Reviews tagging 'Violence'

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

24 reviews

saradford1's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Violence

cyndi1966's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Vomit and Alcohol

colorcrystals's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Infertility, Violence, and Suicide attempt

princess_marie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Child death and Emotional abuse

Minor: Drug use, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

throwback682's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

5.0

It’s so hard to describe this book (or even give trigger warnings) without also giving spoilers. 

I think the author did a really good job of keeping you guessing and adding plenty of twists without it being heavy handed or corny. The narrator is both deeply sympathetic and deeply unsympathetic at the same time somehow. This was one I couldn’t put down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Infertility, Sexual content, and Stalking

It’s hard to give TW without spoiling but many of the major trigger warnings surround motherhood in some way

lrecord's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

I listened to this book while I worked. It was easy to listen to and follow along even though I was busy with other things.

I really love how the author wrote her characters as women who made good choices, bad choices and everything in-between. There is so much nuance to the characters and why they do the things they do. 

There were definitely twists and turns.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Infertility, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

cursed_sapphire's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

3.75

This is the first thriller I've read in a while where I've come out remembering I still like thrillers. 

I won't say this is the most groundbreaking thriller with the most unique plot, most amazing characters, or the most fascinating twists. But I will say this book is thriller done right. 

It probably helped that the main character's sleep deprivation and clearly-defined childhood traumas helped explain away some of the conclusion-jumping and bad decisions that I've come to learn are synonymous with modern thrillers. Where in most books I find that kind of thing infuriating and poorly-handled, here it made perfect sense for our protagonist, who hasn't had a full night's rest in a year. 

This book also handled it's themes better than most thrillers I've read. While all the characters are hiding secrets, I didn't leave the novel despising everyone like I have with some other thrillers. This book also refreshingly had a well-written, non-horrible male character

who kept his secret because he wanted to seek justice for his sister's murder. There was no plot twist where it turned out he was leading the main character on or was secretly evil in his past or was complicit in the kidnapping of the protagonist's child, which I have found so exhausting from other thrillers

. The exploration of motherhood, trauma, masculine vs. feminine gender roles, and sleep deprivation were all  well handled and complex without being confusing, a tight-rope hard to balance. 

So if you're looking for a solid thriller read, even if you're as tired as mediocre ones as I am, I still say give this one a try. It's not a perfect novel-the middle drags a bit and there are some characters that aren't as well defined as others, among a few other nitpicks- but it's overall a compelling, entertaining time.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Violence, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Pregnancy

akagle's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow this book was a great first read of 2024! The characters were all very well developed and complex and tangled emotions and backstories. I thought the authors handling over very heavy and complex issues was great, and the tense nature of the book made me unable to put it down!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, and Violence

paytonbird's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship, and Violence

feralbookwife's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

3.75

Fast paced, solid mystery. Kept me guessing until the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol