Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

29 reviews

menace_shark's review against another edition

mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Drug abuse

ginascafide's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Murder

okiecozyreader's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.5

I liked the book within a book in this story. Most of it is a strange friendship story, until the end. 

Emily and Chess have been best friends, in some ways, but resentful of each other in others - maybe like high school friends can be. Emily is getting divorced and her husband is being nasty, so she takes the opportunity to go to an Italian villa with Chess to work on a book. This villa was the scene of a murder in 1974, so we get that timeline also. The 1974 storyline is about a group of music guys and their illicit romances, women who end up with famous stories of their own after the stay.

The audio is great (thank you Libra.fm for providing copies to libraries) with Julia Whelan as Emily and two other narrators for the 1974 timeline.

“People are never just gone, after all. There are always marks, always signs.” Chapter 8

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Murder, and Pregnancy

cassiereadsbooks_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

tdawgg07's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

A brilliant blend of a fun summer read about friendship with a dark and winding mystery, this book seamlessly combines themes of art and history with a twisty mystery in an idyllic, summery setting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship, and Blood

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

aileron's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide, Blood, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Miscarriage and Abortion

tierraskye's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Abortion

brett311's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Murder

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Miscarriage

asclafani's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

The beginning of the book was as hot as the Italian summer it focuses on! I felt like the middle stalled a bit with half woven moments of suspense. Even in those slower moments I didn’t want to put this book down and appreciated subtleties/connections across adjacent chapters.

Mari’s last entry was the most suspenseful component as we learned about her lying about the entire plot that Mari felt connected to! I wish this was more fleshed instead of the Matt/sick/cheating storyline. Chess’ complexity as a villain yet friend was also interesting to read. Especially in reference to their book deal!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Drug abuse

katlynnnxo's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship