Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Push by Ashley Audrain

97 reviews

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

This book....WOW. Okay.

So what I want to say first is that I think going into this book expecting a thriller is a mistake. Even on the inside flap, it says it's more of a psychological drama. *Drama.* Anyone who goes into this expecting jump scares and some mystery to solve is going to be disappointed. I, however, went into it without any real expectations, other than that I knew it would be fucked up because every single person I spoke to who read it told me so. There are definitely horror elements, I would say, but I wouldn't say that it's a true horror or thriller.

The writing was so rich and haunting, it had me horrified even throughout the mundane parts of it, which I think takes a certain skill - a skill that I certainly don't possess. I also really enjoyed the themes within pertaining to generational trauma, found family, and how our parents - even if they want us to be different than they are, sometimes can't help but rub off on us. I also loved reading from Blythe's perspective - what an interesting and flawed character to get to be inside the mind of!!

I don't want to talk too much about what this book is actually about because I think you're better off going in at least partially blind. Be mindful of triggers and take care of yourself as needed.

I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long, long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Blood, Abortion, Murder, Death of parent, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Rape, Suicide, Gore, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Death, Child death, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, and Grief

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Excrement

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

4.75 because I needed just a little more from the ending. Otherwise—WHAT A TWISTY, CREEPY, SICKENING RIDE OF CREATION AND DEMISE.

I was hooked immediately and never let go. The writing was smart and breezy and blunt and chilling, the chapters were deliciously short, the characters were multifaceted and unhinged, the plot was searing, uncomfortable, explosive. Darkly fantastic.

“The Push” refers, specifically, to one tragic incident in the main character’s life, but to me it was also a direct metaphor for all of the different types of motherhood represented in the story. How much children shape our worlds, the very good parts and, in this novel’s case, the traumatic and the sinister. 

If you haven’t already, pick this up ASAP. You won’t be able to put it down until the very last page.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Abandonment, Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Violence, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicide

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Stalking, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Racism, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Mass/school shootings, and Dementia

vikidoki's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

this was an interesting read. normally this wouldn’t be a book that I would read but I’m glad I read it. it shows a whole different perspective on motherhood and it a book that will make you speechless and stay with you for a while. I will probably think about this book every day at least especially before I will decide if I want to become a mother. this book feels unbelievably important and I’m glad that I read it since it’s dark and tens and questioning but also so heartachingly grotesque.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Murder, Mental illness, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Child death, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Addiction

Moderate: Suicide, Self harm, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Blood

keijiwolf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Self harm, Stalking, Physical abuse, Suicide, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Excrement, Abortion, Car accident, and Dementia

genny's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I appreciated the gritty depiction of motherhood (it made me question whether I truly wanted to experience it for myself in the future...) and generational trauma. I'm not sure whether or not I liked the ending.

I had started to believe that Blythe was only projecting her trauma onto Violet. I suspect that was the author's intention, for even the readers to question Blythe's reliability and to side with everyone else who thought she was crazy...the ending was like a bitter "I told you so". I did feel validated for Blythe in a way, even though it's obviously a horrible thing for another child to get hurt.

It's been a while since I finished this and I didn't take down any notes, sadly, so I can't give a more insightful review. I liked it, overall!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Pregnancy, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Medical content, Infidelity, and Suicide

Moderate: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abortion, and Miscarriage

imogenreads77's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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: Child death, Death, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Miscarriage

ph_read_be's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Child death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicide, and Self harm

Minor: Abortion, Infidelity, and Miscarriage

Graphic description of child birth, post partum depression

reddeddy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Abortion, Sexism, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Blood, Dysphoria, Grief, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Body horror, Child death, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Car accident, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Cursing, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Eating disorder, Excrement, Alcoholism, Confinement, Vomit, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Incest, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual violence, and Dementia

sib_reads'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Violence, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Stalking, Blood, Alcohol, and Sexual content

beesbookss's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Child death, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Abortion, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship