Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

86 reviews

crusoe's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

2.5

What irritates me most about this novel is that Grace has very little she fights for, except the death of her family. She hates everything equally, bringing everything and everyone down around her with overdone sarcasm that makes it hard to get a read on what she does care about. If you stand for nothing, what will you fall for? It makes her an intolerable MC and not in a 'character you love to hate' way. 

I did enjoy the first half of the book; it was interesting to read about how the murders took place, but there was no clear message to the book. Clearly, it was a not a feminist statement, nor did it make a clear statement about Grace becoming more like her father than she'd wanted. Although, I did not mind the twist as much, it was badly foreshadowed and muddied the message of the book even further. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Miscarriage

yellowfleeces's review against another edition

dark funny fast-paced

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

3.0

i really loved this book for the most part but then ended up skimming through the last 25% as the twist felt unnecessary and so so much detail (which the character apologised for several times, almost like a note from the author but would  rather it was just trimmed down!)

would be interested to read more from bella 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, and Abandonment

kimberleyann's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

3.5

I thought the first 3/4 of the book was written well,  however

the ending ruined it for me, I didn’t like that it switched to the brothers perspective and then we didn’t hear anything else from the FMC

I did find the book gripping.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

natashaball's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Hugely disappointed by the twist at the end!

Would have loved it if Harry and Grace had met after their different murders, then met Lara and shared the money but then that wouldn’t have worked with Harry’s entitlement I guess

. I enjoyed Grace’s character, the planning of the different murders (although I feel that one of the murders definitely wasn’t necessary), her humour and the social commentary and I would have put 4.5 if it weren’t for that ending! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment

veritea's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Torture, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Incest

emmajh91's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

ladynavalon's review against another edition

dark funny slow-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

El plot twist es

lñno es ella quien mata a su padre y a su hermana, sino que resulta que tiene un hermano que le escri e una carta consedandole los crimenes. La llevan a la cárcel por marta a la novia de su amigo, pero consiguen sacarla

kim_lommaert's review against another edition

dark relaxing medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Stalking, and Death of parent

bookaholic_in_wonderland's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Blood, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

ronja234's review against another edition

Kvindelig hovedperson som er "bedre" end alle andre og som hele tiden skal hæve sig selv over alle andre. Plottet forsvinder lidt i hendes eget point of view når hun hele tiden skal fortælle at hun er bedre. Det blev trættende efter meget kort tid (pick me girl) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism