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Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca
717 reviews
exhumedprince's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia
maybbrenna's review against another edition
dark
tense
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
5.0
gay people, complex characters, complex situations, tense as heck, oh my goodness. the afterword is a MUST read - it explains the collection of seemingly extremely different stories. every time i thought i figured out what the twist would be, the twist got twisted. read the first story on my 35 min break at work, had to extend my break another ten minutes to finish it. i read through the rest of the book in one sitting. will be getting the rest of the author’s books tomorrow. wow.
edit: was reading some of the other reviews and while i definitely understand the criticisms, the stuff the author goes into can be pretty upsetting to people who may be sensitive to the topics, but i enjoyed it because 1) i’m a horror fan in all forms and i want horror that makes feel horrified and 2) reading the afterword explained the theme and relevance of the events super well, in my personal experience. the theme is definitely more central to the book than the characters and their development. i can agree with the criticisms towards the lesbian relationship in the first story - i also thought it moved pretty fast when i was reading it, but the afterword (which i don’t usually read in books but VERY glad i did) made it make a lot more sense. i’m a big theme slut and this book gave me lots to think about. if you find yourself particularly effected by certain topics i would definitely recommend taking into consideration the content warnings with the highest amounts of votes before reading the book - i don’t get super affected by things usually but i was definitely feeling a little wonky after the first story. overall, i think the book is great and i definitely recommend it to people that a) like a horror meant to horrify b) don’t have any particular sensitivity to predominantly gore and c) are open to a book that focuses on theme rather than characters. PLZ READ THE AFTERWORD in all honesty i liked the book perfectly fine before reading it but the afterword did help me appreciate the book a lot more!!
edit: was reading some of the other reviews and while i definitely understand the criticisms, the stuff the author goes into can be pretty upsetting to people who may be sensitive to the topics, but i enjoyed it because 1) i’m a horror fan in all forms and i want horror that makes feel horrified and 2) reading the afterword explained the theme and relevance of the events super well, in my personal experience. the theme is definitely more central to the book than the characters and their development. i can agree with the criticisms towards the lesbian relationship in the first story - i also thought it moved pretty fast when i was reading it, but the afterword (which i don’t usually read in books but VERY glad i did) made it make a lot more sense. i’m a big theme slut and this book gave me lots to think about. if you find yourself particularly effected by certain topics i would definitely recommend taking into consideration the content warnings with the highest amounts of votes before reading the book - i don’t get super affected by things usually but i was definitely feeling a little wonky after the first story. overall, i think the book is great and i definitely recommend it to people that a) like a horror meant to horrify b) don’t have any particular sensitivity to predominantly gore and c) are open to a book that focuses on theme rather than characters. PLZ READ THE AFTERWORD in all honesty i liked the book perfectly fine before reading it but the afterword did help me appreciate the book a lot more!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Grief
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Gore
Minor: Suicide and Xenophobia
pryingblackbird's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
There were some interesting idea in here, but the execution was horrible. Also a book isn't automatically diverse or LGBT just because some of the characters are in same sex relationships, when all of the characters are just blank, flat stand-ins to progress whatever little plot there is. Yes there's two same sex couples in the book, but they might as well be hetero or completely devoid of a gender identity, it would not influence the stories even the slightest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Mental illness and Self harm
aquaphobia's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Child death
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Body horror
carch3r's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Gore, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Vomit
rosaelia's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Vomit, and Murder
tinyjude's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
1.0
Never read this after having a meal!!!
I had read some vague stuff about how disturbing this book could be, but I was definitely not prepared for whatever the fck this was. I am beyond disgusted. I can enjoy horrible fictional stories but this seems to be out of my taste completely. I just felt so sick and ready to throw up while reading it.
I can understand how someone in such a vulnerable state can go down that route and spiral so fast but the stories (like the baby jesus christ I'M PRAYING THIS NEVER HAPPENED IN REAL LIFE WTF WTF WTF) where way too much for me and too fast. The relationship barely develops, suddenly the convo turns "sexy" but feels more like 50 shades of grey bad ff (eugh) and then THAT. I won't spoil but, just, NO.
The ending was confusing but reading some theories about the cover, I got my horrifying answer 😳 100% not for me.
I had read some vague stuff about how disturbing this book could be, but I was definitely not prepared for whatever the fck this was. I am beyond disgusted. I can enjoy horrible fictional stories but this seems to be out of my taste completely. I just felt so sick and ready to throw up while reading it.
I can understand how someone in such a vulnerable state can go down that route and spiral so fast but the stories (like the baby jesus christ I'M PRAYING THIS NEVER HAPPENED IN REAL LIFE WTF WTF WTF) where way too much for me and too fast. The relationship barely develops, suddenly the convo turns "sexy" but feels more like 50 shades of grey bad ff (eugh) and then THAT. I won't spoil but, just, NO.
The ending was confusing but reading some theories about the cover, I got my horrifying answer 😳 100% not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment
misunfortunate's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
readwithsophsx's review against another edition
dark
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
clovetra's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
i’m sitting here cackling because what in the actual fuck did i just read. i’m crying from laughter right here. does that say something deeper about my psyche at the moment? probably. was this incredibly silly goofy? yes!!!!!
my only real gripe is this is solely related to one of my triggers. now i’m fine with gore in my horror. hell i’ll watch horror movies with gore. but you bring bugs into My Horror??????? ohh i lose my mind. bugs have always been an insane trigger for me. i am always afraid bugs are in my ears. i was told once that biting your nails gives you pinworms and as a girlie with dermatillomania i had a panic attack over that thought. once i woke up in my bed to an earwig next to me and now i am always paranoid ill wake up and an earwig is in my bed. needless to say, a bitch doesn’t like bugs!!!!! so i’ll say this book really did have me!!!!!
i don’t know what you’d call this book but it wasn’t really… horror? idk i’d say it’s more like psychological thriller. but also i realise im incredibly desensitised to weird shit so.
i wish there was more time to expand on the fucked up relationship between these two but also this is a novella so. i’m not mad.
the ending is lowkey kinda funny? not funny haha funny goofy. i liked the way the ending brought us all the way to the beginning as well. nice little tie in.
i feel like im going to be severely judged for actually saying i had a good time. i cant say i enjoyed myself but lowkey i don’t think that’s the point. i had a good time. i felt like agnes reading this — enjoying it but not really but kind of but hating it but loving it. yeah. this isn’t a book ur meant to love. it’s so fuckjng insane. but i liked it! i’m not mad at it! i can also understand why everyone i know of either thinks this is mediocre or horrible! i am in the minority! long live the apple peeler and finneas!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Medical content
Minor: Homophobia