Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

23 reviews

bringitona's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Slavery, Terminal illness, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

callidoralblack's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Deportation

rachelfayreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Terminal illness, and Torture

hollywobble's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Terminal illness, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Deportation

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

adearajean's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

Well written, hooked me quickly, fast plot with a heavy twist

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, and Police brutality

jackie_reads_314's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

I did have to put this book down for a little because it felt like I was being gaslit, just like Sydney. This felt like more of a horror book than a thriller; it almost felt like there would be supernatural elements at some points. The social commentary was exquisite, the characters relatable and believable, and the settings real. I would say that the first 3/4 of the book was an intense slow burn, and the last 1/4 was a racing and impactful end. I am very excited to read Alyssa Cole's next thriller in 2024!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racism, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Stalking

clarkg's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

When No One Is Watching is unsettling, grotesque, and and believable. Drawing from the real-life horrors of gentrification and medical abuse, this thriller is a stomach-churning exploration of how Whiteness and corporate greed act as predatory forces in marginalized communities. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Torture, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Minor: Infidelity and Fire/Fire injury

cnricochet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

Moderate: Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma

Minor: Addiction, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

tillysg1's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

I feel that one character had a fair amount of growth and development while another didn't.  Overall, the story was good, the twists were interesting.  The character of the neighborhood and the personal look at race issues is what really caught me here.  Great look at neighborhood culture and what that loss can look/feel like.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Hate crime, Racism, Sexual content, and Police brutality

Moderate: Addiction, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Bullying, Death, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Deportation

One short, but quite graphic sex scene (would be easy to skip if you prefer)

vaguely_pink's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Deportation