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A review by amandasbookreview
Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you, NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Jennifer Hillier for the opportunity to read this book! It will release tomorrow, July, 19th!
“She wasn’t afraid of the dark anymore. There was nothing the dark could do to her that it hadn’t already done.”
THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK
TRIGGER WARNINGS: rape, assault, gaslighting, severe child abuse, murder, murder scenes, etc…
I was hoping to finish this book before the weekend but we just had the best vacation. While I did read a little bit here and there, I wasn’t able to complete the book until last night. Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier starts off strong. Paris Peralta wakes up to find herself covered in blood. It is not her blood but her husband’s blood, the famous comedian, Jimmy Peralta. She is arrested on suspicion of murder. She is his 5th wife, a lot younger than him, and there is a lot of money to gain, but she did not kill him. This is not the first time she has been connected to a murder, nor is it the second time…
As I said, the beginning is so strong, but then it got repetitive. The book is broken up into several parts and changes points of view. Honestly, Drew’s section was extremely dull and he tries to figure out what happened to his friend Joey, who was murdered years before. The ending started to pick up as all the loose ends began to unfold. I did find the finale a bit anti-climatic as well.
However, this book is labeled as a thriller. There are several moments that give off that vibe. But I wouldn’t say the whole book is a thriller. It is mainly about a young girl coming of age in the midst of severe child abuse and trauma and her struggle to run away and be free of her past. The abuse and trauma are HEARTBREAKING and extremely descriptive, so be prepared. It is difficult to read. Overall, it was an intense book about murder and doing whatever it takes to survive.
As I said, the beginning is so strong, but then it got repetitive. The book is broken up into several parts and changes points of view. Honestly, Drew’s section was extremely dull and he tries to figure out what happened to his friend Joey, who was murdered years before. The ending started to pick up as all the loose ends began to unfold. I did find the finale a bit anti-climatic as well.
However, this book is labeled as a thriller. There are several moments that give off that vibe. But I wouldn’t say the whole book is a thriller. It is mainly about a young girl coming of age in the midst of severe child abuse and trauma and her struggle to run away and be free of her past. The abuse and trauma are HEARTBREAKING and extremely descriptive, so be prepared. It is difficult to read. Overall, it was an intense book about murder and doing whatever it takes to survive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail