Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Book of Night by Holly Black

12 reviews

zoe_wein's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Vomit

Minor: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

sweetteaandfiction's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

Listen, it is no secret to the people that know my love of reading that I am hoe for @blackholly . I would read the woman’s grocery list. Happily. 

Book of Night wasn’t my favorite book she has ever written (nothing has topped Tithe in over 20 years for me), but it still left me eager to dive deeper into this world and get to know these characters. 

PROS: 
🖤It is Holly FREAKING Black 
📓The fact Shadow Magic has been around forever, but it seems like it was a secret underground thing until the last few decades was super neat. 
🖤The reveal about Shadow Daddy had me screaming. 
📓The world building was top notch, as per usual. 

CONS: 
🖤I still felt like I was left with more questions than answers in the end. 
📓I have to wait for the answers. 
🖤I have a hit list of characters that could catch these hands for free because they are the worst kind of people. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

bcope84's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

• 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? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

silver_violet's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Kidnapping

Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Death, Drug use, Violence, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

lollyac01's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Vomit, and Gaslighting

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

pvbobrien's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Torture, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

norwegianforestreader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction

aliciaw's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

The volume of telling, not showing especially in the first half of the book was too much. I wasn't rooting for Charlie and her character development felt pretty flat. Perhaps in part it was that app name dropping happened without any necessity: Facebook, YouTube, Patreon, Slack, Zoom.. all of these could have been written in a way that won't require the reader to be aware of the apps. It dates the book and requires the reader to be aware of these things as they are now regardless of when they pick up the book or any familiarity with them. Urban Fantasy with a robust magic system and morally ambiguous characters can be made without need to change things in any reprints due to the rate of change in technology. The premise was good, but the execution could have been tightened up and more time spent on the magic system. It needed a better ratio of showing over telling. I had to push myself to keep reading it because if this had been my introduction to the author, I would have dnf'd it by around the 20% mark. I don't know if I'll pick up anything else in the series but this was a miss for me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide

lisa_m's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I don't really know what I expected going into this but it's a good book. I liked Charlie Hall and there was a lot of action! I don't know what exactly but something was missing for me though.

I like the mystery aspect of it and also the reveal at the end! The whole revenge aspect of it was quite satisfying to read about as well.

I guess I was only scared that she would fail and because of that I was constantly on edge while reading.

This book wasn't the most fun time but it was definitely entertaining. And I think especially people who like their books a bit more brutal will like this.

I do have to say that I am quite confused by the worldbuilding still. I don't quite understand what exactly it is that shadows do and what they are? Also the magical powers seemed quite random. You can just do what you want? Also what are Cabal and Carapace and all those important people? Why do you need a Hierophant? Why did no one check if the Shadow took over?
Well anyways I have loads of questions and I really hope they will get resolved in book 2. (Oh and I hope it's a Duology because I feel like the story should have been a standalone and I hope it won't just be stretched out..

I think mainly what I didn't like where the flashbacks. Not because they were bad but because I didn't like the things that happened. It was great because that way we got to get to know the characters but still.
I really dislike Charlie's mum and I have to say I don't particularly like her sister either.. I did really like Vincent though but oh well hahah

Also wtf is wrong with Adeline!? I really dislike her and I feel like she is a lot like her father.. I don't understand why Vincent kept her picture? I don't get the whole thing with her and Remy.. honestly just very weird vibes.. I'm pretty sure she is going to be the villian of book 2.

The ending was great though. I saw a few things coming but definitely not all of them! If I could I would start reading the second book immediately! So I'm absolutely going to pick it up when it comes out :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism