Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

50 reviews

amy_in_the_city's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Cancer, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, and Death of parent

rosesandproses's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

My biggest gripe with this book is the audiobook narrator which I know isn't a reflection on the book itself. But if you listen to the audiobook, ALL the women sound absolutely catty, pretentious, and awful. I wanted to attribute it to the British accent, maybe, but it doesn't bother me in other audiobooks or British media.

Honestly I expected more from this story. It was kind of a let down. There were some incredibly witty moments where I laughed out loud and I do really like Luc and how he grows in the story. Oliver was okay. Bridget was annoying as hell, which maybe was the point but dang tone it down just a little. The James Royce-Royce bit doesn't hit in the audiobook (I have also likely spelled this wrong because of that). I don't know...Red, White & Royal Blue did it better in my opinion.

This book is also incredibly British, and there was quite a lot of slang and British English that flew over my head. I know Hall is British and I'm not saying it should have had less slang, but I, as an American who never had an Anglophile phase, was lost several times because of the language. Also, I've never been to London and this book definitely assumes you have been to London. Considering Luc breaks the fourth wall, we could've explained some of the geography better. I would have been equally lost with this amount of information given if the city were Chicago or New York.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Alcohol

Moderate: Cancer, Drug use, and Homophobia

Minor: Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse

amris's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content

Minor: Drug use

jenna_justi2004's review against another edition

The characters are so unlikable. I didn’t even get to meet Oliver before I put the book down.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Homophobia

garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition

funny medium-paced

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

4.5

This book was a delight. I love Alexis Hall's sense of humor, and the narrator was very talented. I wish the ending hadn't been quite so abrupt, but knowing there's a sequel, I guess I get it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, and Alcohol

elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

4.25

I adore Alexis Hall, and I adore Boyfriend Material. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol

booksthatburn's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

BOYFRIEND MATERIAL is a fake-dating-turned-real-feelings story between two gay men who both need the appearance of a relationship long enough to get through some big upcoming events. A mutual friend pairs them up for their fake relationship, and somehow this fake boyfriend thing is one of the most stable relationships Luc has ever had. 

This is the first book in a series, which slightly hints at the direction of the ending. The ending fits their relationship very well, and I like their overall dynamic. The ongoing status of their relationship is established for future books, and several major plot points are resolved. There are secondary plots related to each of their relationships with their parents. Luc's father walked out of his life twenty-five years ago, and has walked back into it with no warning and a declaration that he has cancer and would like to get to know Luc better. Luc's mother, who was also abandoned by Luc's father (her husband and musical collaborator), is supportive of any decision Luc might make, all the way from reconciliation to telling his father to go fuck himself. I adore Luc's mother, she's written very well and I love the audiobook performance for her. Oliver's parents only appear briefly, during the event for which he needed Luc as a fake boyfriend, but they cast a long shadow which has implications for later books. 

The dung beetle charity and Luc's co-workers there are an endless source of exasperation and delight for me. Between his co-workers, his friends, and Oliver's friends, there are so many vibrant and specific people that it wasn't difficult for me to keep track of anyone. Normally I have trouble keeping track of characters (let alone their names) when the cast gets past five or so, but I had no issues here. 

Things I love, in no particular order: Luc telling jokes to Alex, everything dung-beetle-related, Oliver being pedantic about law, Luc's friends, Bridget's publishing fiascos.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Racism, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

levilore_'s review against another edition

emotional funny 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

4.5

The book legitimately had me laughing out loud during most of it, but still managed to focus on topics of homophobia, found family, mental illness, and what love truly means. I really loved the author took the traditional "fake dating" plot and added in a cast of characters that I genuinely really liked and somehow made me root for a main character who pretty much had zero self-esteem the whole book (which usually find very annoying). The ending was extremely satisfying and although their are 2 more books in the series, I feel as though you could really enjoy this one without reading the others. Only reason its not 5 stars is because sometimes I wanted to shake Luc and Oliver for being so dumb about their emotions, but at the same time its a faked relationship trope, so it comes with the topic.

I would highly recommend the audio book because the narrator was so incredible that I actually liked the book more than the last time I read it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism

moxiereads's review against another edition

lighthearted slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism and Drug use

lanie2024's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Homophobia and Alcohol

Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Sexual content