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shell1338's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty
ashleycmms's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Medical content
Minor: Death and Car accident
thepoieszedlife's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Medical content, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Animal death, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Infidelity
ksuazo94's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape
Moderate: Animal death and Death of parent
tifftastic87's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
The story was decent but it was really hard to feel the tension when I just didn't care about the characters. The characters were kind of flat and dismissive of eachother. I didn't care about Monica (the victim in the story) because when the story was told from Troy's (Monica's husband) perspective he didn't really seem like he cared about her. He only seemed to care about being right, which made it hard to care about him.
The story is kind of predictable, but that wouldn't have been a problem if the characters were more developed. We immediately got into the "tense" part of the story without learning anything about the characters. Well, we did learn two things one is that Monica struggles to parent her strong willed daughter and that Troy is a f**k boy.
The story is kind of predictable, but that wouldn't have been a problem if the characters were more developed. We immediately got into the "tense" part of the story without learning anything about the characters. Well, we did learn two things one is that Monica struggles to parent her strong willed daughter and that Troy is a f**k boy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Rape, Death, Violence, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Animal death, Grief, Gun violence, Body horror, Sexual content, Confinement, and Medical content
Moderate: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Murder, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Pregnancy
meganrae047'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Sexism
bites_of_books's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
What a ride!
In Nana we follow Monica as she's grieving the loss of her adoptive mother. At the funeral, she meets her biological mother, Grace, for the first time and thus ensues a journey that will change her life forever. Grace is assertive, confident, and persistent in taking care of her as she grieves. However, there is a darker purpose to Grace's arrival into Monica's life. Her husband is suspicious, even their dog doesn't like Grace.
There were some plot points that did take me out of the story but overall I couldn't stop reading. I read it in two sittings and I'll definitely be looking for more of Massey's books to read when I need a good horror/thriller book.
In Nana we follow Monica as she's grieving the loss of her adoptive mother. At the funeral, she meets her biological mother, Grace, for the first time and thus ensues a journey that will change her life forever. Grace is assertive, confident, and persistent in taking care of her as she grieves. However, there is a darker purpose to Grace's arrival into Monica's life. Her husband is suspicious, even their dog doesn't like Grace.
There were some plot points that did take me out of the story but overall I couldn't stop reading. I read it in two sittings and I'll definitely be looking for more of Massey's books to read when I need a good horror/thriller book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Grief, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Murder, Infidelity, and Death of parent
kellyreadingbooks's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
I was so deeply disturbed by this book I had to listen to the last hour of the book on 2.5x speed when usually I listen at 1.15x-1.35x.
I usually don't "yuck someone's yum", but I don't understand how someone could enjoy this book. This read like an R rated Lifetime horror movie mixed with the cheese of the Disney Channel Original movie Smart House (Smart Demon Nana?? lol). The characters were so naïve I couldn't even fathom the story to begin with. I think there are much better books out there exploring ageism and gender inequality. I read this for an online book club and I am genuinely curious if this will be a hit for anyone. I honestly should've stopped reading it at multiple points because nooooooooot my cup of tea!
I usually don't "yuck someone's yum", but I don't understand how someone could enjoy this book. This read like an R rated Lifetime horror movie mixed with the cheese of the Disney Channel Original movie Smart House (Smart Demon Nana?? lol). The characters were so naïve I couldn't even fathom the story to begin with. I think there are much better books out there exploring ageism and gender inequality. I read this for an online book club and I am genuinely curious if this will be a hit for anyone. I honestly should've stopped reading it at multiple points because nooooooooot my cup of tea!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Body horror, Sexual content, and Rape
Minor: Animal death
ruthypoo2's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a wild book in that it's one of those where you can see the downward spiral happening for someone in the story, and so can another character in the book, but there's nothing can be done to get someone to open their eyes and quite literally, wake up! There's a constant tension throughout the book and it drives the story, making the reader anxious to know if there's any hope for a happy ending.
The book begins with a legitimately creepy opening titled, "Before..." Picture an elderly widow returning after dark to the large home she lives in alone, and hearing something upstairs she feels compelled to investigate. It's amazing how a good writer can take a setting that you normally feel so safe in, like your own home, and turn it into a sinister haunted house. All it takes is a little creak or open door here and there to get the goosebumps rising on this reader's arms!
The bulk of the story is told from the perspectives of Troy and his wife, Monica who live with their young daughter and son. Early in the story, Monica's estranged mother, Grace, enters the picture and ends up staying with her daughter's family so she and Monica can get reacquainted. Then odd and tragic things start affecting the family, but can these incidents be traced back to the arrival of Monica's mother?
I enjoyed the evolving cat and mouse game that was woven throughout the story between Troy and his mother-in-law, Grace. I think all the characters were well crafted and you either love, hate, or can get terribly frustrated with their action or inaction. The plot was interesting and though not entirely unique, it was presented in a modern and brutal way.
I listened to the audiobook edition and enjoyed the narration of Leon Nixon. Mr. Nixon did an excellent job voicing all characters and presenting their unique and disparate personalities. The narration contributed to the eeriness of the story and built momentum with good pacing.
The book begins with a legitimately creepy opening titled, "Before..." Picture an elderly widow returning after dark to the large home she lives in alone, and hearing something upstairs she feels compelled to investigate. It's amazing how a good writer can take a setting that you normally feel so safe in, like your own home, and turn it into a sinister haunted house. All it takes is a little creak or open door here and there to get the goosebumps rising on this reader's arms!
The bulk of the story is told from the perspectives of Troy and his wife, Monica who live with their young daughter and son. Early in the story, Monica's estranged mother, Grace, enters the picture and ends up staying with her daughter's family so she and Monica can get reacquainted. Then odd and tragic things start affecting the family, but can these incidents be traced back to the arrival of Monica's mother?
I enjoyed the evolving cat and mouse game that was woven throughout the story between Troy and his mother-in-law, Grace. I think all the characters were well crafted and you either love, hate, or can get terribly frustrated with their action or inaction. The plot was interesting and though not entirely unique, it was presented in a modern and brutal way.
I listened to the audiobook edition and enjoyed the narration of Leon Nixon. Mr. Nixon did an excellent job voicing all characters and presenting their unique and disparate personalities. The narration contributed to the eeriness of the story and built momentum with good pacing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Rape
Minor: Death and Animal death