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vaguely_pink's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, and Racism
Minor: Ableism, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, and War
ecn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
4.25
I originally wanted to read this book bc a reoccurring nightmare I had as a child was being chased/having to hide in an amusement park. I thought this was going to be SO tense and scare me but it was more of a mystery/thriller than a dark horror. I really liked it, but it stopped being tense about halfway through and then became a race to the finish line type of story. I wish more of the story was built in the hiding and the terror of being hunted instead of the why (maybe if it was longer?)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Blood, Suicide, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Grief, Violence, Toxic friendship, Gore, Racism, Misogyny, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Body horror, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, and Death
nickoliver's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I'm honestly a bit surprised. Most people I've seen read this book didn't like it in the slightest, so I didn't have any expectations, but I actually liked it? Admittedly, there were a few things I heavily disliked or wouldn't be in the story if I had a say, but for the most part, I was really sucked into the story and couldn't stop reading from a certain point on.
Now, bad things first. There were way too many different characters, and White played way too wildly with the POVs. In the hide-and-seek game itself, there were fourteen people in total, and the author attempted to give all of them at least a little bit of a backstory. But some of the characters were so inconsequential that I didn't understand why I needed to know so many details about them. Plus, a lot of them were referred to differently throughout the story - for example, there was a writer named Ian, and sometimes the text called him "Ian" and sometimes "the writer". You seriously had to keep a list of the names with their job descriptions and backstory with you at all times if you didn't want to get confused. For example, I kept forgetting who the hell Christian was. Especially the contestants who lost early were so easily forgotten that it really made no sense to give them a backstory at all. And the perspectives changed so many times that you sometimes got insight into almost every single character, and that was just too much. I think White might have attempted to not make it obvious which characters were going to be the first victims by trying to give them all the same level of importance, but it just didn't work.
Personally, I also wasn't the biggest fan with the way some of the characters were written. Brandon, for example, was lovely from beginning to end, but the way White talked about him almost infantilised him. Many of the characters were more caricatures than real people. And with Ava, one of the only non-white contestants, the author tried to bring a bit of nuance to the table - for example, had her talk about how she was always expected to be the strong one -, but there wasn't enough of it. It was more of an attempt to bring depth to the story, but it didn't really work all too well. Too many characters were also very casually homophobic towards Ava in particular - or rather, not to her face directly, just when they thought about her -, which was a bit exhausting. Why not a single one of them seemed to be able to act normally around a lesbian was beyond me.
At the beginning of the book, it seemed like Mack was the protagonist, but thanks to all the erratic perspective changes, she sometimes faded a bit into the background. Which was a bit of a pity, because she was a fascinating character, especially the way she felt about bravery and what one was expected to do in the face of something dangerous. But towards the end of the story, she did a few things that threw me off-guard. I lost track of her throughout the story and she didn't feel like a main character anymore, so I was surprised by some of her choices.
However, for a book that had too many characters and a lot of unimportant and unexplored ones at that, I did get quite attached to some of the more important ones. I did really like Mack for the most part, and I developed a soft spot for LeGrand. And while it was developed a bit too quickly, considering the story was set over the course of only a week, I did also get a bit invested in Mack and Ava's relationship. Maybe also because I didn't expect there to be sapphics, and I always love being surprised by queerness.
I was mostly excited for the story because the plot really hooked me in. For me, it took about 20% for me to start being invested, which is when the game actually started. I didn't know where the story was going to go, but I did expect it to go differently. I know a lot of people who didn't like where it went and what the actual reason for the game was, and while it was certainly a bit unoriginal and generic, it didn't put me off the book the way it seemed to have done for others. I still had a good time reading and was pulled in. I actually kind of liked it. Though I do think that White attempted to start conversations about important topics at time that fell a bit flat for me and didn't really go anywhere. That could've been explored a little bit more. And the ending was a little bit anticlimactic.
This was my sixth book by White, I think? Her books are mostly around the 3 star mark for me, with a tendency to be higher than that rather than lower. So I usually enjoy her stories, and this one was no exception. I read this pretty quickly once I got hooked, and while there were certainly things that could've been improved - mostly the chaos with the characters and the perspectives -, I still enjoyed it a lot. Which really surprised me.
Now, bad things first. There were way too many different characters, and White played way too wildly with the POVs. In the hide-and-seek game itself, there were fourteen people in total, and the author attempted to give all of them at least a little bit of a backstory. But some of the characters were so inconsequential that I didn't understand why I needed to know so many details about them. Plus, a lot of them were referred to differently throughout the story - for example, there was a writer named Ian, and sometimes the text called him "Ian" and sometimes "the writer". You seriously had to keep a list of the names with their job descriptions and backstory with you at all times if you didn't want to get confused. For example, I kept forgetting who the hell Christian was. Especially the contestants who lost early were so easily forgotten that it really made no sense to give them a backstory at all. And the perspectives changed so many times that you sometimes got insight into almost every single character, and that was just too much. I think White might have attempted to not make it obvious which characters were going to be the first victims by trying to give them all the same level of importance, but it just didn't work.
Personally, I also wasn't the biggest fan with the way some of the characters were written. Brandon, for example, was lovely from beginning to end, but the way White talked about him almost infantilised him. Many of the characters were more caricatures than real people. And with Ava, one of the only non-white contestants, the author tried to bring a bit of nuance to the table - for example, had her talk about how she was always expected to be the strong one -, but there wasn't enough of it. It was more of an attempt to bring depth to the story, but it didn't really work all too well. Too many characters were also very casually homophobic towards Ava in particular - or rather, not to her face directly, just when they thought about her -, which was a bit exhausting. Why not a single one of them seemed to be able to act normally around a lesbian was beyond me.
At the beginning of the book, it seemed like Mack was the protagonist, but thanks to all the erratic perspective changes, she sometimes faded a bit into the background. Which was a bit of a pity, because she was a fascinating character, especially the way she felt about bravery and what one was expected to do in the face of something dangerous. But towards the end of the story, she did a few things that threw me off-guard. I lost track of her throughout the story and she didn't feel like a main character anymore, so I was surprised by some of her choices.
However, for a book that had too many characters and a lot of unimportant and unexplored ones at that, I did get quite attached to some of the more important ones. I did really like Mack for the most part, and I developed a soft spot for LeGrand. And while it was developed a bit too quickly, considering the story was set over the course of only a week, I did also get a bit invested in Mack and Ava's relationship. Maybe also because I didn't expect there to be sapphics, and I always love being surprised by queerness.
I was mostly excited for the story because the plot really hooked me in. For me, it took about 20% for me to start being invested, which is when the game actually started. I didn't know where the story was going to go, but I did expect it to go differently. I know a lot of people who didn't like where it went and what the actual reason for the game was, and while it was certainly a bit unoriginal and generic, it didn't put me off the book the way it seemed to have done for others. I still had a good time reading and was pulled in. I actually kind of liked it. Though I do think that White attempted to start conversations about important topics at time that fell a bit flat for me and didn't really go anywhere. That could've been explored a little bit more. And the ending was a little bit anticlimactic.
This was my sixth book by White, I think? Her books are mostly around the 3 star mark for me, with a tendency to be higher than that rather than lower. So I usually enjoy her stories, and this one was no exception. I read this pretty quickly once I got hooked, and while there were certainly things that could've been improved - mostly the chaos with the characters and the perspectives -, I still enjoyed it a lot. Which really surprised me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Suicide, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Blood, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Infidelity, Alcoholism, and Homophobia
tarynlannister's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0
First of all, I came to the reviews before reading to try to find out if the LGBTQ character(s) die, so I will provide that information in spoiler tag for you!
They live :)
I'm really not a horror fan usually, but my book club picked this and I'll be the first to tell you I devoured it in a day. I was really pleasantly surprised by so much about it. Yes, it's horror, people are killed off, but once the story really picked up deaths weren't just gratuitous for the horror element. Most of the fear came from the unknown, not excessive descriptions of gore. So if you're like me you may enjoy it, but it may not necessarily be for more hardcore horror fans.
I'm really not a horror fan usually, but my book club picked this and I'll be the first to tell you I devoured it in a day. I was really pleasantly surprised by so much about it. Yes, it's horror, people are killed off, but once the story really picked up deaths weren't just gratuitous for the horror element. Most of the fear came from the unknown, not excessive descriptions of gore. So if you're like me you may enjoy it, but it may not necessarily be for more hardcore horror fans.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, Religious bigotry, Classism, Death of parent, Child abuse, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Racism and Animal death
A side character who is cruel and unsympathetic is severely injured by another character and does not die immediately. There are descriptions of blood, gore, and suffering, which may be disturbing. A main character considers a mercy killing but does not do it. A character is traumatized by the murder of her family, including her child sister. She occasionally flashes back to this, and descriptions of the event are creepy and sad but not very graphic. A character was raised in a cult, and occasionally briefly discusses it.bookishgoob's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Holy cow! What a ride this was. A perfect fast paced summer horror book! If you watched & liked “Fear street” on netflix, i highly recommend this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Violence, Chronic illness, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Domestic abuse, and Religious bigotry
dizzymissliz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
some of the characters were a little flat, but the development was good. the setting was really cool and the author is a really good writer who uses really descriptive language. i was on the edge of my seat the whole time and got a little scared! it was my favourite type of horror, the one where it builds up and you don't know what's coming until the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Blood, Child death, Suicide, Death, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism
Minor: Lesbophobia, Racism, and Homophobia
nixieba25f's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Murder, Ableism, Racism, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Violence, War, Excrement, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Gun violence, Suicide, Death, Death of parent, and Homophobia
livlamentloathe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Racism, Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Medical trauma, Gore, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and War
amandarin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Great story - super easy to follow because of the lovely writing style. Cast of characters is diverse and varied - there is someone for everyone to relate to. Loved the little reveals as the book went on and going back and re-reading sections with the new information just made it so much cooler. Eg: this last name meant that this person was connected to this person. Ending was satisfying without enough room for a potential sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Trafficking
inkdrinkers's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was so terrifying, I got nauseous.
It will be incredibly hard to keep this spoiler free, but I am going to try my best. Hide is about Mack, a homeless woman in her late twenties who gets offered the chance of a lifetime - participate in a reality show and maybe walk away with $50,000. It would be a no-brainer for most, but the catch is the show revolves around a game of hide and seek - which has horrific ties to her past.
From the beginning, this had me hooked. The first 25% of the book is setting everything up, but it's a quick portion before the meat of the story that is absolutely necessary. I ran through it in 35 minutes, almost to the second - and when I got into the rest of the book I felt like screaming. The slow horror, the tension, and slowly realizing the plot was one of the best reading experiences I've had in a long time. This was horrific in the best of ways, and will continually stay with me for years.
This is a clear must-read for any thriller fan. It paces so extremely well and I LOVED the layout of the book. There are no true chapters, but it would have felt bogged down with them. The formatting is perfect and kept the story sprinting towards the end. I will say the switching point of views threw me at the beginning, but I caught up pretty quick and recognized the nuances between voices.
I don't know what else to say other than I absolutely loved this. I want a copy for my shelves, but I also want a hug from my mom because I'm genuinely terrified. At least I read it at night - and the monster doesn't come until dawn.
It will be incredibly hard to keep this spoiler free, but I am going to try my best. Hide is about Mack, a homeless woman in her late twenties who gets offered the chance of a lifetime - participate in a reality show and maybe walk away with $50,000. It would be a no-brainer for most, but the catch is the show revolves around a game of hide and seek - which has horrific ties to her past.
From the beginning, this had me hooked. The first 25% of the book is setting everything up, but it's a quick portion before the meat of the story that is absolutely necessary. I ran through it in 35 minutes, almost to the second - and when I got into the rest of the book I felt like screaming. The slow horror, the tension, and slowly realizing the plot was one of the best reading experiences I've had in a long time. This was horrific in the best of ways, and will continually stay with me for years.
This is a clear must-read for any thriller fan. It paces so extremely well and I LOVED the layout of the book. There are no true chapters, but it would have felt bogged down with them. The formatting is perfect and kept the story sprinting towards the end. I will say the switching point of views threw me at the beginning, but I caught up pretty quick and recognized the nuances between voices.
I don't know what else to say other than I absolutely loved this. I want a copy for my shelves, but I also want a hug from my mom because I'm genuinely terrified. At least I read it at night - and the monster doesn't come until dawn.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Death, Confinement, Blood, Gore, Vomit, Violence, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Moderate: Racism, Classism, and Religious bigotry
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