Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater

9 reviews

elgin's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism

Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Stalking, and Dysphoria

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

beth_s98's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

2.5

Honestly, this book wasn’t for me, and I only finished it partially out of spite. I hated Roach,

and while I think that’s kind of the point, I struggled to get through her chapters.

I liked Lauren, and a lot of the other characters were interesting.

I hate in the end that Lauren doesn’t get true peace, and we are left with Roach walking back into her life.

There were just so many moments that I felt were either unnecessary or just beyond plausibility. I don’t think the writing was bad, but I was not a fan of the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Mass/school shootings

thebookcident's review

dark mysterious 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

5.0

I don't often read crime/ thrillers, but I really enjoyed this one. The switching POV helped give me a needed break from each character and added to the tension. I think Slater had done a great job of creating two distinct voices for each character, that each leaves the reader feeling a certain way. Both of the protagonists are heavily flawed and I would say unlikeable, which I quite liked. I don't need to like a character to want to read them. 
I found lots of visually evoking imagery was used that rinsed my pallet from the darker themes in this novel. 
Also, Slater really captures the feeling of being a retail working over the Xmas period PERFECTLY. 😅
Would recommend as a summer read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

thenovelbookshelf's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This is a psychological, slow burn thriller that will leave you shaking and looking over your shoulder at some of your own colleagues.
  
Roach works at Spines and is more than obsessed with true crime, where the killers are more fun to think about than the actual victims.
  
When Laura joins the bookstore, Roach feels like there is a special bond between them. First, when Laura performs her dark poem at a recital, which Roach obsesses over. Next, when a drunken Laura openly admits her mother was killed, which spurs Roach into a dark plan with her goth rock boyfriend. 
  
We follow Roach down that dark path, ensuring Laura knows how special their friendship is until lines are crossed.
  
This is a novel so well written that it could be true, a scenario so lifelike and characters that you can find in any workplace, all combined with a story that will leave you spooked.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Murder

late_nite_reads's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Not bad. But it was too long and was a character driven narrative rather than plot driven.  The characters were spelled out clearly therefore the book became very monotonous and repetitive The themes of the book were stretched out for so long that by the epilogues I was just left feeling meh.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

norwegianforestreader's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

monnibo's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Bullying, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail

itsalina's review

challenging 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Stalking, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Blood

matilda_holroyd_'s review against another edition

dark informative mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

This book was a great app sensation of the duality of sensationalising true crime war. I really enjoyed this, and the split point of view from arranged fan, true crime to the daughter of the victim of a serial killer. I thought showing the two ends of the spectrum, and the kind of people get thrown into a case was really important, because with more documentaries and books, coming out, trying to immortalise the crimes of the killer, the people who were truly affected by their acts are often forgotten a footnote in the killers story. This story seeks to change that, and I thought that this was really a great book and would recommend anyone who is interested in learning of the dangers of obsession within the true crime community and how lines are often blurred between feeling as though you are owed, the facts versus the realities of people that it is affecting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder