Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Glitterland by Alexis Hall

5 reviews

lynns_lovely_library's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-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

This book was good but not great. I am always a fan of gay romance and mental health representation but it wasn't my favorite out the genre. I loved the romance and the development of the characters though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Ableism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Alcohol and Bullying

utopiastateofmind's review

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.) 

TW: bipolar disorder, anxiety

Glitterland is a story about love, mental health, and taking chances on ourselves. It features some truly endearing, complex, vulnerable characters like Ash. Who is still trying to figure out who he is as it intermixes with his mental health. I immediately loved Darian, how he's a ray of sunshine who has depth, but also heart. Yet my heart always reached out to Ash. How he doesn't trust his own happiness. The ways he feels betrayed.

How sometimes we just need someone who can show us a glimpse of another world. Another experience, a new horizon. It's not about someone changing who we are, but about someone who believes in us and wants the best for us. To believe in us when it's difficult for us to do so. Someone who isn't afraid to challenge us when we aren't being honest with ourselves or to introduce us to new experiences. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Ableism

meganpbennett's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

1.5

Glitterland was recommended to me by an Alexis Hall fan, so when I saw that it was on NetGalley, I requested it. It... it wasn't what I was expecting, even having read several AJH books before and knowing how he plays with his genres and his readers. It was a lot darker than even the trigger warning at the beginning would have suggested, much darker and much more detailed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Drug use, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Cursing, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

tami_teshima's review

challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.5

It's difficult to summarize why I really enjoyed this book. I am always a big fan of contemporary romance and ESPECIALLY so for the opposites-attract-trope, so it was likely that this was already going to be at least 3.5/5 stars for me. However, I had a hard time getting into this book at first. Having to walk with Ash during his often disjointed, frenetic, and always unkind self-loathing made this book somewhat difficult to read. The juxtaposition of Darian - his warmth, his kindness, his humor, his ESSEX ACCENT! (dang, Alexis Hall) - gave the book appropriate balance and only added to both characters' development. 

Bonus points for mental illness representation, frequent literary references, and steamy romance scenes!

Marks off for Niall and his persistent ableist rants and perhaps a slight oversimplification of being in relationship with someone with a mental illness (I say this as a person with mental illness). 

Overall, I highly recommend this read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Ableism, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt

mandaraffe's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Sexual content

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Ableism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Fatphobia and Abandonment