Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

53 reviews

kaneebli's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Suicide, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Animal cruelty

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. 

---

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

larareads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicide and Grief

Minor: Cancer

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

1.0

Started out strong but ultimately found it disappointing. The letter from Maggie’s father really rubbed me the wrong way. Who talks to their children about their intimate relationships like that??? The assumptions her parents made were truly awful. They should never have been parents in the first place. Where are Maggie’s critical thinking skills? Why has no one asked about her father’s motives for his annual ritual and his continuous relationship with the house? Ugh. Too many other stupid questions. Also, her father’s book was supposed to help lead the reader in a specific direction, but it felt unconvincing. What a waste of time!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

mrsm_lovesbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Honestly, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book. I knew it was a thriller and supernatural combo, but I worried it was going to lean more on the spooky.

Boy, was I wrong! Maggie's journey of uncovering the truth and learning about the metaphorical ghosts in her closet, kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending/epilogue did seem a bit haphazard in tying up the loose ends, but I wonder if anyone believes Elsa and Maggie about Martha. That was my only negative. Also I can't believe her parents covered up the body and didn't even try to find a more logical explanation. It does make me wonder if Martha killed her husband after finding her daughter's body. And the angle of the Bryan Prince seemed to leave things kinda open, like what happened with him and the news stories. Was there a connection?

Either way, I still enjoyed this book a great deal.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Suicide, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Dementia, Stalking, Death of parent, and Alcohol

chelbelle122's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Suicide, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

hannahpings's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

3.75

great construction. great case study (studies) in (un)reliable narration. whole lotta hill house references. maybe too many hill house references. who knew there was such a thing?

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Dementia and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Stalking

melli29_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Body horror, Child death, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail

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

---

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

amyyp's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I couldn’t read it at night because it made me paranoid and scared 😂 Did not see the end coming! 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Dementia