Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix

20 reviews

crtnybracy's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Not my normal pick for a book but I had a good time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual assault and Gaslighting

mothmania's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

amandadelbrocco's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

2.0

This was my least favorite of his books so far... I didn't think the writing was very strong and I think it relied too much on metal references.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

poetsofsweetpea's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Grady Hendrix has clever ideas.  This book had a few of them and a couple of tense, scary moments.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

lotoblanco's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

thewellbitch's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

 Entertaining but definitely not for me. Someone into metal would probably get a lot more out of this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Sexual assault, Violence, and Alcohol

hellokatya's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.25

this book took me a long time to finish, i just could not get myself to pick it back up once i’d stopped. 
around the 60-70% mark it got a lot better, but its a fight to get there.
i’ve read some grady hendrix before, and i’d definitely say he has much better books to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Misogyny, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Minor: Emotional abuse

jays_fairytales's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

First of all, I feel it’s important to note that since reading A Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires in January, I’ve read pretty much all of Grady Hendrix’s bibliography (with How to Sell a Haunted House, his newest release, being the exception). Suffice it to say, Grady Hendrix could release his tax release and I would read it.

I left We Sold Our Souls until second to last because I knew from the synopsis it wasn’t going to be my favorite. Growing up Christian, there was a point that I bought into all that satanic panic and the scary blurred lines between the devil and heavy metal.

What I was not expecting was for Hendrix to put write my childhood fears so clearly into this novel. Unlike the more classic horror elements of his other works (slaying vampires, performing exorcisms, fleeing a slasher, surviving a haunted house) this novel focuses on conspiracy theories and real life horror. 

For me, the best of this book was the relatable 40 something year old female protagonist who was once a rock star going on an emotional journey and falling in love with music again. A girl with a guitar has nothing to apologize for.

This book did take a while for me to get into - I think it was because while the first few chapters had lots of action and interesting twists, there were moments on the main characters journey where the tension dipped and took me out of it. 

The ending (like almost all of the Hendrix’s novels) did leave me feeling unsatisfied. I tend to like a tidy ending and Hendrix likes to leave you thinking about the implications of an open end. 

Definitely read the trigger warning son this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Gore

horrorhayleigh's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail