yankeegirl22's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Rape and Violence
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Confinement, Miscarriage, and Murder
bookmom92's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Sexual assault, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
hsteel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Rape, Miscarriage, Death, Confinement, Kidnapping, Animal death, Sexual violence, Self harm, Physical abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
bookish_leigh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
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⭐
Moderate: Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Murder, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Violence, Rape, and Mental illness
alyssadorn's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Okay, jokes aside, this book made me viscerally feel things. Despair, hope, connection with the characters. The moments of shared trauma were handled so well, too; I’m glad the rape scenes weren’t detailed or explicit, just having us as readers focus on what Cora focused on— not the actual act. It was more moving than I expected, and overall a really good book. Beautiful and heartbreaking and healing.
I will say at times, especially on page 2, it was a little girl-shamey toward Mandy, with Cora’s comparisons between the two of them feeling a bit “I’m not like other girls”- coded.
Definitely check the content warnings.
Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Grief, Death, Violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, and Self harm
Minor: Miscarriage
abookarmoire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Perhaps it was a study of how post traumatic stress affects the chemistry between two characters.
Cora and Dean have survived being abducted and forced to do messed up things. After escaping the clutches of a madman, these two struggle to resume their normal, separate lives, and fail miserably. They are bonded and only they can understand one another.
Still Beating has a good ending, after all they have been through, wouldn’t we want them to end up together?
Graphic: Sexual violence, Confinement, Rape, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Toxic relationship
booknerdxo88's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Confinement, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Self harm
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Animal death
sjbookslut's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal death, Murder, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Death, Blood, Miscarriage, Self harm, Dementia, and Pregnancy
miiira88's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Confinement
jcsmith95's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Miscarriage, Murder, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Violence