Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Devil and Mrs. Davenport by Paulette Kennedy

34 reviews

yinzer_barbie's profile picture

yinzer_barbie's review

3.75
challenging emotional sad medium-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

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laursbook_nook's profile picture

laursbook_nook's review

4.0
dark emotional mysterious reflective 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: Complicated

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noelle88's review

5.0
dark emotional inspiring mysterious medium-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

I loved this book. I loved the strong female characters and Dr. Hansen. Honestly couldn’t put it down. Such an imaginative, unique story. 

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spiritfishin's profile picture

spiritfishin's review

3.0
dark sad tense fast-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

**spoiler alert** I only asked for one thing out of this book and that was for Loretta not to hook up with the doctor. Jesus H. Christ it's like getting served the perfect bowl of soup with all the things you love but you can't enjoy it because there's a hair in it.

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kellyrien's review

4.0
mysterious reflective 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

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tess_gee's profile picture

tess_gee's review

4.5
dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Missouri, 1955. 
Loretta Davenport is a mom, homemaker, and housewife—at first glance her life seems picturesque with a home and children and a successful husband who is a professor at the nearby university. She found comfort in the teachings of church and her husband, Pete, is also deeply religious. 

After being very sick, Loretta is disconcerted by some strange visions she has about a recently missing girl in her community. When her visions turn out to be true and end up helping find the missing girl’s dead body, Loretta’s life starts to go up in flames. Her husband thinks her behavior and independence of thought is “of the devil” and is determined to bring her to heel. As the cracks in her life start to crumble the very foundation of her marriage and home, Loretta tenaciously and cleverly rebuilds one where she can fully embrace her abilities and redefines how she wants to be as a mother, wife, and career woman. 

Empowered through therapy, facing her past and present trauma, and refusing to be abused anymore by her controlling, alcoholic spouse, Loretta will not continue to live a life she is barely surviving in. She must figure out how to break free from her hellish, violently escalating marriage while also trying to use her psychic powers to track down the devil who is killing young girls in the area before it is too late…both for herself and other victims. 

This book pleasantly surprised me. Loretta grew a backbone and realized her worth fairly quickly, which can be credited to therapy as well as positive friendships in her life. I adored how Loretta did not give up on a better life for herself and her kids, no matter how hard her husband tried to break her and made it impossible for her to leave. The more she learned about herself, the more competent and formidable she became, and was eventually ready to face the devil himself by the end of the book. This book does have quite a few trigger warnings though, so please make sure to look those up before reading. Loved this book, through and through. I will be reading more of Paulette Kennedy’s books. 


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dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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lizziemowery's review

5.0
dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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chrissyb5758's review

4.25
dark emotional mysterious sad tense
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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