Reviews with content warning for Grief - Gorgeous Gruesome Faces

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng

6 reviews

booksmoviesandstories's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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devynreadsnovels's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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theofficialzhang's review

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest, spoiler-free review!

NOTE: I am reviewing an audiobook

Themes: Grief, Death, Popularity

Representation: Queer MC and LI, Asian-American MCs and SCs

Content Warnings: Gore, Horror, Grief, Suicide

PERSONAL COMMENTS

I thought that the story was quite interesting. As a person who loves mystery and easily intrigued by thrillers, this book captured my attention. It was slow to start, and for me it was hard to start listening because I was super busy with school and didn’t have too much time to read this month. However, once I started reading and the action ramped up, I couldn’t wait to figure out what happened next!!!

The characters in this book are frustrating but realistic and the mystery is super strange and mysterious. But it kept my attention all the same. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a really enjoyable read. Plus, it fits the time of the year since I read this around Halloween.

Thus… I give it 4/5 stars.

CHARACTERS

I thought the characters were well written, especially Sunny and Candie. I thought Sunny was definitely a complex character. She is someone who might not necessarily be likeable. However, as you read the book, you can definitely see how her experiences shape her. Also, if you’re a person who likes character development and reveals, then you’ll definitely vibe with Sunny.

For Candie, she is sort of mysterious at first. Sunny really likes her, and you might not understand why at first. But as you read on, you’ll definitely see why Sunny really cares about Candie. I wished that there would be a bit more development for Candie. However, I quite enjoyed her relationship with Sunny and how they help each other out.

Finally, as for the side characters, I really enjoyed Sunny’s relationship with Mina as well as the people at the workshop. I thought it revealed a lot about her character and made her more human. As for the antagonist(s), they are somewhat foreshadowed in the book, but who they are still caught me slightly by surprise. But more on that in the plot of the book….

Rating: 4.3/5

PLOT

I’d say that I think this book focuses a bit more on plot. However, there is a lot of focus on characters too.

I feel like the book starts out slow and doesn’t immediately grasp your attention. However, action DOES build up towards the middle of the book. The pacing changes a lot so your enjoyment of the plot depends on how much you like dynamic pacing. As for the things in the plot, there are enough plot twists and things occurring in the plot. I felt like there could’ve been more going on in terms of plot, but I think it’s enough to keep your attention.

Finally, the ending of the book is super nice. It ties things together and is super sweet.

Rating: 3.7/5

OTHER

The book has a unique narration style: it is told in two different timelines. You have Sunny from 2–3 years ago as well as the Sunny of present day. I do not personally mind the narration and thought it was a nice touch to the story. However, it can definitely be hard to switch from one timeline to another. It’s for sure difficult to write dual timelines.

In terms of perspective and tense, it’s told in first-person perspective (from Sunny’s perspective) and the present tense. I think that having Sunny as the sole narrator is great as it provides an unreliable narrator as well as a limited view on the events of the plot.

Finally, for the narrator, I enjoyed her voice. I liked how she did different voices for different characters and conveyed the emotions of the book.

Overall, 4/5

RATINGS

Personal Rating: 4/5

Characters: 4.3/5

Plot: 3.7/5

Other: 4/5

Final Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings

caseythereader's review against another edition

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dark mysterious 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

3.75

Thanks to Macmillan for the free copy of this book.

- GORGEOUS GRUESOME FACES is a YA thriller that combines K-pop glitter with Chinese mythology.
- I love a book that explores some of the traumas of fame, especially for young people, and that is woven into the larger supernatural mystery of this book.
- I didn't realize this book was the first in a series until I got to the end, and I'm excited to see where Cheng takes this next.

Content Warnings

myuh's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Content Warnings

kassiereadsbooks's review against another edition

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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? Yes

Content Warnings

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