Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

56 reviews

kace's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Cannibalism, Stalking, Alcohol, and Classism

sarahbliss's review

dark mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Racism, Violence, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

taylynnmazz's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was devastatingly incredible! I was hooked from the very first page, and was guessing at every turn. While the ending was wrapped up rather quickly, it was done in a way that made me want to read more. 

If you love Dark Fiction, Social Horror, and a touch of the supernatural (and even if you don’t), you should definitely give it a read. The story itself explores the devastating realities many Black communities and Black women face: when they go missing, who will be there to say their names to find them or bring them justice? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Blood, and Murder

katsmedialibrary's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, and Racism

Moderate: Alcoholism and Animal death

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, and Rape

maddiearthur's review

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Fatphobia

bri_fabiano'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism and Murder

Minor: Sexual violence

bambooboy's review

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Pedophilia, Vomit, and Stalking

amysrrls's review

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

Loved this so much! We need more diverse horror!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Racism, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse

sarakayreadsbooks's review

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.5

This book was my second book of 2023 and will honestly be hard to beat. It's dark, complex, and deep. If you are looking for your typical mystery book, this definitely isn't it. The book is provides commentary on modern and historical racism in a really engaging way. 

However, don't let the fantasy elements dissuade you from reading this book. If look at the fantastical elements for the symbols they represent, you will truly enjoy this book.

I loved the symbolism of Doug and Kristen representing overt racism, while the Jackal represents systemic racism that has outlasted generations.

Adams keeps you guessing until the end, with almost every single character a possible suspect. I love an unreliable narrator, and Liz embodies the way trauma can impact a person's view of their past. 

I have no doubts that Reese Witherspoon is adapting this book for TV show and casting herself as Mel as I type 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, and Racism

odylics's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

If you have ever heard "if you see something in the woods, no you didn't" or "if something calls your name, ignore it" OR if you like spooky books, Appalachian myths, murder mysteries, and honest looks at race and class... This book is for you. I have never read a book quite like this or fell for a protagonist quite like Liz. 

Please be sure to check the TWs. This book was uncomfortable and sad and scary, but necessary for the horror/thriller space. It centers around Johnstown, PA and the long reach of the Johnstown Flood, which I had never heard of before despite it resulting in the deaths of 2,208 people, with much of the blame placed at the feet of Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and and Andrew Mellon. The flood left physical lines of separation between classes and races in Johnstown, all connected by the woods and the disappearance of the many young Black girls at the heart of this story.

5/5 stars!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism