Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

44 reviews

britwalsh16's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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

4.5

I’m only giving it 4 & a half stars because there are a couple things I wish they had figured out. Like I was seriously hoping they would somehow break the curse that orphaned young witches in the end! Like come on!!! But honestly, besides that, I absolutely LOOOVED this book! It was a great book, especially for the month of October & all my witchy wants! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol and Cursing

elledanie's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Cursing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, and Sexual content

rayreyes's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing 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? No

4.5

Good natured, grounded characters. Loved having nonwhite witches to fall in love with. Story flowed well and moved along steadily, which I loved. The characters were lovely and warmly, self possessedly addressed conflict. It felt honest and easy and the ending wasn’t rushed. I’d recommend suspending hypotheses and trying to guess thibgs just to enjoy the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Sexual content

Minor: Confinement, Death, Child abuse, and Cursing

librarymouse's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny

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

5.0

I love this book so much! It was such a fast and addictive read, and each and every character is so very easy to love!

Spoiler

The way in which the author navigates difficult social issues, and integrates addressing them into the story itself is gorgeous. She fits the necessity of self-representation and seeing oneself in one's mentors/seeing someone who looks like you thriving in a life you'd like to live when you grow up into the narrative in a way in which it is recognizable, but also slots neatly into the narrative like the rest of the lessons taught to the characters. The evolution of Mika and Jamie's relationship, the history of Ian and Ken's and the nuance given to all of the characters in the book make them all so round and lovable! Knowing this to be fantasy, and having read one too many fantasy novels with a prevalent male gaze, I was really pleasantly surprised with how the characters' traumas were explored, addressed, and healed. I should have known better than to expect the worst, but I was so pleasantly surprised that Mika's traumatic experience at University was not a sexual assault. I also really appreciated how the characters spoke to one another. Miscommunication tropes are some of my least favorite, but the way in which Mandanna explores what in Mika's past could cause her to misunderstand her being deserving of love and the idea that she is loved added so much depth to the story.

I might need to come back to edit this review later. I don't know that I can currently explain all the feelings I'm having about this book, other than to say that I waited two days to read the last chapter, after reading the rest of the book in one day because I was bereft at the thought of leaving this world and these people behind.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Homophobia, and Racism

Minor: Domestic abuse

percervall's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

howlinglibraries's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad medium-paced

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

5.0

 

“It’s not always enough to go looking for the place we belong. Sometimes we need to make that place.”

I am a PUDDLE. This was one of the most wholesome, precious things I have read in my entire life. If you enjoy cozy fantasy tales with a bit of romance, a cast of very lovable characters, cottagecore vibes, and a heaping dose of found family, you absolutely need this on your radar because it includes all of that and more, and depicts it all brilliantly. I know I'm not the first to say this, but this book is absolutely a warm hug in the form of a book and I loved it.

“We’ve talked about this,” said Jamie mildly. “Murder can’t be your first choice every time you don’t like something.”

First of all, the dialogue in this book had me in giggles constantly. Between the kids' shenanigans, Ian's wildness, and Jamie's dry snark, I smiled so much reading this! But there's also a ton of sweetness and even some really delightful swoon-worthy moments, and I'm certainly able to admit I had tears in my eyes a few times near the end over how simply precious it all was.

It’s a leap of faith to love people and let yourself be loved.

Despite its warmth and cheer, this isn't only a happy tale; there's also a ton of time spent discussing trauma and how difficult it can make everyday life, much less learning to trust and care for people when you've developed a fear of abandonment or being used. I absolutely adored watching Mika heal from her past and learn to truly live despite her fears.

Cover to cover, I adored this sweet little fantasy book and I'm so incredibly happy that I picked it up (thank you to Misty for inviting me to buddy read it with you!). It's one of the sweetest and best things I've read this year and I can't wait for the next cozy fantasy release of Mandanna's!

Buddy read with Misty! ♥

✨ Representation: Mika is Indian, Rosetta is Black, Terracotta is Vietnamese, Altamira is Palestinian, Ian is gay, and Ken is Japanese and gay 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, Child abuse, Alcohol, Xenophobia, and Racism

sustainably_lucia's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This is a story of human connection and how we are stronger together. It is about the search for belonging in a world that doesn't accept us as we are. It is about embracing and expressing who we are, having the courage to love and be loved, finding friends who become family, and learning to trust yourself after being hurt. It is a story about unconditional love and how the truth sets you free on the path toward healing.

The only thing that bothered me was all the swearing. It felt unnecessary and jarring. It took away from the coziness and heartfelt vibe of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Cursing, and Death of parent

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Alcohol

Language

eni_iilorak's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Grief, Death, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Homophobia, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Toxic relationship

spacestarberry's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing 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

4.25

A wonderfully cozy book, the prose is light and funny, and the characters are a very loveable cast. A tale of finding your own belonging and family in the face of loneliness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Mental illness, Child abuse, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Death, Body horror, and Death of parent

Minor: Xenophobia and Racism

-Most of the content warnings listed about abuse have to do with Jamie's past, where there is a non-graphic but still potentially triggering dicussion during a car ride to visit his mother about -The main character's adoptive mother, as well as the adoptive mother of the 3 children in the cast, are described as being very absent in their lives. -Very early on, the worldbuilding describes that witches are typically orphans. -a late reveal in the book reveals a character is , and that

laffi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Death, and Death of parent