Reviews tagging Emotional abuse

When No One Is Watching, by Alyssa Cole

49 reviews

asteinke's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.0

This book was painful to read and contained so many cringy moments that were so unrealistic. It was such a slow moving book and nothing interesting happened until about 70% through the book. Interesting concept but it could have been executed way better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Confinement, Murder, Racism, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

pj_steph's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I overall enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the writing of this book. My favorite parts of the story were discussing the history of gentrification and going in depth on the horrors of the people who live in the neighborhoods. I will say the pacing was a little off. The beginning was a bit slow, but the ending felt REALLY rushed. I thought the middle had the best pacing. The mystery started to pick up and pieces were starting to come together, but then it kind of snowballed at the end. I'm definitely adding more Alyssa Cole to my TBR!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, Medical content, Injury/injury detail, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Racism, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol and Police brutality

maregred's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Death, Gaslighting, Classism, Grief, and Colonisation

Moderate: Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Slavery, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, and Blood

bookish_afrolatina's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I had a hard time getting through this book at first because of how accurate many of the scenes of Sydney encountering racism were. A lot of it was triggering. 
The pacing definitely picked up 2/3 of the way into the book. Then it speeds up as evidence clicks into place. This could have started halfway in if the author really wanted to go with the kind of gothic horror vibe. I know it was meant to be one of those things that kind of sneaks up on you but the ending should have been longer. 
I feel conflicted about the author’s choice to make the second POV from a white straight cis guy and to have that romantic element. Many of Cole’s books have interracial couples as the MCs, so it shouldn’t be surprising, but this time it rubbed me the wrong way. Having this white character comes across as the author trying to appeal to a white audience and almost like a way to make Sidney seem more believable. Like, if this white guy is seeing this scary stuff, then it must not be all in Sidney’s head! Seeking validation from that connection to whiteness. 
The story was thrilling in the end because it didn’t seem super far fetched to me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, Police brutality, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization

jojo_'s review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Racism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Blood, Grief, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Medical content

Minor: Genocide, Suicide, Alcohol, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Slavery

laguerrelewis's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

WHEEEEEEW. This book fucked me UP in the best way possible. Thrillers are an excellent medium to work through/depict/teach about the insidiousness of racism, and I’m glad that this trend is being picked up by intelligent and talented creators like Jordan Peele, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, and now Alyssa Cole. This book keeps you on the farthest edge of your seat, but also manages to inspire and warm your heart with a tale of communal aid and resistance. Cole writes characters and a community that are complex, storied, and palpable, adding to the stress when they are threatened by powers seemingly beyond their control. A read I would recommend for anyone looking for a cathartic, informative, and nervewracking take on gentrificaction.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Grief, Slavery, Sexual content, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Violence, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Racism, and Death of parent

madmantha's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective tense medium-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

One of the best books I’ve ever read, if not THE best. 
Thrilling, anxiety-inducing, emotional and yet hilarious at the same time. 

Can’t wait to suggest this read to others, I loaned it from the library but will definitely be purchasing my own copy. This is something that deserves to be remembered and celebrated for years to come. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Torture

Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma

Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Homophobia, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Vomit, Alcohol, Addiction, Hate crime, Outing, Racial slurs, and Slavery

mysterymom46's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Racism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Murder, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Torture, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Injury/injury detail, Gaslighting, Grief, and Blood

Minor: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Cultural appropriation, and Drug use

Spoiler

bedbugs and a character scratching herself too much, leaving skin damage; on page sex scene

toorsdenote's review

mysterious slow-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

2.0

Picked up a quick thriller, it was meh.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Slavery, and Violence

Minor: Gun violence, Colonisation, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Terminal illness

vmgonzalez1003's review

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical trauma, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Death of parent