Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis

18 reviews

allison_reads_87's review

adventurous dark emotional sad fast-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

3.0

This was more brutal at times than I felt was necessary. I think I’m too old for YA, because the main character’s thought process was the main road block for me enjoying this. Not for the faint of heart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Death, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Animal death, Bullying, and Violence

amberinpieces's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gun violence, and Medical content

Minor: Cursing, Bullying, Alcohol, Car accident, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit

minniestronni's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Classism, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, and Toxic friendship

lbelow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Keep in mind that I'm not the ideal readership for this book—largely, YA is not my thing. And there were things about this book that dragged for me or seemed transparent. For the most part, though, I found this a very unique take on necromancy. I loved the complex character relationships and how Katrell grows throughout the book. This is a challenging book, with all the physical and domestic abuse and the death of the dog, but a compelling one. I had tears in my eyes by the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

magicalmystery's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gun violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore

wannaseeafrog's review

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

This book was thought-provoking and dealt with some very heavy themes I didn’t expect, but seamlessly fit into the storyline and the character motivations. There were some loose ends I wish had been tied up at the end. I also felt like the beginning was slow-paced, but it picked up very quickly and then it was hard to put down.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Death, and Emotional abuse

joyreadsbuku's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

3,5 stars - Short review: I wish I read this book in October bcs the season/setting would have matched the book's. I liked the paranormal aspect and the power Katrell (protagonist) has. Despite all the trauma, I'm still willing to rate this 3,5 stars bcs of the topics and experiences mentioned as Katrell has to make decisions to not end up in poverty

or in foster care

.

Long(er) review: Okay... I read this book bcs of a YouTuber who wanted to read it. It is described as BGM (Black Girl magic) and the YouTuber said that the author sent it to her, who said that there is "no trauma" in this book. Tell me why, from the very first page to the very last, there was nothing but trauma? Yes, there is one trigger warning at the beginning ("Content note: this book contains depictions of child and animal abuse), but then why would the author say that there isn't any trauma...? I mean, a lot of people dnf'ed bcs of this very reason.

When I hear BGM, I think of Amari (Amari and the Night Brothers), Zélie (Children of Blood and Bones), and Deka (The Gilded Ones). This is not that, at all. I've watched other reviews on YouTube and one person said that this isn't a heavy book. Let me tell you now: this book is very heavy and emotionally taxing;

from the physical abuse of Katrell's mom's boyfriend towards Katrell, to him shooting her dog in front of her, to him pointing a gun at her, to Katrell having to provide for both her mom and her mom's boyfriend, to her mom putting her boyfriend above Katrell, to her mom neglecting Katrell, gaslighting her & letting her boyfriend physically abuse her daughter.

 

Idk who the target audience was, but if you're looking for BGM like the books I've mentioned above, this is not it. Just be (emotionally) prepared, bcs I wasn't, and I had to put the book down several times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Drug abuse

imstephtacular's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Tiffany D Jackson meets Stephen King. What a ride! I love fantasy grounded in reality and this delivered. This is DARK and devastating, but also a powerful and nuanced look at real issues like poverty, foster care, abuse, and privilege. I look forward to Lewis’ sophomore novel in 2023

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Toxic relationship, Murder, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Gore

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Car accident, Dysphoria, Grief, Misogyny, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Minor: Sexism and Vomit

lowkeymarie's review

dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Animal death, Violence, Child abuse, Death, and Emotional abuse

glasswisteria's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Animal death, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse and Gun violence

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Self harm