Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly

11 reviews

perfectcupoftea's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide, Abortion, and Pandemic/Epidemic

theteaisaddictive's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

A twisty, engaging mystery with a killer twist that had me actually screaming at the pages. The ending felt a tad rushed, but the journey there was so good I can’t mind too much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

bonestheartist's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really loved how the mystery took you down different theories, as if you were with the main character Nell trying to uncover the secrets held close within her two families. Absolutely loved this!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic

fairymoo83's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

noxtem's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

dia_ls's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

wrenl's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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

3.5

I’m not sure why I thought this would be like the 39 Clues series, aka a hunt for the bones, but I did. I didn’t expect a family drama, although I probably should have given the blurb. Regardless, I was engrossed. I was along for the drama. There were moments when I gasped out loud. The scandal! The tea!

It was really interesting that the story was across timelines and multiple perspectives. I understand why it uses multiple perspectives and timelines, but they muddy the story. It is a bit hard to get attached to any character, especially the parents Lal, Bridget, Frank, and Cora because their perspectives are so one-sided and blatant about their meaning. There were a few times I liked this structure, though. I did like the multiple perspectives for the Intimacies exhibit section because it ramps up tension with each person’s tiny bit of the story. The tension doesn’t really pan out when someone is straight up told what happened, though.

The actual plot is just okay. It is a very twisty and dramatic story, but there aren’t strong emotional moments like you’d expect from an intergenerational trauma story.

But honestly I just wanted a hint for bones.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault

kayleejanes's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Pedophilia, Suicide, Stalking, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Abortion

sandysmith's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.25

I enjoyed this book, so I loved that it had a book within it, a book crafted with puzzles and clues to find bones scattered about the country. Added to this, it's a story of dysfunctional families, the Lallys, and the Churchers. Nell is the main character, but it does switch between characters and timelines. At times Nell is likeable, at others she is very annoying but a product if her own upbringing when followers of the book took clues to far and tried to cut her pelvis out believing thats where the final bone is hidden. There are lots of  twists and different themes, so I am sure different readers will get different things from the book. It's  part mystery, part psychological thriller, it is long book, but engaging so I found myself finding time for it throughout the day. Good stuff

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

nialiversuch's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Abortion