Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Sinner by Shantel Tessier

121 reviews

feminist_icon_888's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

The Sinner is a wild erotic ride that isn’t for the faint of heart.

Let’s be honest, plot flow & writing quality aren’t Shantel’s best traits, don’t expect it coming into this or ANY LORDs book.

Heavy on the abuse and trauma Elli has suffered, there is a lot of pain in this book and a lot of moments where you want to hate the MMC (Sin), but you find reasons just like Elli that you can’t let him go (namely his pierced hoo-ha).

The trigger warnings on this read shouldn’t be taken lightly. The sinner is (as per the LORDs series) a twisted journey further into the world of the LORDs and the ending (as per Shantel’s style) continued to throw you right up to the epilogue. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

the_pudster's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

paoitz's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

1.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

morgiebee303's review

dark mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

3.5

This book was thrilling to say the least. More triggering than the ritual but also filled with more plot twists. I thoroughly enjoyed this dark read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

nikkia_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

My number 1 🩷

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

elinandi's review against another edition

dark emotional tense

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, and Death of parent

ashleynp24's review

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

1.5

This was a rough read for me. The entire book was essentially Eli getting abused sexually or drugged. I think she spent half the book unconscious. And every man in the entire book abused her. Also the twin? Come ON. At least Sin’s dad was an actual plot twist. Like Sin and Eli were toxic as hell. He’s like “yeah I know you were abused by everyone and I’ll continue to abuse you but it’s ok bc I’m not sharing you it’s just me abusing you.”

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

aubree21's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder

jaycait's review against another edition

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

2.5

This book had me pissed off literally the entire time. Struggled to finish. Probably a world record for the number of times the word cunt was used. Please tell me that the Sacrifice is better so I don't have to DNF the rest of the series. 🫠

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

christineltays's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.0

I liked The Sinner even more than the first book—it had a stronger storyline that kept me hooked the whole way through. Elli’s backstory was absolutely heartbreaking, and knowing things like that happen in real life made it hit even harder.

That said, I wasn’t a fan of how much focus there was on the darker, graphic scenes. I get that it’s part of the story, but it felt overdone at times and made parts of the book harder to enjoy.

Overall though, the emotions and character development were on point. Tessier really knows how to pull you into her characters’ lives. If you’re up for a dark and emotional read, this one is worth picking up!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Grief

Minor: Torture