Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

565 reviews

kelleymiller13's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

I’m really torn on how to rate this book. I’m not one to put a book down and not finish it. But this book had me questioning if I was going to actually make it through it right from the start! The way it was written was really hard to read. Granted, it did get easier as I settled in and got acquainted with the writing style and got used to the writer switching from narrator point of view. However, I literally had to read that first chapter out loud to help me try to make sense of it and to keep myself going. And even still, so many of the chapters didn’t make sense and things didn’t tie together…until close to the end. But it trudged on. But am I glad I persisted and finished? Yes - I was a really good story told from an interesting point of view, or should I say “points of view” since there are multiple characters telling the story. However, is it one of those books that is an easy or light read that you can’t put down? No. Or one that I would put on my “must read” list when recommending to friends. Again, no. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Kidnapping

swit2900's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Confinement, Violence, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Torture, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Vomit, Stalking, Physical abuse, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Blood, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

l0v3lu's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Addiction, Torture, Child death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Animal death, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Violence, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Self harm, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Medical content, and Mental illness

gabiprestelo's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty

readwithjordie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Child abuse

Moderate: Murder and Violence

marissamrkt's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Murder

childdeirdre's review

challenging dark mysterious tense 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

This book went progressively (even if too slowly) from "this is not going to end well" to "WHAT THE ACTUAL F***!". And suddenly you just don't want to look anymore. But you can't turn away either.
5 stars to the narrator. Highly recommended as audiobook. I couldn't have done all that in my head.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Child death

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Suicide

orangebinx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

3.75

started off a little slow, but then i couldn't put it down. wouldn't say this fits the thriller genre necessarily, but it definitely had me hooked. the ending felt a little rushed and one particular plot point felt a bit unnecessary for the purpose of the story. definitely check the content warnings before you read this because it deals with many heavy topics in graphic detail, but this was a very captivating, powerful, and tense read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Murder

lady_bountiful's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Torture, Child death, and Emotional abuse

adventureinreading's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, and Child death