Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Beholder by Ryan La Sala

10 reviews

tinytrashqueen's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

mycarefulcardinal's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

mira_'s review

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

beastybugs's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Gore, Dementia, and Fire/Fire injury

meminger's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

ryan la sala loves three things: gay people, surreal body horror transformations, and

gay people undergoing a surreal body horror transformation to save the people they love

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

i think arachnophobia should be a content tag on here because this book is a goldmine for it

booksthatburn's review

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

divinevulpes's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Violence

cboddie's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.25

HS & up

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

foramen_magnum's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was a seriously strong start to 2024-- from a beginning that tells you just enough to intrigue you, La Sala doesn't let off the gas until an ending that had me trying to cry quietly at 2 am. The prose reminded me of Palahniuk, a favorite, except I didn't feel grimy for rooting for Athan and Dom. 

While this book strained my nerves and felt like I needed a flow chart to keep up with, the romance between the main characters read as very YA. It's sweet, but those looking for realism may have to adjust their expectations; these are definitely teens falling for each other as they face increasingly frightening circumstances. 

If you're looking for a deftly woven horror pick that ensnares you with a creeping sense of unease, narrated by a genuinely likable, funny, and reflective young person, give Beholder a try. I didn't expect to have a recommendation for everyone on the first day of the New Year, but this didn't leave me much choice. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent

Minor: Child death

bites_of_books's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Beholder is strange from the very beginning. We follow Athan, young, beautiful, trying to survive in NYC with his grandmother. Athan has managed to have connections with powerful and influential people who throw parties in penthouses and spend a lot of money on art. It is at one of these parties that everything goes wrong when he finds himself the only survivor in what seems to be a mass killing spree. Here's when he also meets Dom who seems to know more than he says but captivates Athan with his kindness. Athan and Dom now are trying to figure out how to stop these deaths and Athan also finds out more about himself and why his grandma warned him against looking into mirrors and getting lost in them... 
All in all, a great horror story, very unique that will leave you wary of mirrors and wondering about what really goes on in the darker parts of rich people's lives and what they can get away with. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail