Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

24 reviews

sadie_hawkins's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Started out and went on great but the ending was truly not it. Felt like an afterthought, no originality, not suprising. I really wasn't satisfied with it. Therefore not a mystery but a psychological thriller, and even though it was about such a sad thing, I really found it captivating. I found the writing quality high enough until the part she was found. I am still happy I read it, would recommend, just don't expect a good ending lol.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Murder

suzanne28's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

jkar7's review against another edition

slow-paced

3.0

I could not have predicted how this would go. Also... sorry but

Annie and Gary sleeping together was beyond inappropriate. I mean, i get it, but it rubbed me the wrong way for sure.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

killmoore_'s review against another edition

dark sad tense 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

5.0

This is one of the most gut wrenching books I have ever read. Just about every twist and turn absolutely wrecked me, and my heart broke for Annie with every chapter. 

I'd give anything to read it for the first time again, ngl. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

zumpers's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

1.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Car accident, and Death of parent

simplyammee's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, and Stalking

Definitely check trigger warnings! However, as someone who has a rape trigger, I found skipping over any scenes just fine for me (it does mention rape a lot though beyond the scenes; it doesn't beat around the bush with it). This book is not worth pushing yourself with triggers though, and again there is A LOT.

ellysiap's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping

meeklovestoread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

To say I liked/enjoyed this book feels wrong because this book was very heavy. Let's just say this is the first ever thriller where I was shedding tears. It did take me some time to get into (about 60 pages, but after that, I was hooked) because of how the story was formatted. So, just to prepare you the story is told through therapy sessions where only the main character speaks, and in these sessions, she starts off talking about a detail/event that happened to her in the present then goes into what happened to her then it ends off with her in the present again (that's how each chapter starts and ends). The first 50-60% of this book is her (Annie) recounting what happened to her and how she escapes. And my gosh it's so heartbreaking to read. 

Something I want to point out is that I personally like how the author presented Annie's personality through how she acts and speaks because you really get a feel into the type of person she is and how this experience has shaped who she's become. I think the author did a good job in presenting what an experience like this can take from someone and something as tragic as this creates deep scars into someone; scars that may never go away. 

The rest of the novel explores the present-day investigation into who did this to her and why. Now I personally feel very indifferent towards the twist. I understood the twist, however, I understand why many people feel like it was a cop-out and that it lacked luster. Especially because I don't think we got enough closure especially pertaining to certain characters like Luke (I really felt for him; he was so kind). 

I did not like Christina and I'm glad Annie finally let her go. I can't believe she even forgave her the first time. It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth that she and Luke slept together while Annie was out being tortured by "The Freak".

  Overall, if you do think about reading this I really do suggest checking those trigger warnings. I've never cried in a thriller until I read this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Vomit, and Car accident

rchll's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This read was absolutely incredible and I have such a book hangover now. I loved that it was written in the form of Annie's sessions with her therapist - but trust me, your knowing that she eventually gets home does NOT make this any less tense or 'twisty-turny'. This read is dark and unabashedly shows you the abuse Annie undergoes while being held captive, but also the way trauma affects us and stays with us long after 'rescue'.

I thought each character was so incredibly complex - I really never knew what to expect from anyone and often found myself questioning initial assumptions I had made, and  at other times, feeling like 'Oh I should have gone with my gut here and NOT questioned things'! Nobody - not even side characters - are 2D or simple.

I absolutely TORE through the last half or so of the book - while there is not a ton of action (in the classic sense), this is where I felt I had no choice but to keep going just to see how it all played out...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Torture

Minor: Child abuse

bloodflood's review against another edition

dark tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Torture, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Incest