Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Asesinato para principiantes by Holly Jackson

503 reviews

nolemdaer's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

This was so much fun! I absolutely flew through it in basically one sitting—the quick pace and production log inserts paired with short, action-packed narrative chapters made it go down incredibly easy, as well as an enticing mystery where it was enjoyable and satisfying to see all the parts fit together. Pip is a fun narrator, although the “good girl” shtick wasn’t really played with (which might have actually been a boon; I don’t know if I could have stood her being referred to as a “good girl” incessantly for the sake of the title). The investigation included Pip and Ravi actually doing a lot, which is always great to see in a murder mystery—and a good amount of what she was doing included nitty-gritty bureaucratic stuff like scanning old Facebook pages or utilizing Rights to Information acts to gain access to old interviews. It added a touch of realism, even if you know many of the clues just fall a little too perfectly into place. I loved the ending and some of the answers we got.

I don’t think this is a thicky plotty mysterious procedural masterpiece, but I also don’t think anyone was asking for it to be. It was a sharp, exciting YA mystery with a likable cast of characters that tied itself up nicely without being trite. Some of the “social awareness” parts were laid on a little thick, like the Jackson suddenly realized she needed to acknowledge how racism and bias might play out in the book and scrawled out a few paragraphs to make sure she was covered, but I’m not going to begrudge that too much. Super enjoyable time.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Kidnapping, Murder, Animal death, and Drug use

Minor: Rape, Self harm, Toxic friendship, and Sexual assault

CW: roofies

abception's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

OK, I see the hype.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Animal death, and Grief

Moderate: Suicide, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Bullying

Minor: Toxic friendship, Confinement, Drug use, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Dementia, and Fatphobia

mikaylacamp's review against another edition

informative inspiring 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Self harm

eq_isi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

SPOILERS! 
Y’all I cannot! This book is actually so good.
The plot twist was pretty good, considering we thought it was one

murderer who killed Sal and Andie, but it was actually two (kinda). I can’t believe Cara’s dad killed Sal, but in some deranged way it made sense. And Andie’s death? BY HER OWN SISTER? Technically it wasn’t premeditated because her sister was dying and she left her there, but she did hide the body. And to think it hadn’t been found after 5 years, she did a good job.

BUT… there’s one thing I cannot forgive.

BARNEY. WHY DID HE HAVE TO DIE? It wasn’t necessary.

My heart was broken.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Violence, Emotional abuse, Death, Bullying, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Murder, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Grief, Car accident, and Cursing

novelswithariana's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No

5.0

🌸 ARIANA'S BOOK REVIEW 🌸

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Genre: Mystery, Young Adult, Thriller, Contemporary, Crime

A Good Girl's Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson is an enthralling and suspenseful mystery novel that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Jackson's writing style is engaging and immersive, making it impossible to put this book down.

The story revolves around Pippa Fitz-Amobi, who takes on a cold case as the topic for her final year project. As she delves deeper into the murder of Andie Bell, she uncovers hidden secrets and discovers that not everything is as it seems. Jackson skillfully crafts a plot that is full of twists and turns, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

One of the book's strengths lies in its well-developed characters. Pippa is a relatable and determined protagonist, and the supporting cast adds depth and complexity to the story. The way the characters and their relationships are portrayed adds an extra layer of intrigue to the narrative.

The pacing of the book is excellent, with each chapter ending on a cliffhanger that compels you to keep turning the pages. The combination of suspense, mystery, and a touch of romance creates a perfect balance that will captivate readers of all ages.

Overall, A Good Girl's Guide To Murder is a fantastic read that deserves its 5-star rating. Holly Jackson's masterful storytelling, compelling characters, and intricate plot make this book a must-read for fans of the mystery genre. Get ready for a rollercoaster ride of suspense and enjoy every thrilling moment.

People who have read ‘The Inheritance Games’ (Jennifer Lynn Barnes), ‘Better Than The Movies’ (Lynn Painter) and ‘One Of Us Is Lying’ (Karen M. McManus) may like this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, and Animal death

Minor: Self harm

ash_ton's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

i want to rate it higher but i can't bc of the 20 year old and 17 year old relationship. idk if things are different in britain (where the author lives) but that's um... yeah no.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, Blood, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Grief, and Stalking

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Addiction, Car accident, Rape, Animal death, Body shaming, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Confinement and Cancer

savreads28's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Car accident, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Rape, Addiction, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Pedophilia, Self harm, and Stalking

mindsplinters's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.0

Trigger : Animal (dog) death off screen

A clever book with a creative mix of story-telling techniques - limited third person chapters interspersed with first person diary entries and some calendar pages and diagrams and notes.  You feel like you are getting a peek into Pip's mind as you watch how she researches and organizes.  Those chapters actually do a lot towards building her character - as does her self-realization that she keeps so busy for a very specific reason, one that felt like a personal gut punch for me as I do the exact same way.  At times, Pip was almost TOO mature but then she would do something thoughtless or impulsive or totally misread another person's needs and you went "yep, teenager."  Ravi was also well drawn but some of the other characters were very sketchy and almost charicatured.

It definitely felt like a debut but it was a pretty well constructed one and holds promise that the follow-ups will be solid as well.  While I solved parts of the mystery about midway through, some of it were still left up in the air until the last chapter or two.  Some of the wrap-up felt slightly out of the way/logic but not so badly that you felt yourself thrown out of the story.  It was certainly a YA mystery, though.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Rape, and Self harm

Minor: Animal death

booknerdz28's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Bullying, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror

Minor: Rape, Self harm, Vomit, and Body shaming

mrk100100's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

SO GOOD! This is my first time reading young adult in several years so I was skeptical, but this was really done well. The idea of a murder investigation being a senior capstone project was unique and really well developed. You felt like you were right with the main character all along as she was finding out more information.

Really wish the author hadn't killed the dog though, I hate when books have animal deaths it's the absolute worst.

Just when I thought I had it figured out, you get hit with more twists! Pip is so bright and witty, excited to continue reading the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Animal death

Minor: Self harm