greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Murder, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Stalking
Minor: Blood, Pregnancy, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Gun violence, and Medical content
brynhayes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Death, Grief, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Murder, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, and Stalking
clevelandbookgirl's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Cancer, Murder, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity
Moderate: Death, Blood, Alcohol, and Grief
zc2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Death of parent, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Stalking, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
honeywine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Spoiler
fell flat for me, and some aspects were just too convenient and seemed to only come together so the book can be completely tied up with a little bow of “the end”It is something I’d most enjoy as a beach or vacation read if I had to pick the best time for it.
Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Infidelity, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, and Infertility
lgalgano32's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Murder, Blood, and Domestic abuse
riella_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Stalking, Blood, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Murder
sunsetcity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Infertility, Murder, Miscarriage, and Stalking
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Stalking, Cursing, Gun violence, Alcohol, Infidelity, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Infertility, and Death
Minor: Pregnancy, Blood, Suicide, Death of parent, Miscarriage, and Terminal illness
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
So much of this book hinges on you being patient with mediocre writing, hollow characters, twists that make absolutely no sense with very little evidence throughout the book to support it, and for you to keep track of a bunch of side characters that add little to the story as a whole. Not to mention, by the time I was less than halfway through, I was already so tired of reading about these privileged WASPs - literally characters with lineage dating back to the Mayflower. I just stopped caring, but I *did* want to know if my theories were correct, because I am a freak who is obsessed with being right.
I can't say this is a complete dud - the book did have its moments that were genuinely creepy, and where I thought that Avery, the therapist, was sort of interesting. I enjoyed her chapters because at least they didn't feel as hollow as the chapters that followed Marissa, her client and one half of "the golden couple" in question. I also enjoyed her dog, he was adorable. I also thought that one of the scenes toward the end was very chilling, but it quickly became cringey and far-fetched, so it didn't really amount to much. Though I did enjoy Avery at times, it became increasingly hard to believe that she is as smart as these authors want to pretend she is.
All of this said, for once, I didn't call the ending of a thriller, which I enjoy, usually...except...I only didn't guess this ending because it made no sense in any realm.
Graphic: Death, Grief, Blood, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Murder, Alcohol, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Terminal illness, Cancer, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Child death, Pregnancy, Infertility, and Medical content
Minor: Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Animal cruelty