Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

23 reviews

toastrats's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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: Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Death, and Sexism

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug use, and Homophobia

bookishchef's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

2.25

The first 50% of this is so so so good. 

But the rest...
Oh the rest...

I went into this book with low expectations. To be reminiscent of the Handmaid's Tale is quite a big claim, so my expectations plummeted to the lowest circle of Hell.

And that's where my expectations would have remained if the first quarter of this book wasn't so good. 

The mystery is interesting. And the flower language worldbuilding feels very unique and not too far removed from our own world at the same time. The author keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Is the magic real? Who are the Poachers and what motivates them? Why is Kiersten such a bitch? They're interesting questions, and the answers weren't bad either but the way we got those answers...

At about the 25% mark the story starts to drag a bit. This is made up for by Liggett's excellent writing. At this point, you don't know whether Tierney is spiraling into madness or whether the world around her is truly mad. The plot doesn't move forward, but the story remains interesting. 

Then at the 50% it all goes to shit. 
Suddenly, we get introduced to the most bland love interest I've ever read about. He has no personality and falls for Tierney for no discernible reason. And of course, Tierney loves him back despite him having the personality of unseasoned chicken. 

The author rushes us through a love story. And when I say rushes, I mean RUSHES. 

And then, after some shenanigans we're back to the plot and the mystery and the book is actually really good again until the last fucking chapter. 

What the fuck was that love story doing in this book? This story really really really did not need a romance plotline. The book would have been an easy 3 (or maybe even 4) star for me if the romance had not been there. It takes away from the themes of the book and undercuts its message. I don't understand how you write a book about sisterhood and fighting the patriarchy, and then have the MC only care about her male love interest for half of the book. Aaaaaaaaaaaaah. 

The book also has very white feminism vibes. Can't quite put my finger on what exactly rubs me the wrong way, but to begin with, the book has 0 characters of colour

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Suicide, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Murder, Death, Animal death, Blood, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Medical content

Moderate: Vomit and Lesbophobia

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, and Infertility

ashadaxa's review

medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Drug use, Murder, Misogyny, and Sexual violence

ann_the_imp's review

dark emotional hopeful

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Vomit, Blood, Bullying, Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Confinement, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Grief, Hate crime, Infertility, Sexual content, Excrement, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Pregnancy, Sexism, Addiction, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Drug use, and Emotional abuse

elysianbud's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

3.5

Went into this expecting a bit more survival and a lot less love story, but overall I still enjoyed it. 
Quick read, finished it in one day. 
I do like that at the end of the book the main character hasn't magically fixed everything in society through the power of gutsy honesty, and that it takes a more realistic approach of showing small steps towards change instead. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Vomit, Confinement, Gore, Body horror, Death, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Stalking, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Suicide attempt, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Suicide

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Lesbophobia, Outing, Physical abuse, and Homophobia

tays_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Blood, Death, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Violence, Sexism, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Child abuse, Excrement, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Stalking, Pedophilia, Animal death, Cannibalism, Animal cruelty, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Vomit

Minor: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, and Infertility

reading_leaf's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Absolutely marvelous book extremely well written and beautiful if this is the last review you’re reading that is helping you decide either way on whether or not you should read this you should absolutely read this and then make everyone else in your circle read this. I was expecting something much more grotesque and dark and looming and instead I was left at the end of the book smiling and crying tears of much more mixed feelings than that . Many of them being positive. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Rape, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Gore, Religious bigotry, and Cannibalism

millyfox's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Gore, Murder, Confinement, and Child abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Drug use

luminareads's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring tense medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Death, Murder, Sexism, and Body horror

Moderate: Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Suicide, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Addiction, Death, Sexual violence, Rape, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Confinement, and Physical abuse

This book is heavy, very heavy and has some additional warnings not on the lists: Childbirth, starvation, slut shaming, and forced marriage.

boba_n_books's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Blood, Bullying, and Drug use