Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Push by Ashley Audrain

43 reviews

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

This book....WOW. Okay.

So what I want to say first is that I think going into this book expecting a thriller is a mistake. Even on the inside flap, it says it's more of a psychological drama. *Drama.* Anyone who goes into this expecting jump scares and some mystery to solve is going to be disappointed. I, however, went into it without any real expectations, other than that I knew it would be fucked up because every single person I spoke to who read it told me so. There are definitely horror elements, I would say, but I wouldn't say that it's a true horror or thriller.

The writing was so rich and haunting, it had me horrified even throughout the mundane parts of it, which I think takes a certain skill - a skill that I certainly don't possess. I also really enjoyed the themes within pertaining to generational trauma, found family, and how our parents - even if they want us to be different than they are, sometimes can't help but rub off on us. I also loved reading from Blythe's perspective - what an interesting and flawed character to get to be inside the mind of!!

I don't want to talk too much about what this book is actually about because I think you're better off going in at least partially blind. Be mindful of triggers and take care of yourself as needed.

I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long, long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Excrement and Fire/Fire injury

jennyjin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Death of parent

ashlyreadsevrythg's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

coffiishot's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

reddeddy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual violence, Dementia, and Mass/school shootings

amandalorianxo's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Oh my. Within these last ten years or so, I have slowly started to realize that I do not want children. Nothing against them personally but I know that I do not want that extra responsibility. This book solidifies somewhat why I don’t want children even further. I vaguely felt traces of The Orphan & bits + pieces of Gone Girl.  The alarming sense of fear a child can evoke in people is scary. We get a sense of Blythe’s family background here and there, shifting from second person to third/ first. We are definitely set up to not like Violet. There’s something in Blythe’s family history that alerts her that the women must carry something that is terrifying.  It definitely lived up to the twisty, gasping hype. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Pregnancy and Abandonment

Minor: Domestic abuse and Suicide

sunsetcity's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

sib_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Stalking, and Alcohol

dorsetreader's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

What. The. Fuck. This book is so twisted and terrifying. I can’t imagine being so scared of a child in real life but this child is … I just don’t have words. I haven’t ever read a book like this. It’s a psychological thriller and is full of the most heinous acts committed by a kid with no remorse. The bigger horror would have to be being the one who brought that child into the world and having no one believe how psychotic your kid is. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail