Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

He Started It by Samantha Downing

7 reviews

faesissa's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Not a typical read for me. None of the characters are really that likeable, which makes sense given their personalities. It took me about a third of the book to actually get interested in the story.

It's all just one big game of Risk.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

kimveach's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

2.75

Dark and creepy but not the satisfying thriller I expected it to be.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Confinement, Gaslighting, Stalking, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Physical abuse

oliviamichelle_'s review

dark mysterious fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Stalking

brookey8888's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Bye that ending was literally crazy.
The first part of this like nothing really happened and you don’t know like anything so I kept wanting to know what was going on. Then slowly things I didn’t see coming started happening and then everything happened and I saw non of it coming. If you don’t like unlikable characters this one is t for you. But I low key kinda of liked Beth in the beginning. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Violence

pplydm's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• 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

Never thought I'd be reading He Started It by Samantha Downing. This book turned out to be the book I'd want to delve into. 
 Eddie, Beth and Portia recreated a childhood road trip experience around the U.S. Only now, their Grandpa who previously supervised their journey, died, cremated into ashes in an urn placed together near the suitcases. The only way to fathom the Morgan family is to be a part of it. They apparently don't comprehend themselves either, hence they betray and lie to each other. This was written comically despite of the sinister character personalities. A rating of 4/5 star because the story ending was utter disappointment for me. I suggest the author can redeem my frustration if she writes a separate novel dedicated to Nikki.
 
 <i>Arguing about every little thing is what makes people hate you, especially when it comes to family.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Murder

justkeyreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This wasn’t a thriller to write home about, but it was satisfactory for what it was. But it also seemed like the twists were for shock value and goodness gracious there were a lot of trigger warnings. This family was dysfunctional, conniving, deceitful and doesn’t help that they are the epitome of gaslighting. Just wow! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Murder, Mental illness, Medical content, Infidelity, and Gaslighting

kamin8882's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This was a 3.5 star book for me. I loved the whole story- 3 siblings on a road trip as a requirement to get their grandfathers inheritance—- huge one !! This story shows all the messed up things that happened on the first road trip with their grandfather and all the crazy things that keep happening during this current one. All the twist and turns were great, the secrets were shocking but the ending sucked !!! With thrillers feel like you’re supposed to be shocked at the end when all things are revealed and may things were except one thing and I NEED to know what happened !!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, and Domestic abuse