Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

34 reviews

readingwithgoose's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Hate crime, Racism, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Death of parent

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Forced institutionalization

bringitona's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Slavery, Terminal illness, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

callidoralblack's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Deportation

rurouni's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Infidelity, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Stalking, and Deportation

lianathereader's review against another edition

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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Gore, Police brutality, Stalking, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Drug use and Suicide

snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Stalking, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

hollywobble'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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Terminal illness, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Deportation

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

jackie_reads_314's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I did have to put this book down for a little because it felt like I was being gaslit, just like Sydney. This felt like more of a horror book than a thriller; it almost felt like there would be supernatural elements at some points. The social commentary was exquisite, the characters relatable and believable, and the settings real. I would say that the first 3/4 of the book was an intense slow burn, and the last 1/4 was a racing and impactful end. I am very excited to read Alyssa Cole's next thriller in 2024!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racism, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Stalking

clarkg's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

When No One Is Watching is unsettling, grotesque, and and believable. Drawing from the real-life horrors of gentrification and medical abuse, this thriller is a stomach-churning exploration of how Whiteness and corporate greed act as predatory forces in marginalized communities. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Torture, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Minor: Infidelity and Fire/Fire injury

livlamentloathe's review against another edition

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

3.0

I loved the build-up. I loved the intricate webbing of the neighborhood and white supremacy and patterns in history. I couldn’t stop reading! I sped through the book cause I was so curious about how it pieced together and what would bring it to a climax. But the ending did not pay off.

It fell a bit flat for me. And didn’t solve a lot of the intricate side plots. This book fell into its own trap. I think the plot got too big for itself so when the ending came, it could never have properly wrapped up all the loose threads. The main problem is a pitfall I’ve seen a lot of books struggle with: the villain became too omniscient.

There were ring cameras everywhere. The cops were in on it. Politicians both local and brand name, lawyers, nonprofits and nonethical companies alike. The white folk too indomitable by the end. And the ending does nothing to combat this. What is there to imply it won’t start back up immediately? If the gang of golden-oldies were in on it, why couldn’t they do more?? All they did was charge in to finish Sydney and Theo’s work?? They should’ve pulled Sydney into the work! They should’ve done more to stop local kids and families getting mixed into it! I can’t just believe everything is all right now. What about Drea and the man dead in Sydney’s house? What about the strange bedbugs?

I have more questions than answers after all that. And while I’m glad Theo helped Sydney through it all, I never trusted him. I was waiting for him to pull an Allison Williams the whole dang time. The ending felt like the end of a battle, not a war. And it’s hard to believe this one neighborhood can fight that big of a fight. Although I did appreciate the friendly neighbor motif and how togetherness is the way to win. I wish there’d been more closure.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Addiction, Racial slurs, Slavery, Torture, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent