Reviews with content warning for Addiction - Darling Girls

This book was honestly so good. I loved the pacing, and I couldn’t put it down because there was something new or mysterious in every other chapter. I loved the difference in perspectives to tell the same story and drive home the realtionship with the sisters. And the chapters with dr Warren kept me guessing for awhile!

I would have given this book 5 stars if it were not for some sad/gruesome themes that played out.

Overall such a good read.

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meghan_w's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

Wow. This one was a hard read. I typically DNF books with references to child abuse or death, but I felt connected to this one in a different way. Hepworth does a very good job approaching the topic delicately and also straightforward without graphic detail which I really appreciated. I wasn’t totally sure how I felt after finishing. The book was addicting, well written, satisfying plot, but saying I enjoyed a book with these themes is hard for me. What got me in the end was actually the acknowledgments after the book finishes. Hepworth talks about her research speaking to foster children, parents, etc. She speaks of the importance of remembering that for all the evil in the world, there is also good. She speaks to the importance of chosen family, which I speak about often as well. It’s because of this, that I am choosing to rate this 5 stars even with the darker themes.

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princessblueyes's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious 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

4.0

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cmvilleneuve's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

TW: abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, foster care

Holy. Sh!t. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Part of the twist I did figure out about half way through but my jaw is still on the floor from that ending. 🤯🤯🤯🤯

Content Warnings

minimicropup's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad 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? No

5.0

This was sad but also heart-warming 🥹

Energy: Shrewd. Resilient. Contemplative.

Scene: 🇦🇺 Fictional town of Port Agatha, near Melbourne, Australia

Perspective: We follow three sisters bonded through their foster care experience and estranged from their foster mother. Their stories are told through the past (growing up) and as adults returning to town after bones are found on the property. We also get the perspective of an unknown character speaking to their therapist about childhood trauma.

🐩 Tail Wags: The sisters. The accurate depictions of toxic traits and personality disorders. Easy listening audio narration.

🤔 Random Thoughts:

This book is sad, check content warnings! But the sad moments are balanced by the sisters’ resilience and their strong bonds. The depiction of narcissistic abuse, and how hard it is to report is so spot-on.

This is more of a story about the sisters and an examination of their life and the trauma of foster care, with mysterious occurrences and a touch of true crime suspense. I wouldn’t classify it as a thriller.

I liked the audio - the accents and narrator’s voices made the characters come to life in my mind.

That ending! Well done, I didn’t see that coming

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🤓 Reader Role: Listener and Empath. There in the room with the characters, feeling what they’re feeling as scenes unfold or are recalled.

🗺️ World-Building: Easy to picture the scenes and pick up on the energy in the room, almost cinematic.

🔥 Fuel: Why are the foster kids being treated this way? Will they report the abuse? Will they be believed? Who is the unknown person we overhear in their therapy sessions? What is the identity of the body found under the house? Was it accident or murder? How will things turn out for the girls, now women, as they go head-to-head with Ms Fairchild?

📖 Cred: Realism with chunks of hyper-realistic.

Mood Reading Match-Up:

-Music box. Whinnying horses. Flashlights under bed covers. Whispers. Giggles. Car tires on gravel.

-Psychological suspense with a touch of sapphic romance.

-Reflective stories about trauma and sisterhood.

Content Heads-Up: Parental/caregiver neglect, abandonment. Loss of caregiver. Loss of parent. Addiction, substance abuse. Foster care. Child abuse/torture (verbal, emotional, physical). Narcissistic abuse. Narcissism. Extortion. Trauma bonds. Sexual content (brief, consenting). Pedophilia (mention; brief). Kidnapping. Child murder. Suicide attempt.

Rep: Bisexual. Heterosexual. Lesbian. Cisgender. Brown and pale-skinned Australians.

📚 Format: Library Audio

My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶

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