Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers

14 reviews

ottercorg's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad slow-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? No

3.0

As I work alphabetically through my TBR, based on what my local library has available, I can't seem to remember why I added this book to the list. I don't recall where I learned about it or what may have stood out to me, making me want to read it.

On top of that, it took me almost half the book to really get into the story. I almost gave up, until things started to get interesting between Jean and Howard. That's precisely what kept me reading - the true plot of the book itself was not particularly interesting to me.

All in all, I don't have much to say about this novel from Chambers. I give it 3 stars because I think it was well written, I enjoyed Jean as a character (in many ways I feel I can relate to her), and once I got into it I did enjoy it.

But I have to say I hate how everything resolved. I could not be more disappointed, on all accounts.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, Abortion, and Lesbophobia

swaino's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

This book gave me mixed emotions. The writing style was flawless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading these perfectly curated sentences and chapters. 

It’s the plot that has given me the mixed feelings. I regret to say that I believed it to be quite predictable, with the origins of the virgin birth being what I had expected from the very beginning. The ending was also quite unnecessary and, if I dare say, almost ruined the book for me (whether that was out of heartbreak for the main character or a somewhat lazy plot, I am not so sure). 

Before the end, I wanted to give this book 4/5 stars, but the ending took me back. Perhaps after a few days of ruminating over this book I may change my mind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

fluffy1st's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Medical content and Abortion

Minor: Rape and Sexual content

skudiklier's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

I'm worried I'm too emotionally invested at the moment to be writing this review; I don't know how to write about how this book made me feel without writing about the ending. I'll spoiler warning it at the end here, but just know that all spoilers in it are very vague.

Overall I liked this book. I knew absolutely nothing about it going in--not the premise, not the genre, nothing. I picked it solely based on the cover. Throughout the first half of it I just felt a sort of rising tension, as I waited for the shoe to drop. This book was well-written and while the ending devastated me, I don't think it should have been changed. 

This book makes me want to read more by this author, because I really liked how well it showed tiny social things that feel hard to capture/explain but can make a real impact on how a situation feels or a relationship progresses. Small things that Jean worries over momentarily, that just felt really well-done. 

Honestly the ending just is so sad. I wasn't prepared. I wish I'd paid more attention to the dates so that I could have seen it coming. It makes sense as a story but I'm just too close to these characters right now, I feel too sad for them. It made it so I couldn't give this book five stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death, Sexual assault, and Abortion

Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Cancer, Incest, and Lesbophobia

train accident

mirrortower's review against another edition

emotional mysterious relaxing 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? Yes

3.0

thought this would be gayer

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Sexual content and Lesbophobia

dandandandan's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

Minor: Rape and Sexual content

bcooper21's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, and Abandonment

Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Grief, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Alcohol

alisonannk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Lesbophobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

bibliothecolle's review against another edition

mysterious reflective slow-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: Infidelity and Abortion

Minor: Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual content, Dementia, and Lesbophobia

falltumn's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.5

i liked the majority of the book, but felt it kind of fell apart at the end. i felt very unsatisfied and that there were a lot of loose threads that will never be tied.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Rape, Sexual assault, and Abortion

Moderate: Medical content and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Alcohol