Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

35 reviews

ellacat11's review

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexism

Moderate: Medical trauma, Death of parent, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Child death, Suicide, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Infidelity

Minor: Child death, Grief, and Car accident

cedardleland's review

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? No

1.0

Given the subject matter of the book, I was surprised how graphically horrible all of the practical jokes are in this book that we're supposed to think are endearing. Like a coworker asking the MC out of the blue to screw when he knows she's panicking and therefore might be trickable, with all of her other coworkers including her boss watching ready to laugh at her for taking too long to refuse. That's how the book opens, and then the next thing is sexual assault, and I really feel like the author doesn't understand that the first thing is actually workplace sexual harassment being enabled by the power structure over the MC, but she things beating someone unconscious is appropriate as soon as touching is involved. But then there's all these "pranks" when she's working that are also assault, just not sexual assault and those are also supposed to be fun and fine. Very uncomfortably mixed messages for me around consent, which undermined the core message of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Addiction, Abandonment, Cancer, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

jecollins's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault, Bullying, and Stalking

marianic's review

emotional hopeful reflective fast-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Stalking, Death of parent, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, and Addiction

jessica_stenstrom's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

This book tells the story of Cassie, a female firefighter who has experienced trauma, loss and heartache as a 16 year old young woman. Without wanting to give away specifics so there are no spoilers, it was an inspiring story. There were moments tears sprang to my eyes and other moments my heart dropped as I sped read to see what would happen next and still other moments when I laughed out loud. This was worth the read. Katherine  Center is becoming a favorite author. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Abandonment

marchessaultd's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexism, Cursing, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Grief, Rape, Cancer, Drug abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

All these topics are touched on but not in graphic detail. The book truly just focuses on a woman pushing through her grief.

striepke's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Rape, Medical content, Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Stalking

catsandmetaphors's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.75

Oh boy, where do I even begin? This book was not what I expected at all. Based on the blurb, I anticipated a black cat-golden retriever romance (the one aspect I did not end up disappointed by), thrown in with some casual firefighter misogyny and abandonment issues galore. Well, I got it all, but at what cost?

Cassie was insufferable. I tried really hard to empathize with her, but I really couldn't justify her coping mechanisms (i.e., her 'not like other girls' mentality). I hated almost every single character, with Owen, Josie, and Captain Harris being notable exceptions.

And all that waffle about forgiveness? Nope, some things are just what they are - unforgivable.

How this book has such high ratings is truly beyond me. I'm starting to suspect that I don't actually like Katherine Center's books as much as I had thought. She tends to throw in something sensational in her plots, something an ordinary reader will not necessarily be able to relate to in any way, shape or form.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Cancer, and Rape

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Death of parent

kerryamchugh's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

3.25

A thoughtful contemporary romance-ish about a female firefighter who is both a total badass and afraid of her own emotions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Abandonment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Cancer, and Drug abuse

Minor: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail

astifel21's review

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape

Minor: Death of parent and Terminal illness