Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

15 reviews

lexiesophocli's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

such a gripping read!! one of the only times i found myself unable and unwilling to think of a resolution - I let the book tell the story without cutting it off at the head (pardon the expression) 
at times a bit long-winded and drawn out, but i kinda liked it that way. very disturbing

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicide, Torture, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Gore, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Blood

Moderate: Car accident, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Cursing, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Vomit, and Infidelity

gracie98buena's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

MASSIVE trigger warnings across the board. this was definitely closer to horror in my opinion. videodrome inspired. bordering on being torture porn itself. still rocked

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Gun violence, Sexual content, Stalking, Trafficking, Excrement, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Vomit, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Torture, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual violence

katrinaburch's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

2.5

Holy crap what did I just read?! The rest of Ms. Slaughter's books that I've read were great but this one?  Not so much. The mystery/suspense part of it were great and especially the big twist halfway through but were the graphic details of the violence really necessary? Absolutely not and after a while it really turned me off towards the book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Violence, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Torture

Moderate: Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Vomit, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape

aaronreadsatad's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Sexism, Blood, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Torture, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Kidnapping, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Child death, Drug abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, and Physical abuse

janachigo's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Stalking, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Body horror, Grief, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Gore, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Torture, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Body shaming and Dementia

brithen's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Drug use, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Torture, Body horror, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Rape, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Sexual violence, and Violence

mahoyap's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

first half of the book pretty slow because of all the character and plot setting but once you get through that, damn, twisted after twisted. quite beyond my imagination. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

A vastly gripping psychological thriller that packs punch after disturbing punch of twisted lies and chilling in-depth details about a young woman’s disappearance.

Claire and Lydia, estranged sisters brought back together by another tragedy, embark on a journey almost twenty-five years old as new clues come to light about their older sister, Julia, who went missing when she was nineteen and was never found. Nothing is as it seems as present begins to connect rather ominously with the past.

This was my first Karin Slaughter book and man, did it deliver. It’s definitely a very dark book that seems to get darker with each shocking turn, not shying away from grisly facts or chilling thoughts. The writing was intense, fast-paced, evocative. Slaughter’s words made the story so vivid and realistic, my heart pounding the whole way through as if I were one of Julia’s sisters, too. 

If you’re a fan of Gillian Flynn, you’ll also devour this one. I found their writing styles quite similar and engaging.

I loved the way this story played out, the different story arcs that came to fruition. Of course, the subject matter is even more sinister then you’d imagine out the gate, but it was used so well in this one. 

I suspect I will be thinking of this book for a long time!! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Murder, Violence, Alcoholism, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Rape, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Addiction, Gore, Cursing, Drug use, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Suicide, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Mental illness

Moderate: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, Infidelity, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Excrement, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, and Gun violence

Minor: Body horror

mackenzieheidt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

lilifane's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, this is an extremely well-crafted book, the writing and plotting are exceptional, the character work is amazing, the story is intriguing and thrilling and emotional. But on the other hand, there are really graphic description of violence, rape, and torture. I was disgusted and sick to my stomach. But then again... that was probably the point. I mean, I would be worried if someone wasn't affected by reading those scenes. So if you consider reading this book, please look up the trigger and content warnings. There is a LOT. 

So, except for these scenes, I really enjoyed the book. There was actually a perfect balance of humor, emotions, mystery, and horror. The twists the story took gave me whiplash, and I was terrified for the characters. The thing that stood out to me the most were the family dynamics, though. Between parents and parents and their children, but especially between sisters. Those were so realistic and complicated, and I loved it. It reminded me so much of me and my siblings. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and Vomit