Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

122 reviews

beccic's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, and Death

alaina's review against another edition

dark tense slow-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

2.5

This book suffered from gratuitous psychopathy. I almost checked out at the halfway mark and then again at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Forced institutionalization, Body shaming, Rape, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

ekilburn529's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.25

I really like this book it was very well done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

sldibened's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Outing, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Abortion, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Grief, Bullying, Child death, Infidelity, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship, Rape, and Stalking

opplecopter's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

If you like books that read like a Lifetime movie, you’ll love this one. I was expecting a thriller and just got a drama. I’m surprised this book was so popular in my book groups because I honestly wish I had left this as a DNF a long time ago. The first 100+ pages is about Amber Patterson and told from her perspective. I almost put the book down at this point because this part felt absolutely endless. Amber is a 20 something year old pathological liar who rambles on and on about how unfair her life is because she doesn’t have loads of money, material possessions, connections, popularity, power, influence, etc. Poor Amber is just a victim in her own eyes and she goes above and beyond to portray herself as such. She’s whiny, selfish, immature, and extremely annoying. Amber is determined to have a life of privilege, wealth, designer clothes, expensive jewelry, and being admired by those around her along with a husband who is not only loaded but who will basically be putty in her hands. She “accidentally” meets Daphne Parrish. A beautiful woman in her late 30s who has all these things. Daphne has a perfect life, a perfect family, and a perfect husband, Jackson, who adores her. She has an exquisite home, a staff, a charity foundation, and more. Even Daphne’s home, closets, cabinets, everything is perfectly organized, placed, equally spaced, and spotless. Amber of course is furious. How dare someone else have nice things while she lives in an apartment, right? So, Amber targets Daphne with a plan to ingratiate herself into her life and ultimately to take her place as Mrs. Parrish. Lots of lies, scandal, manipulation, and secrets come out as this story progresses. Overall, I found this very boring. There was no excitement. It all felt very contrived. Yeah there was a twist that I found to be ok,  and people get their just deserts, but it fell short for me. Once the twist was revealed, it felt like this book dragged on and on and at 400+ pages, that was a lot of dragging. It didn’t leave an impression on me and the 3 stars I gave was being generous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Gun violence and Forced institutionalization

ssnarker20's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, and Gun violence

mariacastromendoza's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.0

The pace and writing of the book always left me wanting more. There is one complex character who you feel for, and the other two main characters don’t develop at all (done intentionally). I would recommend this to people who want a compelling story and a (somewhat) satisfactory ending. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, and Domestic abuse

inirac's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Got on the list because it has some good twists and turns, which it did! Not the biggest fan of the plot (I hate when women are pitted against each other- it’s old), and the ending feels satisfying but completely unrealistic. But this doesn’t have to be fully realistic I guess. My jaw definitely dropped a few times which is what I was looking for!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Infidelity

Moderate: Abortion, Suicide, Violence, Alcoholism, Stalking, and Classism

Minor: Infertility and Pregnancy

cmahoney's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder

lindsmann's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.25

I wanted to like the Last Mrs. Parrish more than I did. I love a Gone Girl-esque marriage/relationship mystery/thriller. But it just didn't quite do it for me. 

I found Amber to be completely insufferable.

Spoiler

Just no redeeming qualities and motivated by nothing more than basically hating rich privileged people? Didn't feel super believable to me. Which, I guess things don't always have to be believable, so maybe relatable is the more correct word. She felt like a cartoon character of a villain almost. I did not enjoy being in her brain for the majority of the book.

The reveal of her husband being a monster was interesting, but shadowed by the inclusion of sexual assault. And again, similar to Amber, it sort of felt out of place and random. More for the shock value than the plot. I think there could be other/better ways to showcase this abusive dynamic. I don't know, just wasn't totally for me I suppose.

That being said, it did keep me interested the whole time, curious to see where the story was going and what would happen next. So I do give it some props for that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse