Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

8 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

just_an_avocado's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

Can I give this 6 out of 5 stars?? I LOVED this! I was skeptical picking this up because the premise sounds eerily similar to Haunting of Hill House which I love dearly. But it called to me. I was curious. And boy was I wrong about this. It is wholly original and takes the shadow of the concept created by Hill House and runs ever so far with it until it’s unrecognizable. This is not your traditional haunted house story. It took me by surprise at every turn and captivated me from start to finish. Whatever you’re expecting this book to be, you’re wrong. I guarantee it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Dementia and Death of parent

sardinita's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

the simultaneus storylines gave me haunting of hill house which i loved. 
it throws you back and forth between theories after every turn just as the main character is.

looking forward to listen, or maybe next time read, more by Riley Sager 👌🏻

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, 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

ilaxaria's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Dementia, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol

nenaveenstra's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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? No

4.0

I didn't quite know how to place this book at first, because it plays into a lot of haunted house stereotypes - it reminded me a lot of the Netflix adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House, and it references The Amityville Horror a couple of times - but it ended up being something totally different. It's more mystery than horror, and the reader isn't really allowed to be afraid of the ghosts. 

The second half was really good, though, and the twists and turns towards the end really surprised me (although I never really tried to solve the mystery in the first place). I had a good time with this one, though it will never be one of my favourites.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Child death

beccam22's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The haunting of hill house but with the setting of crimson peak. Overall it was fine, I didn’t find it original at all but it was an entertaining read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts