Scan barcode
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.0
"While you can reinvent yourself, you can't outrun yourself. The common denominator in all the terrible things that have happend to you is you. Everywhere you go, there you are."
I loved Jar Of Hearts back when I read it in 2019, and I'm still not sure why it has taken me this long to pick up another of her titles. Especially since I've also had her previous psychological thriller on my TBR since it was published in 2020... Things We Do In The Dark won out in the end; mostly because the premise of this story intrigued me more. And I can definitely understand why it has been receiving so much love now! Things We Do In The Dark has only reconfirmed the fact that I highly enjoy the way Jennifer Hillier writes her stories. I wasn't expecting the two different POVs, because I was already so invested in Paris' story and the death of her rich husband. BUT. I loved what Drew's POV added to the plot, and I always have a weak spot for a podcast angle in a story (although the podcast itself only played a minor role). The building up of the plot is very well done, with the different parts complementing each other and adding more suspense. The dive into the past of main character Paris gets darker and darker as you continue reading, and what might seem to be a fairly simple murder case in the present turns out to be so much more... There are a lot of twists and secrets to unravel, and I really enjoyed how everything was woven together. A little warning: Things We Do In The Dark was a lot darker and twisted than expected, and it features topics including child abuse, pedophilia, suicide and violence. That said, the plot itself was well developed and the writing itself brought everything together. I did guess one of the final big twists, but as a whole Things We Do In The Dark was a very satisfying thriller.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
hmstumfoll's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Dementia, and Cultural appropriation
_terah_hansen_'s review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest
Minor: Drug use and Dementia
shesreadingagain_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I needed a damn flow chart for this book. I will try another book by this author because I did like the pacing and writing but the content was not ideal.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Dementia, Grief, and Murder
katiejohns's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Xenophobia and Dementia
mkzach's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Dementia, and Grief
oceanwriter's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
When her well-known husband is found dead, Paris Peralta is the obvious suspect. Though she knows she's innocent, she's less worried about the murder charge itself than she is about having her face in the media. This isn't the first time she's been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
With an alternating timeline and POV, we also meet Drew, a true crime podcaster who inevitably comes across Paris' story. We don’t hear as much from his side, but it brings the story together as it alternates from past to present. However, I don't think the book necessarily needed his storyline, either. We don't learn too much about him.
What I enjoyed most were the backstories even though the topics were heavy. Paris and Ruby in particular were well-fleshed out. Where the active thrill is lacking, the characters make up for it. That's not to say there's no element of suspense, only that where a lot of what's being told is in the past tense, we know on some level how things end. The characters made it for me. I enjoyed it a lot.
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Blood, Dementia, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Abortion
blouviere4's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
kcelena's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, and Dementia
paisleypetty's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dementia, and Alcohol