Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

He Started It by Samantha Downing

14 reviews

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-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

3.5

Really slow start, it took almost 150 pages to really get into the story. Only reason I didn’t DNF was because I desperately wanted to know the secrets 😅

The writing style was a little overly descriptive for my taste, with more telling than showing. All the characters are unlikeable and most are annoying 😅 but they’re interesting nonetheless, and I did like that none of them are trustworthy or reliable so you can never pinpoint their secrets or “guilt.”

The twists were completely unexpected and I was happy that all of my predictions were wrong! Sadly though the ending and twists felt way too rushed, all of the twists were in the last 20-30 pages which just left me with an unsatisfying ending. There was also one part towards the end that I found completely unbelievable, and a bit of a cop out.

Portia threatening Beth with a psych ward was a weak attempt at blackmail compared to her threat to Eddie. Unless the journal showed clear threats to herself or others (which in my opinion it did not), you legally can’t put someone in a psych ward especially if you’re not a spouse/legal guardian.

Overall it was an entertaining and unpredictable thriller! I really enjoyed the unreliable narrator aspect and split timelines but even the unpredictability couldn’t save the book from being a bit disappointing. But the ending really ruined it for me and just because I was surprised doesn’t make it good 🫣 If you’re looking to read a psychological thriller from Downing, I’d recommend The Lovely Wife instead!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death, Pregnancy, and Infidelity

Minor: Gaslighting and Cancer

riella_reads's review

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

 This was an overall pretty good thriller. I can definitely see why some people didn't care for this one since the entire book was them on the road. This had the typical unreliable narrator but honestly I didn't trust anybody here. I also didn't really get why their grandpa was so crazy but I guess that's real life lol. This was still a fun time and I'd reccomend this to someone newer to thrillers. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Infidelity, Blood, Death, Murder, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

ambient's review

adventurous dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting

inkell's review

dark medium-paced

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

2.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Alcohol, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, and Pregnancy

brenxbee's review against another edition

dark mysterious

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Gun violence

ashlyndiane's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

This book was good. There were some things I expected and some I didn't, and some things I could have lived without. I surprisingly liked the ending.. we don’t see endings like that very often.

I was glad to finally read a book that DIDNT have a happy ending.

 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Murder

rainstormdragon's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? No

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Drug use, Bullying, Alcohol, and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, and Child abuse

Minor: Pedophilia

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.

---

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

ohhthehorrors's review

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

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. 

---

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