Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

6 reviews

brebeingwell's review against another edition

dark tense

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

0.25

 

This is the North Dallas Book Club's June pick. It is also by far the worst book I have read this year. Normally, I don't like to trash books, but it is kind of hard when this book is trash itself. 

The entire first half of the book is infuriating because one, the husband is a dick. Two, the main character is not only lying to herself but to the reader as well. She appears to be gaslighting herself (with the help of her husband) about someone being or not being in the house. She's also weirdly keeping a pregnancy from her husband. If she thinks he will be mad about the pregnancy- why would she fucking marry someone who she is afraid to tell basic life things like that to?

The 70% mark is where things truly got stupid. Not only is everyone apparently capable and willing to commit murder in this book, aside from one person, but they all get away with it?

The plot planning was poor, the writing was juvenile, and overall this was just an awful book.

Idk, I will probably never read another Frieda McFadden book again in my life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual harassment

katiebesty's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

3.25

Interesting plot with lots of twists and turns. You think you’ve figured it out from the beginning but turns out there are more twists. 
The plot is good but the characters are not likeable at all and the writing style is a little cringe. 
Overall a quick and easy read that is engaging. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Stalking, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Sexual violence, Alcohol, Gore, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Ableism

dblue236's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I thought I had this all figured out by a third of the way through it and fancied myself the smartest person alive... only to turn out to be almost entirely wrong. I'm holding on to the tiny shred of dignity I have left because I was kind of in the ballpark. This author hasn't disappointed me yet, and while her books aren't necessarily rampant with realism, I enjoy the hell out of them and always look forward to starting a new one! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Mental illness, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Medical content, Rape, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Torture

Minor: Car accident, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Alcohol

livlovread's review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Mental illness, and Murder

abbyweber's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-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

2.75

This was so fast to listen to on audiobook. This book, I think, would have been more successful as a third person, because there is a difference between an unreliable narrator and a liar. Fair warning, almost no one in this book is likable, but I think that’s the point. The writing was meh, the story wasn’t terrible, but could have been better if it had been written a bit better. It’s like two different people wrote the beginning and the end and the person who wrote the end didn’t read the beginning. Overall, I would say this was a fine 2.5-3 star.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Car accident, Infidelity, and Pregnancy

hudsononaux's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gaslighting, and Stalking

Moderate: Pregnancy, Blood, Vomit, and Death

Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, and Sexual violence