Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Family of Liars by E. Lockhart

32 reviews

bookshelfofbee's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Homophobia, Self harm, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

mikathereviewer's review against another edition

3.0

“It’s better, I think, to move on. To look forward.”
“But—”
“We can’t change what’s in the newspaper, so why obsess about it? And we can’t change the past, so why dwell on it?”

- Tipper



Penny is so aaaahhy. I hate her.
Why does the author always needs to do this to me 😭
I know it's done on purpose, but damn how much I hate them all. 
I'm quoting: ‘Don’t kiss your sister’s boyfriend, because if you do, you’re a goddamned asshole.’
And Bess is an asshole too for being on Penny's side and not on Caroline's. 

Once again lovely writing style. Used to have mixed feelings about it in the first book, but now that it's already my second one, so I got used to it. And the whole metaphors with the grief and other emotions is (just like I said in the first book) very cool. 



Am I the only one who noticed that Pfeff was 18 and our protagonist, Carrie was only 17. I'm not sure how to feel about this 😀
Also the dude is such a 'weenie' just like someone else said it in the book.
Their whole relationship is just eh. 
I thought this toxic relationship is a one-time thing, does this author always writes about such stuff?? 🥲

I forgot to check the content warning. First time since a while and guess what? I got triggered. Please everyone don't be like me, read the content warnings for this book. 

Since my rating is based on enjoyment I would give it 2 stars due to it triggering me, but the story was interesting nevertheless and I think it deserves at least 3. 

28. July 2024

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

annamwallace66's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Homophobia

pinkiereads's review

fast-paced

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

3.0

lollllll this book was bad. but it’s ok bc it was entertaining enough and i will say i did not expect that twist at the end. so there’s that! but yeesh it was lacking in subtlety… it felt like it was whacking me over the head with a board (so to speak) of the points it was trying to make about money and privilege and race and all that. like… oof. lowkey the woke mob got to this one. but not terrible bc hey i was entertained

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Sexual violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

kotletka_polina's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

It was a good read. Nothing spectacular, nothing outstanding but a decent book when you don’t want to be overwhelmed. The story flows quickly, it’s catchy and entertaining but without anxiety or feeling like you can’t put the book down.
The only issue is the writing style. It’s exactly the same as in “we were liars”  but it has a different narrator. I believe that when you write from the first person perspective the writing style is no longer yours as the author but theirs as the character therefore having the same styles/techniques is just lazy, boring and cheap thing to do that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Alcohol

linnea1801's review

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug use, Sexual assault, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit

jenna_justi2004's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

Wow. Just WOW. I loved it much more than I thought. Maybe more than the 1st one. An eye for an eye. A son for a son.

  Carrie killed Pfeff, causing his mother and father to lose their first born. And years later, she suffered from the same fate. 

I didn’t expect the twist but I spoiled it for myself anyway, it was surprisingly not shocking. She did say she was a liar. Bro and Penny. Ugh, forcing herself to be straight. Wow. The book was heartbreaking, especially considering the people they become. Which isn’t too great, but it makes sense now why they are the way they are.

BRO THE DAD HELPED THEM COVER UP THE MURDER. HE TOOK THE BOARD. Ugh Carrie is also an unreliable narrator just like Candace was. Fuck bro.

And don’t get me started on Rosemary.

She saw her for 5 summers. Her baby sister that drowned.

Ugh. I wish penny could be out. I just want people to be happy in this book, but literally no one is ever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

ilweran's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault

kccool12255's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Though I was a bit apprehensive about Carrie being the star of our story, I believe that this prequel absolutely lives up to the original novel. Cadence has a very unique voice, easy to follow along with, and Carrie’s has much of that same tone. I enjoyed the boys in the story

(except for Pfeff, of course)

. I love the plot, and didn’t expect any of the plot twists that came. I DO think that Bess could’ve been included more,

and the whole Pfeff-Penny-r*pe storyline made me uncomfortable . And sorry, but I don’t think that Penny’s bi (if she stuffed it down, fine, but I just don’t think it fits up with her character, sorry)

. Ending could’ve been better. Overall though, an amazing experience. 

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the first book, and murder mysteries.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Biphobia, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: Cursing, Blood, and Vomit

katelynndzindzio's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol