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nats_world23's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Decent story, but most of the plot in the beginning was obvious to me so it felt like the first half dragged on. Then when the past finally catches up to the present, the resolution felt rushed and unrealistic to me. I think the story is good and compelling, but I didn’t love how it was organized and delivered.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault and Suicide
jazmyne7's review against another edition
Got halfway through this book and I just couldn’t do it. Got it from BotM and I wish it came with TWs for child abuse, sexual abuse, and overall shittiness.
It started out quite interesting but, as we dug more into the MC’s backstory, I began to enjoy it less and less. I know that horrible things and horrible people exist in the world. So when I read, I’d prefer not to be reminded of that depressing reality. I am interested in learning how it all ends but I’ll just have to read spoilers because I cannot stomach any more of this book.
It started out quite interesting but, as we dug more into the MC’s backstory, I began to enjoy it less and less. I know that horrible things and horrible people exist in the world. So when I read, I’d prefer not to be reminded of that depressing reality. I am interested in learning how it all ends but I’ll just have to read spoilers because I cannot stomach any more of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
booklovingteacher12's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Murder
cola410's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Loved it. I had one of the twists figured out by about 1/3 of the way through, but I didn’t see the ending coming. Held my attention while still giving enough detail to fully immerse me in the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Violence
Moderate: Rape
zedohee's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
compulsively readable and better than expected. also darker than expected. really liked how solidly real paris felt. but she was also still sometimes awkwardly vague & distant in a way that made it hard to fully connect w the character & tbh that hampered the storytelling. her husband was gross tho not sad he’s gone 🤷🏾♀️ also hated the weird blaccent moments and the weird anti feminist moments but mostly this felt true to life and slickly written. would make a good miniseries if the author writes it and someone talented directs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Rape
alewo27's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
FINALLY! *angels singing* A psychological thriller that is interesting and layered and handles many, many dark subjects without glorification and with grace!
I was apprehensive starting this book, as my last handful of domestic suspense reads have been awful. This is my first Jennifer Hillier and thankfully, she's not like the rest. I would suggest anyone with triggers look up warnings for this book. It is quite difficult to read at times. I worked for CPS for 6 years and I still struggled with some of the on-page content.
Our protagonist, Paris, is actually someone you want to know more about. She's smart and interesting and doesn't make endless stupid decisions to move the plot forward. If you want a really good psychological read and hate all the trauma-porn masquerading as a thriller....I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read more from this author.
I was apprehensive starting this book, as my last handful of domestic suspense reads have been awful. This is my first Jennifer Hillier and thankfully, she's not like the rest. I would suggest anyone with triggers look up warnings for this book. It is quite difficult to read at times. I worked for CPS for 6 years and I still struggled with some of the on-page content.
Our protagonist, Paris, is actually someone you want to know more about. She's smart and interesting and doesn't make endless stupid decisions to move the plot forward. If you want a really good psychological read and hate all the trauma-porn masquerading as a thriller....I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read more from this author.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
jesikakaley's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
wharah's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
this didn’t deserve to sit on my shelf for a year and a half… it was so good! a bit predictable but still enjoyable!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Sexual assault
jamie515's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a really compulsive read and I flew through it in a day. But check the trigger warnings as there are very dark themes of abuse, SA, and murder. Even though I figured out most of the twists, the story was still really engaging and kept me turning pages. Overall, this book is a really good thriller with a lot of plot points that come together well for a satisfying conclusion. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Murder
elizabethb81's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Suicide
Moderate: Blood