Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Dog Days by Ericka Waller

8 reviews

maria_silv_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Wow!!! That was a rollercoaster of a read, many emotions that came with it and crazy twists nearer the end. The 3 different POVs was a challenge to keep track of but made me more sense as I got further into the book. A very emotional read with some sensitive subjects but some relatable themes and a book I would recommend to anyone. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Grief, and Mental illness

Minor: Alcoholism

super_doxie15's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Physical abuse, and Miscarriage

perksofharriet's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

3.25

Had some good moments, the way the characters developed over the course of the book was nice to see although they could be infuriating at times and somewhat unlovable. The chapters are shared out between 3 characters and I thought they’d cross over more which might have made it more interesting for me but just felt a little unnecessary have the story be from three perspectives, it didn’t really add much overall. Felt the ending was a little rushed with the way each characters stories wrapped up. I don’t really know what I was expecting going in to this book but I can’t help feeling a little underwhelmed/ disappointed coming out of it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Mental illness, Addiction, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Death, and Homophobia

sh_m22's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad medium-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

5.0

This book was emotionally devastating!!! I have never cried so many times when reading a book before. This novel perfectly captures the reality of humans, all their ugly parts. With a focus on trying to cope with loss and mental illness and how the companionship of a dog and the responsibility of owning a pet heals you and forces you to get better and keep on going. I cannot reccomend this book enough and is definitely my book of the year so far! Please read content warnings before deciding to pursue this book as it deals with a lot of heavy and potentially triggering themes. And have tissues handy!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Self harm, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Cancer

Moderate: Child death

nikki6489's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Cancer, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, and Suicide

zoebill96's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Cancer, Homophobia, and Mental illness

fd62442's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Self harm, Cursing, Cancer, and Bullying

Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Homophobia

alexiswiththefreckles's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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

3.0

I went into this expecting a light-hearted story where dogs create a warm and fuzzy feeling.  That is not the case. Instead, they are more akin to background cast in a play.  The real focus here is on the humans and all of their flaws. There were lines scattered throughout the book that I think Waller really hit the nail on the head in describing what it means to be human, and I love finding those like buried treasure.  However, I do like an unlikeable character every now and then.. but George was too much and I found his chapters hard to read.  Character growth did feel a little too concentrated to the last 10% of the book, but that's just me being picky. 

Overall, a story that tackles loss with brutal honesty and reminds us that our canine friends are always there to remind us to be human. 

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Self harm

Moderate: Miscarriage and Homophobia