Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

32 reviews

kelseyfreeman's review

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

rose_ndrd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

3.0

This was really dark like dark Af. PLEASE check trigger warnings.  I didn't expect it to get so dark and explicit. Cora got on my DAMN nerves, I get it she was traumatized. The author did a great job raising awareness to the trauma and tribulations she went through and how NO ONE understood  her at all. It was so realistic, this is what victims/survivors go through, it is not an easy thing to get over.  
It was a hard read because of the graphic content because of the explicit scenes because stuff like this actually happens in real life and we don’t know how to move on or how to deal with it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Suicide attempt and Pregnancy

firequeen_ash23's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I went into this book blind and I'm glad I did. It wasn't what I expected. (in a good way)
I loved the characters, well most of them and thought the author did a great job with writing about the trauma and the healing. 

I honestly wasn't sure if this book was going to be a HEA especially with all the stuff that happens to Cora and Dean. They go through a very traumatic event and aren't sure if they're going to survive or not. It's a very emotional book. I think the way the author turns the book around and is able to show what love should be when it's healthy was beautiful. 
I know I cried a time or two because the book just spoke to me in a way you want your romantic type of books to do. I think the author did a fantastic job at makin  the readers experience several different emotions throughout the book which in my opinion is the best because if I'm not feeling sad, angry, happy and overjoyed at one point in the book, was it really that good? I need my books to connect to my emotions and feelings. That's how I know I really enjoyed the book. 

Not to mention after everything that Dean and Cora experienced together, they deserved a HEA. I was also glad that Mandy got her happy ending as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

amy_mhairi's review

dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Pregnancy

emilyreadstoomuch's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

2.25

very unique book, but it tried too hard and also was somehow not enough at the same time. don't know why when they were screaming at the abductor, of all the horrible things he did that they could've thrown in his face they just kept calling him fat?? they were like "you are FAT" like why not murderer, rapist, creep, etc.????? so insane. also it was just annoying at parts where cora was soooo not like other girls and mandy was villainized for no reason at times lmao mandy was a really terrible person though. this had a TON of potential like i could see the vision so clearly but was honestly underdeveloped. very fake deep!!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

deni93's review

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

marlene_suntie_helton's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

bookish_leigh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

This book missed several rounds of editing because HOW on God's green earth did this get picked up by a publishing house.

If I was reading this on fanfiction.net in 2016 this would get 5 stars. 

The start of this book was ok. But in hind sight, I must have been swindled by the suspense and trauma to miss how mediocre the writing is and how annoying Cora is. 

For the writing, it's good quantity fanfiction AT BEST. So juvenile that, at times, I completely forgot that the characters are touching 30. And Miss Corabelle is no better than the next 17 year old. The only silver lining is that the dialogue and emotions flowed clearly and seamlessly.

For the plot, I really like the kidnapping concept and everything that came with it, but everything that came after was a mess. I wish the psychology of Earl (The Matchmaker) and his victims were expanded upon but no such luck. 

For the characters, everyone outside of Dean and Cora were an after thought. The parents were TOO hands off after their daughter and future son-in-law was just kidnapped and brutalized for weeks. At some point, after Cora tried to unalive herself, the mother mentioned wanting to give her space....seriously😑. The lack of attention on Cora's mental health is CRIMINAL. This book could have been a medium to create a dialogue around mental health but failed miserably. 
Mandy is a victim of biased writing. She was made to seem like the mean girl of Cora's life from the beginning with out any standing. Only to paint Cora with the "not like other girls" persona...she likes books and pranking Dean...it was never that deep. 

Y'all on Book Tok stay exaggerating.

Plot: 2.5/5
Writing: 2.5/5
Characters: 2.5/5
Spice🌶:2 out of 5 forgettable, and hard to rate given how much I disliked this book
Overall: 2.5/5⭐

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

kacigetslit's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

ellaskrovset's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment