Reviews with content warning for Cursing - Pretty Girls

This book is extremely heavy, and not for the fainthearted. I went in, not really knowing what was going to happen in this book, and as much as I should have put it down because of how heavy it was, I couldn’t stop listening to it. I didn’t listen to this on audible because I tried reading it on my Kindle and it never clicked for me. Karen slaughter writes beautifully and I wouldn’t have changed the book in anyway, but check your trigger warnings.

Content Warnings

daydaybookbay's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

I rated this book a 6.5 out of 10. The descriptions of torture get to be a bit much at times. I guessed the big twists, but I enjoyed the storyline and the small reveals. The torture content makes me question if I would read it again.

I do not recommend this book if you are triggered at all by: abuse. child abduction, drug abuse, gore, gun violence, murder, parent death, pedophilia, rape, sexual assult, suicide, torture.

Please be aware that all of these topics and more are focused on at one point or another in this novel.

The characters are well developed and rounded. As a reader, you become invested in both the main characters as well as other characters (the father Sam, and Julia). I felt the pacing was steady and gave the perfect amount of time for buildup and resolution. Slaughter's storytelling is amazing.

Back to this trigger warnings bit. At some point, is this graphic torture for shock value? Kidnapping, torture, rape, and murder of teenagers... I almost stopped reading it. I can see it happening as I'm reading, so to have someone described as being raped by a machete... or the urine waterboarding. nope. Not my thing. Just the ongoing shock-value events in the second half are what knocked the rating down a bit.

Content Warnings

khiggins2's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

mirrorchaser's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-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

4.0

This was a really complicated read, it was difficult to read... but difficult like a train wreck, you just couldn't look away. I'm not going to lie, most of the twists got me (which is really unusual for me in thrillers!) I had no idea who to trust or what to expect. You know all of these many parts are loosely related but you have no idea exactly how until the very end.

I will warn readers that this is about as close to splatterpunk as a mainstream thriller can go before it tips genres. I would not read this book if you have pretty much any triggers at all. This book is disturbing and really stays with you. It makes you distrustful. Consider your mental health first when you decide to read this.

I would go further into detail, but other reviews have already done a great job summarizing!

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