Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro

76 reviews

briannareads1342's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation

mccalab's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

mfrisk's review

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This read is another highly rated read for me from V. Castro. I can understand why there are low ratings from folks who are expecting fast paced action packed horror. This is not that. This book is a character study of Alejandra and is a story about mental health, relationships, family history, and love (with a dash of creature feature/mythology). As we get into the story there are split perspectives which bring us deeper into the story and bring depth to Alejandra’s family tree. This is a slow burn horror with so much to say and I’m hopeful this book can find the people who will love it as much as I do. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and War

katreadsmore's review

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

ticktock's review against another edition

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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Colonisation

catwhisperer's review

dark emotional reflective slow-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? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

royallyreading's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

The Haunting of Alejandra is a stunning book that really resonated with me as a Latina. It hits a lot of cultural notes that we struggle with and even though I'm not a mother, I definitely related to Alejandra's struggles with receiving, seeking, and giving herself, love. I love the narrative structure and the way everything feels so accurate and powerful culturally. Even the blend of spiritual/religious elements is right on point. This is a fantastic take on La Llorona which I highly recommend. Be sure to check the trigger warnings though!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Misogyny and Violence

amandaglowgetter's review

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Suicide attempt

laurenbookwitchbitch's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

I’ve been a big fan of V. Castro since reading “Goddess of Filth,” so I was very excited for this new, even longer horror novel. First off I mean look at this gorgeous cover! I adore a grotesque book filled with ghosts and blood that has bright pastel flowers on the cover, five stars for the illustration! Alejandra is a mother, wife and home-maker plagued by depression, anxiety and recurring nightmares of a woman in white whispering encouraging her to kill her children. As Alejandra’s terror increases, she begins to delve into her ancestry to discover a long lineage of women, who have had similar encounters w/ this demon masquerading as La Llrona.  This book does that thing where it switches POV and goes back and forth in time between the different ancestral women who also encounter this demon in a way that is hard to pull off seamlessly but Castro nails it! “The Haunting of Alejandra is dark, emotional, fraught, frightening and will threaten to devour your own soul. But like, in a way that makes it a fantastic horror reading experience! 

My only criticism of this book is that it very much equates womanhood with motherhood. 🙁😐

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

todayitsthis's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Abandonment