Appetite for Innocence by Lucinda Berry

3.9 AVERAGE

laurenthebibliofile's profile picture

laurenthebibliofile's review

3.5
This was such a chilling read. I have read many of Berry's books, and this one probably contains the most disturbing content. The story is told from two perspectives, Ella and Sarah, and it alternates between "then" and "now". I thought there would be more emphasis on the girls' experiences with John, but shifting that focus might have turned the story from a thriller into a horror book. Jocelyn frustrated me so much. She needed to pay attention to her own child, focus on her needs, and stop trying to save someone else. Her child was clearly expressing that she didn't want Sarah around and was struggling to readjust to the world after experiencing severe trauma. At that point, she should not have been prioritizing another child. I was happy to see that by the end, she was working on being there for Ella and Ella alone. One particular scene made me feel a little squeamish, which is rare for me. I appreciated that this book explored Stockholm Syndrome and the aftereffects of severe trauma. Although I thought it fit the storyline, I was slightly disappointed by the ending; I was expecting a bit more.
zotmo's profile picture

zotmo's review against another edition

5.0
dark tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
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bluesbookshelf's review against another edition

4.5
challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
cyber_bookworm's profile picture

cyber_bookworm's review

4.75
dark emotional informative 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: No
kia_bobia's profile picture

kia_bobia's review against another edition

4.0
This one was intense and def unsettling, with a few cringe-worthy moments. And don’t even get me started on the protagonist’s mother—I wanted to reach through the pages and smack her! Still, the story kept me hooked. If you’re okay with dark topics it’s worth checking out
mimi_reads_constantly's profile picture

mimi_reads_constantly's review against another edition

4.5
dark emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

kelleymiller13's review against another edition

4.0
medium-paced

yirlagato's review against another edition

3.5
dark emotional slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No

amandalayne's review against another edition

4.0
Wow. What a heartbreaking story. This one definitely has some hard topics, I would check trigger warnings.

bookreviewsno1asked4's review against another edition

4.0
dark emotional sad tense fast-paced