Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

57 reviews

aliceloyallaleon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Violence, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Dementia, Grief, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Car accident, Rape, and Self harm

firequeen_ash23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I went into this book blind and I'm glad I did. It wasn't what I expected. (in a good way)
I loved the characters, well most of them and thought the author did a great job with writing about the trauma and the healing. 

I honestly wasn't sure if this book was going to be a HEA especially with all the stuff that happens to Cora and Dean. They go through a very traumatic event and aren't sure if they're going to survive or not. It's a very emotional book. I think the way the author turns the book around and is able to show what love should be when it's healthy was beautiful. 
I know I cried a time or two because the book just spoke to me in a way you want your romantic type of books to do. I think the author did a fantastic job at makin  the readers experience several different emotions throughout the book which in my opinion is the best because if I'm not feeling sad, angry, happy and overjoyed at one point in the book, was it really that good? I need my books to connect to my emotions and feelings. That's how I know I really enjoyed the book. 

Not to mention after everything that Dean and Cora experienced together, they deserved a HEA. I was also glad that Mandy got her happy ending as well. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Confinement, Cursing, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicide

Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

amy_mhairi's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Physical abuse, Murder, Alcohol, Rape, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Cursing, Confinement, Kidnapping, Torture, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, and Vomit

sa3's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, Sexual assault, Murder, and Mental illness

emilyreadstoomuch's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

2.25

very unique book, but it tried too hard and also was somehow not enough at the same time. don't know why when they were screaming at the abductor, of all the horrible things he did that they could've thrown in his face they just kept calling him fat?? they were like "you are FAT" like why not murderer, rapist, creep, etc.????? so insane. also it was just annoying at parts where cora was soooo not like other girls and mandy was villainized for no reason at times lmao mandy was a really terrible person though. this had a TON of potential like i could see the vision so clearly but was honestly underdeveloped. very fake deep!!!!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Infidelity, Gore, Gun violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Murder, Misogyny, Violence, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Cursing, Confinement, Blood, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Torture, Rape, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

juliereadsromance's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.25

Ok, this was my journey through this book:

First 25%: shoot it in my veins, I’ve never felt so alive. 
Second 25%: still buzzed
Third 25%: I’m dragging. The novel is now just sad which is appropriate for the plot. But, the come down from the adrenaline of the first half is a bummer. 
Fourth 25%: I’m glad I’m getting to see the HEA, but I’m also happy I’m done with the book. 

This was a five star read for many readers I follow here on GR, so it seems like a lot of other readers didn’t find that the second half of the book slowed down too much. 

Importantly, this book gives a meaningful portrayal of PTSD and the characters’ challenging recovery from trauma. 

I thought that the FMC’s parents and sister didn’t seem to understand the gravity of the sexual abuse Cora endured. And that was weird.  

There are ALOT of potential triggers in this book, so def check the author’s warnings before!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Infidelity, Murder, Mental illness, Violence, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Death, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual violence

mana_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

I rated this book a 4.5 because the writing was beautiful, Dean was amazing, but unfortunately towards the end of the story Cora was just being a little bit toxic. Now I totally get that she was dealing with heavy traumas but sometimes she was acting as if Dean didn't went through the same things (well almost). Thank God that she got better at the end of the book.

Now I can't wait to read Lotus and The Stars Are On Our Side.

Also a friendly reminder to check the TWs if you want to read this book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual violence, Confinement, Torture, and Sexual assault

Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Animal death, and Panic attacks/disorders

amandasreads6149's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Emotional damage ❤️‍🩹

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Rape

alyssadorn's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This is the only situation in which gifting a heart-shaped necklace is justified. 

Okay, jokes aside, this book made me viscerally feel things. Despair, hope, connection with the characters. The moments of shared trauma were handled so well, too; I’m glad the rape scenes weren’t detailed or explicit, just having us as readers focus on what Cora focused on— not the actual act. It was more moving than I expected, and overall a really good book. Beautiful and heartbreaking and healing. 

I will say at times, especially on page 2, it was a little girl-shamey toward Mandy, with Cora’s comparisons between the two of them feeling a bit “I’m not like other girls”- coded. 

Definitely check the content warnings. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Grief, Death, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, and Self harm

Minor: Miscarriage

emmab_124's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Self harm, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Minor: Suicidal thoughts