Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

21 reviews

katiemhuang's review

dark mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Car accident, Sexual violence, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

meeklovestoread's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

Not, my favorite Alice Feeny book and the book was pretty slow-paced, but it was still an entertaining read. I read it in a day. The twist at the end was good though.

That rape scene was unnecessary.

She's definitely improved though. I think I'm more keen on her newer books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual assault, Miscarriage, and Murder

scorttarius's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was my face the entire time - 😮

And the ending!! It’s like I don’t know who to believe but this was a great thriller mystery! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Stalking, Pregnancy, Murder, Infertility, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Car accident

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

boba_n_books's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

4.0

This book started slow, but it really picked up towards the end. I loved the unreliable narrator that kept me guessing whole time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Gaslighting, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Alcohol, and Kidnapping

pageafter_paige's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

3.0

This was a super quick read that kept me on my toes! I loved how the chapters jumped between diary entries from childhood, present time, and the week leading up to her coma. Even though the title is called Sometimes I Lie I was still fooled a few times hahaha but overall I felt the ending was predictable once a certain big secret was revealed. I do love Alice’s writing and I find it super engaging. I’m not a huge fan of how it all ended in the last chapter but overall I enjoyed the story! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Miscarriage, Murder, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Violence

vibingandy's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.25

surprised at how intense some scenes were, definitely look at the content warnings! otherwise was a bit predictable in parts, and the big twist made the plot more confusing (though it was interesting for sure)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Murder, and Rape

Moderate: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, and Car accident

velvetreads_'s review

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Death of parent, Child death, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Murder, Sexual assault, Stalking, Death, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Infertility, Addiction, Alcohol, and Grief

Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Gaslighting, and Drug abuse

loscamp4lyf's review

dark mysterious tense fast-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

what the FUCK was this book. i thought i knew what was going on and then it just kept turning and twisting. the reveals had me in shock every time, though the ending was ugggh.
there is a graphic rape scene 80% of the way through the book as a warning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Stalking, Murder, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent

Minor: Pregnancy

triforcefusion's review against another edition

dark 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

0.5

As a thriller, this book created some tension in the beginning, but as it went along, it became boring. There are too many ideas going on to intentionally mislead and confuse the reader. It is not smart. The entire storyline that includes sexual assault is completely unnecessary and ads nothing of substance to the book. I hate books that use sexual assault for the horror/shock of it just to be horrific and shocking. It did nothing with it other than be vulgar. 

The main character/s are very unlikeable and I hope that this author had a consultant for mental illness, or else she is just using mental illness tropes/notions to write the story she wants. I would have given it a 1 if there wasn't two final "gotcha" moments, one of which doesn't even make sense based on the characterization of the main character/s. I feel I can see the author smirk and say, "Aren't I so clever?" No. You are not. 

Her writing is fine, 0.5 stars. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Mental illness

Unnecessary sexual assault that is just there for the shock and horror. Nothing comes from it. No emotional fall-out, no relationship fall-out, nothing. It's just there to be vulgar. The book would have had the same message and impact without it since the main tension is not with the character who sexually assaults.

lulureading's review

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This book broke me lol. I've been reading fantasy romances since because this book was such a bummer. It's just a real feel-bad story. It doesn't have a happy ending as far as I'm concerned. So many terrible things happen from start to finish. I hated all of the characters. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Infertility