Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Guía del club de lectura para matar vampiros by Grady Hendrix

427 reviews

tiernanhunter's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Body shaming

lydiaj1020's review against another edition

dark tense 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? No

2.25

I have complicated feelings about this book. After digesting this book, I’d say the author is a very skilled writer but a questionable content decision-maker. This book contains all the TW: CSA, SA/R, etc.

I read this book because it was nominated in my book club. It was marketed as a dark comedy, but I was surprised that after the first chapter it was just dark. The suspense was well done, and it had me whip through the book in just a few days (unusual for me). 

Some of the plot points are truly horrific, but the author does not present them with gravity, even for events that lead to death. The descriptions of certain traumatic scenes were *choices.* Especially regarding children.

I found the ending all around underwhelming. After the battles Patty leads, this plan felt demeaning in so many ways. I fear the author meant it to be an empowering moment for women. I imagine most people don’t pick up this book for the social commentary, but the characters and character dynamics left me disappointed. (Why is this book club friends? Why would Mrs. Greene plead with these white women? Etc.)

This book does suspense really well though. There were scenes that horrified me in a good way where I couldn’t put the book down. I’d recommend this book for a popcorn read— filling but not nutritious.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder

nicolaparty's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Rape, and Death of parent

marissagero's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sallysimply's review against another edition

3.0

It started out fun, then got super dark and I rushed to finish it just so I could know how it all turned out. My main question is wtf are we supposed to make of the unquestioned Nazi fascination of it all? 

Please check the content warnings on this. I wish I had known them ahead of time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization

happyknitter2020's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

A female mid life bookclub challenge vampire, all husband's don't support them, children and people living experiencing poverty were more at risk. A fantastic story, enjoyed yhe audio reader, she brought the characters to life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

hannahsbookshelf's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.5

This was a real mix of a book, starting with gathering insight into our protagonist Patricia and her group of friends who are part of a true crime bookclub in the Deep South. We find out about each of their lives, and their group dynamic. Then Hendrix starts to create little pockets of horror throughout until it crescendos towards the end.

This book deals with themes of racism, sexism and infidelity alongside the vampire storyline and shows how a charismatic outsider can worm their way into a community and start controlling the population in such a subtle way they don't even realise. 

I found it interesting as it was quite different to other books I'd read but I didn't like the characters, and the discrimination/prejudice was prehaps accurate for the time and place it is set, but I did struggle with that a little. 

I listened to the audiobook and I am a fan of the Charleston accent, so this was a plus for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

ldubs82's review against another edition

fast-paced

4.0

This was hard to put down after it got going. Very scary and very creepy. Horror is not my genre and a few scenes really gave me the creeps. But it was a good pick for Halloween season

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death

bananalion's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

A bit of a slow pace at the beginning and a few loose threads but overall a very enjoyable read!! Kept me hooked.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

tinaclayton's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Excellent narrator. I’ve never read an audiobook with actual jump scares like this one. Gory. Gruesome. And really fun. 

Content warning: I’m taking off a star for the children, plot wise I don’t see why a vampire would target children, why he needed their femoral artery, and most importantly why he needed to be naked to feed. It all felt a little pedo.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Suicide attempt