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augustinedreams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Chronic illness, Torture, Suicide, Stalking, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Grief, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, and Toxic relationship
alba_marie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.75
I'm not always a mood reader, as I'm usually too focused on my library holds pile. But one of my goals this summer was to read more of my own books. I was in the mood for a dark thriller, so I chose this one, which has been on my shelf for months since I excidedly picked it up from a free book drop.
I appreciated the dark, nebulous atmosphere of husband and wife killing team. Told from the pov of the hubby, who assists his wife in the capture of the women but isn't there for the killing itself, we enter dark suburbia where this team has decided to kill to essentiallybhave better sex.
It isn't all that believable, but it is fast paced, grim, and thrilling. The husband isn't likeable. In fact, he's kind of pathetic and a bit of a doormat. The wife is a venomous viper, a terrifying black widow. It sounds cliche, and it probably is, but maybe that's what made it gripping.
Suburbia is boring, which is kind of the point of the book. They are bored, so they kill. Living in a gated community isn't as all its cracked up to be - or as safe as everyone thinks it is. I guess murder is the easy way out. Instead of admitting and problems or finding excitement in a more legal way, they've discovered they get turned on by becoming serial killers, while also unsuccessful parenting two teens.
My main complaint with the book was the ending.
Graphic: Kidnapping, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Murder, Torture, Violence, and Confinement
Moderate: Blood and Suicide
Minor: Death of parent
jaydub0221's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Stalking
Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, Body horror, Confinement, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Torture, and Gore
Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Car accident, Dementia, Self harm, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Vomit, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
katiea714's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Torture, Death, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Body horror, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Addiction, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Deadnaming, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Bullying, Alcohol, Car accident, Chronic illness, Classism, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol and Vomit
rainstormdragon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Infidelity, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, Kidnapping, and Death
Moderate: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Sexual content, Gun violence, Gore, Gaslighting, and Blood
ldruckreier's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Confinement, and Torture
moonwaterotter's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
All said, I did mostly enjoy it. I had an actually wtf moment halfway through the book and it was the biggest highlight for me.
And now here’s a list of my thoughts that is FULL of spoilers.
I immediately knew that Millicent was the “evil sister” growing up and waiting for the main character to realize that was absolutely agonizing.
I literally said “what the f-uck” out loud whenever they announced that Trista killed herself. Like at this point, I thought maybe she had helped Owen in the past (and maybe she did honestly who knows) but that’s not what I was expecting.
I also figured out Millicent was poisoning Jenna almost immediately. I thought the book was going to climax with Millicent saying she had kidnapped and killed all of the women because she was an Owen fan-girl and that she and Owen were going to murder Jenna together or something.
I thought Kekona was going to be the third victim and the cops were going to catch him at her house or something. I also thought the descriptions of Kekona were a bit strange and didn’t really sit right with me. (As well as the description of Trista’s sister at the funeral.)
I think it’s pretty fucked that the main character never tells Andy that he KNOWS WHY his wife killed herself.
The ending is cheeky but I wish they both died, not just Millicent.
Graphic: Suicide, Kidnapping, Cursing, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Stalking, Torture, Car accident, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
oliverreeds's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Infidelity, Torture, and Violence
dannybrown59's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Kidnapping, and Torture
silversparkles50's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Confinement, and Mental illness
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, and Suicide