Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

31 reviews

reddeddy's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Child death, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Kidnapping, Car accident, Violence, Racial slurs, Grief, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Body horror, Chronic illness, Police brutality, Death, Racism, Stalking, Gore, Blood, Cursing, Murder, and Torture

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Classism, Rape, Medical content, Sexual content, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Genocide, and Colonisation

veronnie10's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Mass/school shootings, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Child death, Cancer, Violence, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, and Murder

carriepond's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

The main character in All the Sinners Bleed is Titus Crown, who left a career with the FBI to return home and become the first Black sheriff in his Virginia hometown. A year into his new gig, Titus and his deputies respond to a shooting at the local high school. The shooter, whom two of his deputies kill as he leaves the school, was the troubled older son of a high school friend of Titus. The ensuing investigation uncovers something much more sinister, and Titus soon finds himself tracking down a serial killer.

I will start this review with the disclaimer that I don't read a ton of thrillers. I usually find myself annoyed if the plot is too predictable, especially because thrillers are often so plot-driven. I enjoyed this one more than I usually like thrillers.

Things I liked: Cosby does an excellent job with Titus's character. Many of the other characters are a little one-dimensional, but Titus is the star and he is a star. This kept me engaged even when there were some things I was quibbling with while I was reading (see below). The story also drew me in-- some of it was so disturbing, but ultimately I had to know how things would play out. There were also multiple side plots that I thought Cosby did a good job tying in and tying up, and it was a nice breather from the more grotesque aspects of the main murder plotline. Cosby also does a good job integrating the larger social critique into the story itself. 

Things I didn't like as much: I felt like I never really had time to wonder what would happen, if that makes sense. Almost as soon as a clue would appear, Titus would instantly figure out its significance or spring into action to move to the next puzzle piece. I like when I read a mystery and I'm given time to chew on how pieces fit together and here I felt like the wind kept being taken out of my sails. Maybe that's what makes it a thriller versus a mystery?

Despite that issue, I read through this really fast and thought it was a great thriller experience. I think folks who read a lot of thrillers would love this one. Definitely be warned though-- there's a lot in here that isn't for the faint of heart.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, Animal death, Racism, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Police brutality and Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Mass/school shootings, Child abuse, and Pedophilia

megmccreery'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was so dark and twisted but so layered. Definitely not for the faint of heart. I loved it and was genuinely creeped out. I would love to see this turned into a movie.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Cursing, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Torture, Abandonment, Police brutality, Body horror, Slavery, Violence, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Hate crime, Blood, Pedophilia, Death, Racism, Racial slurs, Medical content, Murder, Gore, and Gun violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Addiction, Classism, Chronic illness, and Stalking

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders

afriduss's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Classism, Grief, Stalking, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Torture, Violence, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Gore, Blood, Cursing, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Child death

tracie_mcd's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This was my favorite of his books! It really was a propulsive thriller from start to finish! It had me on the edge of my seat. While it was graphic (as I’ve seen it described in other reviews), it didn’t seem more graphic than was necessary to build the suspense and terror in the story.  It was definitely gritty, and SA Cosby is a master at setting up the tension in the atmosphere as the two story lines collided so expertly at the end of the book. He is masterful and just keeps getting better and better with every book!! Highly recommend!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Murder, Racism, and Torture

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Pedophilia, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Kidnapping

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, and Racial slurs

wytnie's review

Not writing the book off i want to try again at another time but i think i just started it at a bad time for me. Also there was a surprise content wise and i wish there had a been a trigger warning page before the book started

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Death, and Gun violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Racism, Medical content, and Addiction

Minor: Mass/school shootings and Death of parent

bellasandrarose's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I would like to read another one of S.A Cosby’s books that has a less horrific crime plot. I think my level of enjoyment can only reach a certain capacity given the subject matter. I loved the final scene and I think that was the perfect way to finish the book. Really enjoyed reading a crime/thriller that didn’t centre a small town/suburban white woman, I don’t think there’s enough represensation in the genre. I really liked how race and religion were central, integral elements, because IRL they are and in my experience it’s not taken into account enough in the genre (esp. race!). 

I’m in two minds about the number of characters and

the reveal of the killer

. I definitely got confused at times but it was nice to have a bigger pool of “ooooo it could be anyone”. I think it also made Charon more vivid, characters weren’t just their occupation, they each got a little backstory

which is why I struggled with the reveal, I’m not sure that character was ever introduced? if he was I don’t remember him

. It made me feel like everyone knows everyone and because I’m not a part of the town of course I’m going to be a little lost. 

Writing-wise there were times where words were repeated that I think could have been crafted a bit and I think the characters did maybe need something a little deeper each to make them stick (like Pip was great cause he was the old one but Davy and Steve and I swear there’s another one were the same person in my head). Also one time they said

6 dead kids and I got confused, did they not find the 7th body? can’t remember

Overall, I enjoyed and I will check out some more from this author

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Child death, Child abuse, Gore, Death, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Torture, Body horror, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Animal death, and Alcohol

Minor: Religious bigotry

katiearcher's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book hits the ground running and never stops! If you want a fast paced book this is it! I love Cosby’a writing style; I will definitely be reading more of his books!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Sexual violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Child death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Mass/school shootings, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Alcoholism

zazzy's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Murder, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Addiction, Racism, and Sexual assault