Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

73 reviews

kellyhennings's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Rape, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction, Gun violence, Incest, Car accident, and Abortion

pinkdynamite22's review against another edition

dark

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

With an interesting start, this book slowed down quite a bit in the middle before coming back with a big plot twist. Using consistent characters across multiple timelines, Jennifer Hillier took us on the roller coaster ride of the main character's life, including a stint in prison. I do have a couple minor questions left unanswered but overall, I would recommend this book to anyone without sensitivities for light s3x scenes and r@pe.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

april_reads's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Jennifer Hiller never disappoints, and Jar of Hearts is no exception.

The story follows three best friends:  one becomes a cop, one is murdered, and the third ends up in prison for her role in her best friends death.

Told through a mix of past and present-day scenes, the narrative picks up when the main character is released from prison. Jar of Hearts is a gripping thriller with a deeply realistic plot that kept me hooked, eager to see how everything would unfold.

This book does come with some trigger warnings, so I recommend checking those before diving in.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

nicolern0826's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Blood, and Death of parent

hbsnewadventure's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

bentonpruitt's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.75

This book was ok.  There were definitely frustrating parts where characters acted against their development and either did things that just didn’t fit or didn’t do things that would have solved the problem before it even started.  Clearly attempting to be edgy and twisty but ended up being pretty tropey.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

This book has ALL of the thriller content warnings plus some.

mnaughton's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

sberry225's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Jar of Hearts is a gripping thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. Jennifer Hillier masterfully weaves a dark, twist-filled story that is as shocking as it is compelling. The plot’s turns are unpredictable and satisfying, making it impossible to put down.

That said, I’d caution readers: this book comes with a host of trigger warnings—it’s intense and not for the faint of heart.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters and the suspense to life, enhancing the experience. If you’re a fan of dark, edgy thrillers and can handle the content, this one is a must-read (or listen)!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Murder

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

crcarruthers's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

5.0

This is one of the best mystery/thrillers I've read in a long time! Even though I guessed part.of the ending, it didn't make it any less amazing. I will definitely be picking up more of Jennifer Hillier's books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

ashlymarie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder