Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

If You Tell by Gregg Olsen

49 reviews

gellyreads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.5

I feel like I should probably give this 5 stars because I devoured it. But, it just felt like something was missing. I'm not sure. Although, this is the best true crime book I've read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Child abuse, Death, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Child death, Torture, Murder, Violence, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Body shaming, Slavery, Cursing, Confinement, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Blood

emilyrosebooks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

5.0

As far as true crime goes, this is fast paced, fascinating, and like watching a train wreck happen. I apparently don't have the stomach for true crime, at least now when it comes to child abuse, because I thought this was horrific. I am giving it 5 stars because as far as true crime goes it is a fantastic book, but you better have a strong stomach to get through the prolonged sadistic torture Shelly Knotek dispenses on her many victims. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, Torture, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Child death

systemofanoun's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Slavery, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Cancer, Body shaming, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Animal death

asmokeybear's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Cursing, Confinement, Drug use, Torture, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Excrement, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

ohyeahshebomb's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Abandonment, Violence, Addiction, Excrement, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Torture, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Vomit, Medical trauma, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

kimmykelly's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Excrement, Outing, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Vomit, Gaslighting, Gore, Violence, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

twistykris's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

3.75

The abuse and torture so many endured at the hands of Shelly (and Dave) is absolutely horrific. A very difficult read for the content involved (PLEASE check trigger/ content warnings).

I understand how difficult it must have been to compile all of this information from multiple people, but at times the book felt very repetitive and used a lot of unnecessary metaphors. 

Also, I have

Spoiler

VERY little sympathy for Dave. Yes, he was abused by Shelly and being a victim of someone so terrifying can alter your mentality, I know. But you CANNOT tell me he didn't know that what she was doing was so fucking wrong. He literally shot and killed his own nephew because she told him to. He watched his wife abuse her children and grown adults. He says he didn't know bleach was bad for the skin and thought it was fine that Shelly made Ron soak his feet in boiling water and bleach?? HUH?! And the fact they're both OUT AND FREE? Disgusting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism and Animal cruelty

cfarron's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Homophobia, Child death, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Murder

kinsbows's review

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Rape, Mental illness, Drug use, Death, Confinement, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Sexual assault, Self harm, Racial slurs, Homophobia, and Bullying

chloeraye's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Body shaming, Blood, Physical abuse, Torture, Child death, Grief, and Bullying