Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

23 reviews

haileyhardcover's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I LOVE a ghost story. Give me haunted houses or give me death… so I can haunt them myself! 

Home Before Dark tells the story of the Holt family and Baneberry Hall half through Maggie’s perspective in modern day, and half through the chapters of the book her father wrote. I loved that element - that I got to read a horror book (a horror memoir?) inside of a horror book. Each of the three Sager books I’ve read so far have jumped between timelines, but this was by far my favorite execution! The House of Horror chapters were actually my favorite part of the book, and I would’ve gladly read just that as a standalone; but it wouldn’t be a Riley Sager book without twists and turns and big reveals and UFF, these ones are good. No spoilers, but I definitely recommend you give this one a read if you like mysteries, haunted houses, complex family relationships, or like the feeling of being a little freaked out by every creek and groan your house makes. 

This is my third Riley Sager book of the year, and the second one that I’ve read in a single day. He has without a doubt become one of my favorites! Hoping I can read one or two more before the year is out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, and Alcohol

jaedia's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, Dementia, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Terminal illness, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Stalking, Car accident, and Alcohol

ashleyelizabeth's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

1.5

Sooooo boring. Twist reveal doesn’t happen until the last 26 minutes of the audiobook. Takes absolutely forever to get good. 

Pretty predictable up until the last twist. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

rrrbkh's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Dementia, Death of parent, and Murder

chasingpages1's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Alcohol

jessspeake's review against another edition

dark 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: Child death, Death, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, Suicide, and Blood

Minor: Grief, Stalking, Car accident, and Alcohol

maryreadstoomuch27's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Mental illness

kat_rowlen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A very twisty book and enjoyable read! Every time I thought i had it figured out I was wrong 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Violence, and Death of parent

seetaylorwrite's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.0

4.5/5 stars. I wish GR had 1/2 star options.

“Every house has a story to tell. Baneberry Hall is no different. Its story—the real one—might still be there. Why we left. Why my father felt compelled to lie about it. What I actually experienced there. All of it might be hiding within its walls, waiting for me to find it.”

It’s very rare that I read a horror book that genuinely spooks me. However, Riley Sager has managed to do just that with this book. And that twist at the ending. Phew. I truly didn't see that coming.

The entire book is spent with Maggie Holt trying to differentiate between the facts in the book her father wrote, The House of Horrors, and what truly happened to her family during the 20 days they lived at Baneberry Hall, named for the lethal baneberries that surround the estate. When strange things that Maggie cannot explain, even though she doesn’t believe in the supernatural or the events of her father’s tell-all, she starts to question what truly happened on the night of July 15th, 25 years ago.

What happens next is shocking and the perfect set up for this horror novel. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

its_erin's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.25

My first Sager book, and it was very enjoyable! 

I enjoyed the format Sager utilized, the "book" chapters juxtaposed with the current story. While I found the beginning to be a little slow, the pace quickly accelerated and the tension increases as we delved further into the mystery. 

And I can't say I predicted the ending, that's for sure. All in all, solid writing, a great mystery, and just enough uncanny unsettling feelings to make you nervous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent