Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

13 reviews

oceans_hannah's review against another edition

dark lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

Not something I'd usually pick up. Loved the descriptions of the Scottish landscape and the references to folklore. Did get a bit confusing at times but overall a really enjoyable read!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Cancer, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Death, and Murder

chopspy's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A mystery horror thriller with themes of witch trials and family. As well as the inescapable passage of time. 

The mystery itself had me hooked and I only understood it when the story wanted to.

It blends multiple character perspectives really well and overall is well paced.

The characters themselves feel human, especially those that make mistakes and grow from it.

Spoiler

Talking about you Liv

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Death, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

elizabethwebb's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Car accident, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Alcohol, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Vomit

aj_langley's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Violence, Child abuse, and Murder

Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Infertility, and Death of parent

hayley_mariep's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Body horror, Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Child abuse

Moderate: Murder, Abandonment, and Miscarriage

Minor: Police brutality, Rape, Cancer, and Alcoholism

womxyn's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

Fun and compelling, but occasionally characters are distractingly 2D, in particular, the grumpy teen/frazzled mum relationship could have done with something more, and the gross teen boyfriend/Sexual assault stuff could have had some more depth too. 

Very heterosexual but a quarter of a point for a queer background character! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual assault

pollyhall's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The atomsphere was done well, at times it had me wanting to visit the Scottish Highlands and other times I didn't want to have anything to do with it. I picked up the book and didn't put it down till I was finished.  I loved the character of Basil and his interactions with the girls and the fisherman. Emotionally this book will have you all over the place there are funny sweet parts and other parts that will have you scratching your head in disbelief that people can do things like this to each other.
At the being it was a little confusing with all the points of views. I had to go back and look at the heading of the sections do see who was speaking. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Deportation, Gore, Infertility, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Blood, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Abandonment, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence

sknextst_jrk's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, and Confinement

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

tayb's review

adventurous dark 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? No

5.0

I loved this book, could not put it down. It picks up sooo quickly after the first few chapters.  The book made me scream and cry. It was suspenseful as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Minor: Child abuse and Death

10/10 recommend. If you like something with magic, witches and family!

tigerlilliereads's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review

Honestly, I put this book off for way too long because I am in love! I picked up the book based off of the cover (I know!) and the fact it had witches in the title. Little did I know this book would have so many more levels than I could ever imagine. I’m not one to read a thriller book, and I loved it. 

This story tells of some characters narrating from different time zones about their time on a Scottish island called Lòn haven. I’m trying to not give too much away as the story is very cleverly written with lots of interlinking. The story features Liv and her three daughters, Saff, Luna and Clover as they arrive on the island and Liv is tasked with painting a mutual in the lighthouse. Whilst there the family learns about the dark secrets and mysteries, witches and wildings that haunt the suspicious and cruel towns people. 

I love a witchy story but this one had so many more levels and so much more grounding in reality. The poignant message the story brings is still relevant now as it was back in the 1600s. The focus on the Scottish witch killings that are barely known about is, not only interesting, but also vital for those stories to be given a voice. I recently read A kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll and it also features this topic too. 

Honestly, this book is great and mirroring and interlinking of past and present and that ending! I am looking forward to reading more from this author! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Terminal illness