Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

21 reviews

sierrabowers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious relaxing sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This was a great read. I didn’t know it was a story written from the point of view of an unreliable narrator until later in the book. When I finally realized, the entire book seemed to shift into something else entirely. It also made me realize how easy it is for manipulation to occur without even realizing it. This story uncovers horrors of the justice system and uncomfortable truths as well. I encourage everyone to read but caution because there is mention of child death. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Vomit, Child death, Sexual content, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

rin_kate_katie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Child death, Gaslighting, Grief, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Vomit, Body shaming, and Fatphobia

jasminealizae's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

1.0

Disappointing, but on par for this author. The amount of unnecessary trauma/drama thrown into this story left a bad taste in my mouth towards all Tiffany D. Jackson books. 

How much can I witness one character be dragged through before I can no longer suspend disbelief? 

Seems like she just enjoys torturing her characters. 

The amount of colorism, racism, fat shaming, ableism, false 'mental health' representation, abuse, mentions of rape and molestation, inappropriate sexual relationships, stereotypes, and just downright torture for shock value that took place in this book - disgusting.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Biphobia, Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Gore, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Outing, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Incest, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Torture, and Toxic friendship

bowlingforboots's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Child death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, and Abortion

tmcphetridge4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

1.75

(Starting off by saying this is NOT my chosen genre, I am being asked to read this book for a course I am helping to teach.)
Nope. This book 100% is not for me. Pretty much from the jump I was disturbed by the content of the book and I did not like how this one was written. I can see how people view it as a stunning debut, but because it is not the type of genre that I like to read, it was a slog to get through. Utterly violent, abusive, abhorrent behavior from just about every party involved. There were multiple times that I had to turn down the volume because I could not stand the content I was listening to. Especially having read Grown first, I thought that the plot twist at the end was cheap. Again, makes you rethink the whole book, which isn't the worst tactic but I don't think it was necessary. 
This all being said, I think it opens an interesting conversations on cycles of abuse/trauma and generational trauma. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Violence, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Murder

lana72905's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Gaslighting, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Animal death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide

Minor: Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

kawooreads's review against another edition

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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Murder, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Death, Child abuse, Child death, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

islesbiyana's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Hard to celebrate the day you were born when everybody seems to wish you were never born at all. Especially after you come into this world and fuck it all up.

rating: 3.5 stars
trigger/content warnings: death of infant, bullying, r/s between a minor & a young adult, severe bullying, child abuse, gaslighting, racism, lesbophobia, ableism, attempted child SA, references to rape, fatphobia



while i usually do enjoy following stories from an unreliable perspective—and that aspect sure added to intrigue of this book—i still have no idea what to feel about that ending. i understand what jackson's intent was, but there's a part of me that feels like there was there missing things that could've helped tie in together with the final parts while still maintaining the dubious & unpredictable narrative. idk. still, i can def say that jackson succeeded in provoking a certain reaction through that ending.

such a heavy and gritty story about a young girl enduring an abundance of fucked up but infuriatingly real scenarios, it all makes your stomach churn. there were parts that remind you that this was her debut, but it's such an immersive and compelling debut nonetheless.

“What does it mean when you love and hate someone at the same time?” I ask.

He laughs. “It means they family.”

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, Gaslighting, Child death, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Animal death, Child abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Ableism, Lesbophobia, and Rape

Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

amandadevoursbooks's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Mary Addison was convicted of murdering a white 3 month old when she was 9 years old. In a tale that twists and turns, we meet Mary after she went to baby jail and is now in a group home. The teenage girls are vicious, and Mary's only refuge is her volunteer gig at a nursing home where she met Ted. Through the plot, Mary decides the only way out is to tell the truth. Who will believe a child who murdered a child? 

This story was so heavy. I spent the majority of the book in tears. 

The ending made sense, even though it didn't tie up all the loose ends. Trauma changes the brain and Mary's been through so much. I hope her story ends with actual therapy and support as she has her baby

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

catwhisperer's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Death, Murder, Abandonment, Blood, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Violence, and Vomit