Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry

76 reviews

mrsrjg's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.0

*This review is based on the audiobook.*

This book is the most frustrated I've been with a book in a while, it just felt so pointless.

I'll start with what I liked about the book; I really enjoyed the short chapters and the multiple POVs as it made for a quick read, I actually sat up far too late to finish only to be disappointed. The story in itself was actually very thrilling but almost too much as I could feel my anxiety getting very high; not to mention the things that Janie was actually doing just left me feeling very strange.

OK so this book has no ending, I feel this should be put out there somewhere; according to the author she was asked by her editor to cut the epilogue and she did which was a major mistake. I have since found a reading of the epilogue on her Facebook page which if this had been added I would have increased my rating but people shouldn't have to search for the ending of a book.

And another thing, the characters in this book, in particular the husband, I have never wanted to slap someone so hard in all my life; he just pushes his wife aside to support this child he barely knows, to the point that he lets his family get hurt and is totally blind to the actions of this psychotic child; and also the way that he attached himself onto her from the beginning was borderline creepy behaviour for me.

Also, I feel like this book deserves major trigger warnings at the start as I felt majorly anxious and even burst into tears at one point due to past trauma. 

There is a short sequel novella which I will read to see if any more questions are answered as not a lot were in this book regarding Janie, her actions and her mental capacity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

alyssaslitreviews's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.25

4 stars because NO END?!!? I did not like that lol I really wanted to know what Christopher was gonna have to say. 

Ouuuu!! I have so much I can say about this book. All in all, I was very invested in how the story was going to end. I also think I may check out another one of Lucinda Berrys novels. It was a lot more graphic than I was expecting and it definitely needed some trigger warnings but the plot lowkey ate.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Domestic abuse and Grief

cemsreadingcorner's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This one was intense. There was a lot of drama. Crazy sh!t was always happening. Never read a story where a little girl was so disturbed she was doing things you never thought a young child would do. I listened the audiobook while reading, and I wasn’t crazy about the female narrator. She was reading weird, which unfortunately is usually how it is when I listen to audiobooks with female narrators. Sounds like I’m listening to a robot or gps system. 😂 The guy who narrated Christopher’s part did exceptionally well. Both men did well. I wish I could say all of them did great. Also, the narrators kept saying different words from what was written in the book. So, that was an error on their part. And about the story, I don’t know what happened to Janie in the end. I don’t know what their plans for her were. Was she going to stay with a foster family? Or were they going to institutionalize her? What was going to happen to her? I didn’t quite understand that. Either way, I don’t think there’s hope for Janie. I doubt she’ll change. But I hope there’s a second book in this series because I would like to see Janie’s progression over time.

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at 11:12 AM

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

zetiacg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

katemonster's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This is my third Lucinda Berry book. She is definitely a great thriller author. This one was not my favorite. I found the content very difficult…the animal abuse, child violence, etc. I wanted it to be over. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Violence, and Murder

jekia243's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book kept me on my toes. I loved the story and all of the twisty turns. Although, Christopher made me mad throughout the whole book. Never considering or listening to what Hannah was trying to say. Let’s just say this gave me anger issues which I don’t have. But I enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the other book. There are trigger warnings. Animal abuse, physical abuse and violence 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Physical abuse, and Violence

diannasbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.75

I found Christopher irritating. He was so blind when it came to Janie. This book was so frustrating. And what even was that ending? Where is the rest???

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

witch_of_bywater's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

This was a 5 star page turner for me until the ending wrecked it. Or rather the lack of ending I should say. What a shame. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Violence

vidaliterati's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use

lynntv's review against another edition

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy