content

Ageism

katattack345's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad 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? N/A

4.5

I really enjoyed this book. It was everything I hoped it to be and more! I would have given it a 5/5 but there were parts that I found to be predictable. But it was still an amazing read! Would recommend to any fellow witchy person

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Confinement, Dementia, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Moderate: Outing, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Cursing, Gun violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, and Violence

infinite_harness9030's review

emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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: Dementia, Grief, Misogyny, Police brutality, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cursing, Dysphoria, and Gun violence

Minor: Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Racism, Bullying, Body shaming, Alcohol, Infertility, Cancer, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content

johoha93's review

Perfectly fine book, but not my style. This would probably be good for fans of Cat Valente. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

bookcasey's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

There are interesting elements to this book, but it’s very slow to get started, and having so many main characters means that they ended up pretty flat. The treatment of gender-fluidity isn’t great — the author’s note at the end about how “people like [character] need our allyship” probably gives you a good idea how. It’s well-intentioned and the premise is fun, but the characters largely come off as caricatures. 

Note: The interjected “recipes” detract from the book and are especially annoying on audiobook. I’d suggest you skip them, and in case anyone needs to hear it: do not use essential oils to make lube!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Death of parent, Misogyny, Death, and Police brutality

Minor: Deadnaming, Cancer, Outing, Confinement, and Sexual content