Reviews tagging 'War'

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James

14 reviews

bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Mental illness, Murder, Violence, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, and Rape

Minor: Sexism, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide

lifeishardbacks's review against another edition

3.5

This is a great not-so-scary read to start off your spooky season. It's a ghost story with a lot going on. It's based in the 1920s post WWI. Sarah is a girl who gets thrown into the world of paranormal activity when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. 

Maddy's story is absolutely heartbreaking. Her vengeful spirit seems mild when compared to things the she endured.

This story has a lot of components most ghost stories do not. There is quite a bit romance, which I personal enjoyed. There is also a strong found family aspect.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, and Suicide

Minor: War

lyricallit's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

3.25

I did enjoy it but it's almost as much romance as it is mystery. I didn't mind the romance (though there are questionable aspects to it) but just had to adjust my expectations once I saw it coming. I did not care for the narrator; the timbre didn't match what I would have had in my head for Sarah. I looked past that to focus on the story, but it was disappointing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Death of parent

Moderate: Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, War, and Murder

gondorgirl's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, War, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Suicide, Classism, Murder, Rape, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

sonygaystation'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
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

You know what! Maddy Clare did nothing wrong

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicide, and Rape

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual content, Violence, War, Cursing, and Sexual assault

Minor: Confinement, Grief, Alcohol, Gun violence, Medical content, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Stalking

kat_rowlen's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Spooky and atmospheric thriller. The story is definitely engaging but there were a few things that didn’t add up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Pedophilia, and Rape

theimposter's review

emotional mysterious 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

4.0

Great ghost story and great mystery! Crime, trauma, war flash backs, romance, ghosts! This book has it all

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Alcohol, Gun violence, Stalking, War, Rape, Murder, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, and Mental illness

sarah_speaks's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Suicide, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual content and War

Minor: Death of parent

namielle's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

This was a mostly enjoyable read, though I do wish it was a little spookier.

Sarah Piper is hired by Alistair Gellis to come along with him to investigate a spirit haunting a barn that supposedly hates men. They are joined by Alistair’s partner, the gruff Matthew Ryder. The trio must unravel the ghost’s secrets before one of them is lost forever.

I quite liked Sarah as a protagonist, and I felt like she was pretty relatable, apart from buying into the whole ghost thing really quickly. Alistair and Matthew were both charming in their own ways as well.

The plot was very fast paced, almost too fast. The haunting wasn’t all that scary, and I think this could’ve been fixed if there had been more time for buildup. The culprits of a certain event were pretty predictable, and I was able to figure out who was responsible for it before Sarah, but luckily she didn’t spent an obnoxious amount of time in the dark. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Violence and War

Minor: Rape

bee87's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Pedophilia, Suicide, War, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Rape