Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

70 reviews

dkamada's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

Really sweet story, seems like it’s targeted at a slightly younger audience, but I appreciate a feel good story where everyone gets their wish in the end

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Abandonment

rvoogt's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.5

2.5 stars. Plot was interesting, but there were unnecessary cursing and a sexual element that was disjointed. There was also some political agenda remarks that weren't appreciated.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, and Sexual content

madelynowil's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Abandonment

lillypad827's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. I devoured it in two days, stayed up til midnight two nights in a row to finish it. It had drama, intrigue, tragic backgrounds, love, and so much more. Gave me TJ Klune vibes, very heartfelt, and made me tear up at the end. Sometimes books that end with everything tied up neatly in a bow and everyone happy can fall flat for me, but not with this.

I wanted everyone to have a happy ending and that’s just what happened.

Definitely excited for the author’s second book to come out later this year!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death and Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Medical trauma

missemmacrabtree's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Sexual assault

l1brarygirl's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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

 1.5 stars - I did shed a tear for that extra half a star....

I wasn't too aware of what this book was about and I read so many thrillers, that I kept expecting a twist that never came. I could NOT connect with the MC Lucy at all and it made it very difficult to stay engaged. I also just was creeped out by a lot of the adults actions in this book. 

I think Jack's actions were fatherly in the end but for most of it, I just was kinda icked out by his actions. I couldn't get over Lucy's obsession with Christopher (highly inappropriate behavior for a teacher). The weird attraction between Lucy & Hugo (I'm okay with large age gaps but not when you first meet your SO as a CHILD). I also think Lucy was very unfair to her sister and completely glossed over her grandparents taking care of her. Also a slap in the face that everyone else in this story got a HEA except her sister.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Incest, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy

caroliiineb's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship

maddiehansen's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

2.5

The book was a more positive version of The Westing Game, but not executed as well. The depiction of the foster care system did not seem quite accurate, the relationship between a teacher's aid and a student was not safe, Capri-sun is clear, it covered many deep issues with mere mentions (miscarriage, PTSD, addiction, trauma, foster care system, adoption, rape, incest, abuse, alcoholism, miscarriage, poverty, disability, abandonment etc). It needed more research.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

emilywemily6's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

This was a lighthearted, wholesome, easy read. I liked the premise and the general storyline, and fell in love with Hugo and Jack. This book felt very juvenile though, like just a couple changes would have made this a middle grade novel. It touched briefly on a lot of heavy topics but I would have loved more depth and length in those discussions. I didn’t particularly care for Lucy, she also felt immature and irresponsible in a lot of ways- like I was reading about an 18 year old and not a 25/26 year old. Overall this book was sweet but could have been a knockout if it was handled with different aims.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Mental illness

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical trauma, and Abandonment

Minor: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Medical content

lavenderlikings's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

I liked the book but it was a little too unserious for me. I wanted a little more depth to the characters and to the story. There were some really serious topics being discussed throughout the book and we only ever went surface level and so when everything wrapped up I never quite felt like I could empathize with the characters but I did speed through it with it being such a light read - very Peter Panesque. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Child death

Minor: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment