Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais

9 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

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

maregred's review against another edition

funny inspiring 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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Alcohol, and Dementia

Minor: Deadnaming and Transphobia

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

morganperks's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

can you say Hocus Pocus vibes? Persephone is a gem. smash that patriarchy babe.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Transphobia, and Police brutality

Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Abandonment, Dementia, and Alcohol

Minor: Death, Deadnaming, and Death of parent

soobooksalot's review

funny lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

4.0

Ahh, a book that makes you want to drink dirty martinis!
 The Witches Of Moonshyne Manor brought the fun to my Spooky Season reads!
 But even more than that, author Bianca Marais wove in issues I wasn't expecting. And they worked beautifully - gender identity and expression, aging, dementia, feminism (a dog named for RBG!), sexual expression, and holding on to what's theirs.
 I completely enjoyed the writing style, the atmosphere, the characters (eight witches, introduced at the beginning so we can refer until we're used to who's who) and the recipes for potions, spells and bevvies!
 Simply put, this is a treat of a read - no tricks! Recommended.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Dementia, and Sexual content

amandalorianxo's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-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

4.0

This was a great modern day witch story centered around a group of women in their late 70’s / early 80’s. This story is more than just about a group of women who are behind on their mortgage payments. This revolves around sisterhood, abandonment, death, ageism, sexism, tinges of racism, gender identity and sexual identity as well. This does sometimes felt a little too “woke” when it came to dialogue / certain scenarios when Persephone is brought into the story (the teenager who immerses herself with this group.) I’m glad Ursula is not painted as someone who needed to be redeemed too. But a good palette cleanser if you don’t want anything to horrifying but still in the spooky / witchy realm

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Dementia, and Grief

Minor: Deadnaming, Alcohol, Death of parent, Transphobia, and Death