Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

113 reviews

kitanda's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

lemonadehead's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Murder, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

alittleoverrated's review against another edition

dark reflective 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? No

5.0

an amazing and quick read. I feel like I'm a pretty slow reader but I finished 85% of this in one day. The story is amazingly told through Constanta's POV in a way that really put on display the mentality if someone in an abusive relationship. Each of the characters that gets added to the story makes it feel richer for it, there's so little fluff or side plots that you truly feel like someone is telling you their life story. this review isn't doing this book justice but like its so worth it. Polyamorous Bisexual Vampires without all the extra filler, a beautiful story of love and hate, amazing amazing amazing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, Murder, and Body horror

Moderate: Drug use and War

This whole book is obviously about a very toxic relationship with someone emotionally abusive and manipulative. You are often in the head of the abused, even as she is describing how she loves/ loved him. It all handled pretty well in general but if you think you might have trouble with any of of that mind frame, not the book for u.

sagadotter's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Body horror, Gore, and Cannibalism

Moderate: War, Physical abuse, Grief, and Mental illness

Minor: Incest

allisonmspiers's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Blood, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Grief

Moderate: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, and Self harm

Minor: War, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Drug use

trishalah_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious relaxing medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Mental illness

chaptersofamylea's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

‘If you can still hear me wherever you are, my love, my tormentor, hear this:
It was never my intention to murder you.
Not in the beginning, anyway.’

4/4.5 ⭐️

I’m a sucker (HA) for a Dracula’s Brides retelling but making it incredibly gritty, dark AND queer? Yes please. I was a little hesitant about reading simply because I wasn’t sure what I expected from the writing style. What I wasn’t expecting was a dark and poetic confession and, to me felt like a love letter to life. One of my favourite reads so far of the year and will definitely be rereading again in spooky season.

TWs: emotional and physical abuse, gaslighting, war themes, depictions of gore, and depression

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, War, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Mental illness

watsontheslytherin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.75

Beautiful prose... Just beautiful descriptions of even the most toxic and evil situations/sentiments. I've never read depression put in such a mesmerising way. I love the contrast between a love so toxic and a love so nurturing. The only reason it's not a 5 star it's because it can be a little repetitive in some points... But despite that, very easy and enjoyable read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Mental illness, Torture, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Murder

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Gore, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: War

birtelesemann's review

dark emotional medium-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Abandonment, Blood, Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

nyx_belial's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.75

I read this for a book club, so would not be what I would choose normally. 

I like how this book is written, and the flipping of the Dracula story on its head taking it from the perspective of those closest to him.

Main thing that knocked the marks of is that I didn't particularly like the short chapters, I understand it's a style choice made for the type of book it is but it's not something I liked too much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Physical abuse, Blood, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Confinement, Gore, Gaslighting, Violence, Murder, Grief, and Stalking