kaylasbookgram's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What did I just read?!?! I don’t think I’ve been this hooked on a book like this since I read Verity By Colleen Hoover. This was my first Lucinda Berry book and most definitely won’t be my last, especially if all her books are as great as this one. This book was impossible to put down the second I started it.Â
Hannah and Christopher are a lovely couple who are struggling with infertility. As they start to consider the option of international adoption a little girl is admitted to the hospital whose mother was murdered and has clear signs of abuse. After being part of her surgical team Christopher falls in love with the little girl and talks his wife into fostering and then adopting her. What they didn’t fully expect was the toll it would take on their marriage. The little girl ends up pitting the couple against each other and causing Hannah to eventually have a mental breakdown.Â
I absolutely couldn’t stand Christopher. Even with the therapist confirming Hannah’s fears he still refused to support her or even be there for his wife. I felt so bad for Hannah and understood her terror although I definitely think she went to far in her actions near the end. The ending of the book was extremely frustrating because it just ended pretty much in the midst of a thought. Left us wondering what happened I think a more satisfying ending was definitely needed. Overall I enjoyed this book and it got a 5 star review in my book.Â
Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Excrement, Gaslighting, Infertility, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Blood, Medical content, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gore, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
pippamillerxoxo_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infertility, Bullying, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Torture, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Animal death, Grief, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Self harm
smixter88's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Medical content, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Torture
westernsunshine'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: Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Murder, Physical abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, Miscarriage, Drug abuse, Medical content, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Confinement
coffeebookssleep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Confinement, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Grief, Medical trauma, Infertility, Emotional abuse, and Death
beckyrae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Torture, Grief, Emotional abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Death
Moderate: Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Excrement, Gaslighting, and Infertility
secretlybatman4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Grief, Torture, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Bullying, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Alcohol
haleyp898's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Torture, Ableism, Abandonment, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, and Confinement
silverheartbookclub's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Abandonment, Excrement, Death, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gaslighting and Pregnancy
Minor: Addiction, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
yunsq's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
I am struggling to rate this one. Don’t get me wrong, I devoured the book in 3 days. The fastest I’ve read since I’ve gotten into a reading slump in the last months. I say struggle because of how dark, stomach-churning and unsettling the story is, and anxiety-inducing it was for me.Â
Not to say that the ending was too open for my liking. I felt like I pulled through all of the front bits for no reward lol. Perhaps it was meant to replicate real life? Where there really isn’t a well-crafted ending?? Maybe we don’t really have to know how the couple would react to the news for us to acknowledge that evil exists? It also didn’t sit right with me that we quickly went from trauma-informed behaviour to born-evil conclusions. Could’ve been handled better and with more sensitivity, in my opinion.Â
Another review mentioned how the world-building and some of the major events were contradicting throughout the multi-POV chapters, or even just completely forgotten. This I absolutely agree with.Â
Overall, maybe a 3? I’m not really sure what to feel about it. Other than my lingering fear from the story maybe.Â
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Violence, Infertility, and Torture
Moderate: Death, Excrement, Animal death, and Vomit