Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

33 reviews

amachonis's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia and Transphobia

teslis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Så grym bok! Fick den rekommenderad på internet och lånade den direkt på biblioteket! 

Tunga ämnen och händelser, men skriven i ett så fint och poetiskt språk! Fastnade helt klart för boken även om jag i perioder fick ont i magen av att läsa om det liv Kiara vänder sig till och tvingas fast i. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

thissagreads's review against another edition

ALL OF THE TRIGGERS!! I couldn’t finish this book because the pace was slow. The amount of triggering trauma happening to this *child* was overwhelmingly heavy, without reprieve. After the second hour of listening I was hopeful that the main character Kiara- would catch a break. But she didn’t, and the amount of TW was wild. Yes I understood that the author was shining light on very bleak situations that anyone can find themselves in, if given scraps and being abandoned. 

By the 6th hour, there continued to be a lot of “well I just have to do what I have to do” mentality, on top of having to trick/prostitute  while trying to take care of the neighbor’s kid since his mom is just looking for her next fix …. I don’t really understand the appeal, even if the author is a young, award winning poet and started writing this book at 16 years old. Very disappointing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

TRIGGER WARNING!! Kiara’s brother is a shitty rapper who’s not working to pay the bills in the tiny apartment they both share. He won’t step up so Kiara’s been working but still struggling. She’s already asked her brother to help out but he’s whining about wanting to rap and asks for a month to “make it”. She agrees but one night she goes to see her brother’s ex girlfriend (at the bar she works at) and accidentally gets drunk. Then she sees a GROWN MAN who’s into her, and they walk off to -what Kiara thought- was going to be a consensual hook up, but he ends raping her. Then after throwing money at her, Kiara gets the idea to start prostituting herself while her brother gets the month to “release his album”. But unfortunately she gets pulled into the underworld quickly, accepts a gig with cops and then of course everyone takes advantage of her. So Kiara’s life just gets worse. ESPECIALLY after her brother tells her he won’t support her! And on top of that her mom is AWFUL and couldn’t give a damn about her 2 kids struggling to keep the lights on, this monster killed their little sister in the bathtub and refuses to take accountability so she’s been in prison and a Safeway house. This book was just fucking awful and riddled with trauma that I felt was overdone and unnecessary.

mgmsharpe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.25

This was really good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

chaoticenby's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Read this book. It’s worth it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, and Death of parent

ivi_reads_books's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? No

4.5

What a great writer! The book is sad and at times hopeless but at the same time I kept reading which is a testament to the author's talent.
I'm looking forward to the author's next novel whenever she chooses to write and publish one

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Mental illness

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book gives a first-hand look at the ways power corrupts and makes victims of young women, especially women of color. I found myself rooting so hard for something to go right in Kiara’s life but that just never seems to manifest. I felt sad for her and helpless knowing her situation yet being on the outside looking in and being unable to assist. This book is very realistic and will make you angry — wanting to fix all the things that are so wrong in our society and the world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

anenome's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring 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? No

4.75

This story was heartbreaking. Incredibly sad, it incites real anger, such an important story to tell.

It took me a while to warm to the narrator, I found her annoying for the first two chapters. Then I loved her, I've never missed a character so much when a book has ended, an original voice.

The ending was too abrupt and open for me. I didn't like Ale, she was a weak friend and always got a free pass for abandoning Kiara.

Between the dark parts of the book there's a lot of humour, it feels balanced.

If there was more to Kiara's story I would read it in a heartbeat.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Stalking, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

mgautreaux's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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: Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse

samantha_shain's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Really moving, but difficult to read.  Incredibly sad.  Staggeringly good similes!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug use, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail