Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

55 reviews

bekahzabel's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

I ate this one up. Very dark, taboo topics, trigger heavy but wowza… I was hooked. Devoured in one sitting. Not a situation to idolize in real life but an absolutely heart wrenching plot that keeps you needing more from start to finish.

4⭐️ / 🌶️🌶️🌶️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder

meowrie's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I'm not sure that I can add anything that hasn't already been said. 

This book is amazing. If I was a crier, I would have cried. Still, this book made me really emotional and for those who know me, that's quite an achievement. 

I'm also a forced proximity, enemies to lovers, taboo, dark romance fan. There are triggers here for readers who may be sensitive. The dog dying was not cool. It would have been fine without that part. I normally would knock a star or two off but the book was so damn good that I couldn't. But I'm still not happy about that. Boo.

The audio was very good. Laurie West was spectacular and Christian Black did a good job as Dean. I wish it was duet, but I always wish it was duet. Still, very good audio. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death and Car accident

elianaosburn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Pregnancy

tashcsx's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

5.0

I’m gonna call it and say this is the best book I’ve read in 2024. I was booked from the very beginning of this one.

Ive never thought a character should commit suicide but all I could think is that if I was Dean then I would have…. It it never happened. This book was constantly throwing me the unexpected and I couldn’t put it down. 

I feel heartbroken, sad, uncertain… yet happy for the ending. I do hate “8 years later,” type endings but it was very necessary for what this story was and it was. Hard story. This one is not for the faint hearted. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

mistakensmiles's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Abortion, and Murder

blumerlamotte's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

3.75

Heart wrenching, intense, dark, complicated. Check the trigger warnings. They’re no joke. This novel is NOT for the faint of heart.

Folks seem to either love or hate this novel. I swear reviewers either give it 5 stars or 1 star. I’m really torn. Unsure how I feel about it. It started so strong (but extremely hard to read) and from there… the character development was convoluted and messy and erratic. I think that follows with the excessive trauma the characters had to deal with. For me I think it just felt a little too contrived and not quite authentic enough. 

It’s a good book with awful topics. The authors writing style is smooth and easy to follow. Something about it just left me wanting but I don’t know what I want …

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Pregnancy

rdaacvhiesl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

4.75

If you can make it through the triggers and initial taboo, this is a unique love story that will stick with you for all the right reasons. Everything written had a purpose and never was used as a prop or just shock value. I applaud Jennifer Hartmann for masterfully toeing that line in order to share this beautifully traffic and harrowing story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Dementia, Stalking, and Alcohol

Minor: Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Blood, Vomit, Car accident, and Death of parent

susansantos's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This book is so different than other dark romance books I’ve read. I loved the story and felt the struggles of the FMC and MMC so hard. There were a couple quotes in the book that resonated with me and that I could connect with on a deep level. It’s both sad and happy and admittedly I did cry. Check triggers before reading, but it’s truly beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Grief

jesshart8's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

boomwormbrittany's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Still Beating follows Cora and Dean who have despised each other since high school but Dean is engaged to Cora's sister and is stuck with Dean. When they are kidnapped together by a serial killer called The Matchmaker, they find themselves having to overcome trauma together and grow closer.
This whole book was so heart wrenching and was such an exploration of pain, grief and healing. This book had me crying and I felt my heart being ripped apart. However, I absolutely loved this book.
This book is messy, painful and really hard to read at times but I flew through it when I had a chance to just sit and read. Dean and Cora are absolutely broken and end up in a cycle of trying to heal while also still hurting. It's so hard to watch them end up in a toxic cycle together while also trying to heal each other. Dean cares so much for Cora and she cares for him and it's so hard to watch them struggle to try to get better.
There are actual tears in my book because it made me cry so hard at times. The beginning of this book, part one, is so hard to read because it's such an awful situation to end up in and see characters go through. The rest of the book is about healing and learning to live with trauma which I greatly appreciated. Jennifer Hartmna's writing was so perfect for this story and it's clear she tried to handle this with so much depth and compassion.
I really loved this book and it has earned a place on my favorites shelf. I would say to be aware of the triggers in this book if you decide to pick it up and know that this is a hard read. I thought it was absolutely worth it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Miscarriage and Panic attacks/disorders