Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Block Party by Jamie Day

20 reviews

barbi72's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicide attempt, and Murder

badbrhireads's review

mysterious 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

 the plot was compelling the characters extremely unlikeable i wish the characters were developed more and the epilogue felt quite forced but all in all for what it aimed to be it did the job

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Abortion

dakotaw59's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Murder

mindsplinters's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.75

Rounding up to a 3 based on the author having talent here and a clear concept of what she wanted to give to the world and, honestly, the fact that she was able to make each one of this large cast different enough that I had no trouble keeping them straight.  To be honest, though, this was not quite my type of book.  I can appreciate the skill and how this kind of thriller ala Real Housewives (or is it Desperate Housewives?) appeals to many.  Some of the twists were really quite well hidden and I did not pick up on them until it was almost too late.  Plus, like I said, the characters all felt distinct and many of them  even had some definite dimensionality and depth.  It is amazing how tangled one cul-de-sac can be and how many secrets a handful of families can hide.  It is also a bit over-the-top but that's what you know is coming from the blurb.  Drugs, alcohol, affairs, blackmail, revenge... It's all there and then some. 

The book is told from two POVs - Alex, a divorce mediator who tends to hold the group together and drinks altogether too much wine, and her teenage daughter Lettie who reads like a Millenial Daria with more inflection.  They both are... hit or miss for me.  I like them and yet I don't and that might very well be what Day wants.  Alex means well and really does seem to be trying her best in an emotionally-stunted, not-dealing way.  She cares about her daughter and her husband and her neighbors... But she has the coping skills of a grape and, tbh, the alcoholic content of one, too.  The number of times she drinks, if turned into a drinking game, would have you passed out by chapter 5.  Lettie, on the other hand, is all about Feels and Causes and has that peculiar sort of righteousness that a 17/18 year old has when it comes to how the world works.  She wants to save the world.  She can't believe the stupidity of people.  She... has lessons yet to learn.  Day really nails that sense of know-all, know-nothing of teenagers in Lettie.  So much so that you want to shake her.  

Overall, I enjoyed the book but I have to admit that I had periods where I could only manage a chapter or two before I had to put it down during the first half because I've never been one for Housewives style drama.  It picked up a lot more in the second half.

TW: Rape, alcohol, drugs are the big things.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Drug use

Minor: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, and Suicide attempt

n00biez's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring tense slow-paced

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

2.5

Domestic thrillers must not be my jam, because I was bored for most of this read. This book was quite slow. Of all the twists and turns, I only predicted one or two.  Not too terribly written, but just not what I was looking for. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Rape, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

rolexia's review against another edition

dark emotional relaxing sad 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

3.75

It's so much happening in this story! I had to reread some of it to figure out! 

Lol 1st Alex is a drunk, her husband is a push over and need to grow some balls and she needs to stay out of out everyone business! 

Emily- you need to leave your husband you know he cheating on you! Stop running to your sister! He cheating and she can't help!!AND YO MAN IS A CREEP

Brooke- get that dude to stop stalking you! Stop being a pushover and acting like he harmless 

Amanda- just kill who you need to kill and heal baby girl! You most definitely deserve it!

And bugman! Stop being a pest! 

Willow- yo man is a CREEP!! 

And yall need to get a hold of yall kids they just running around drinking and doing drugs just out of control! 

Book was really awesome tho! Started out slow but picked up as it went! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

iordanmoore's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.0

A Desperate Housewives- type of story; good for an easy summer read. I actually guessed many of the “twists” while reading, but I was glad that the author followed through with wand didn’t throw in unexpected endings for “shock value”.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Minor: Bullying and Miscarriage

jennfux's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.5

I REALLY enjoyed this book from cover to cover!! 
It kept me guessing the entire time, and I TRULY had no idea how it would end. 
That said it is heavy, and you should read with caution if SA, DV, Mental health, substance abuse and child loss is a trigger for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol

cmbohn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

3.75

I just took a chance on this book and I'm glad I did. So many secrets and so much scandal. You don't know how it's all going to turn out, but it's bound to be bad for someone. Perfect beach read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Stalking, and Death of parent

Minor: Domestic abuse

savreads28's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol