Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer by Jennifer Jordan, Liza Rodman

10 reviews

devynreadsnovels's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Addiction, Death, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual content, Drug use, Suicide, Rape, Child abuse, and Drug abuse

myantigone's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Murder, Sexual assault, Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Death, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Gun violence, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Cannibalism

foreverinastory's review

challenging informative slow-paced

3.0

This was interesting.

CWs: child abuse/neglect, murder, drug use/abuse, addiction, rape, sexual violence, emotional abuse, sexual assault, parental abandonment, domestic abuse, gore, dismemberment, violence, alcoholism, death, physical abuse, suicide, mental illness, adult/minor relationship, toxic relationship, blood, homophobia, f-slur, misogyny, sexual content. Moderate: animal cruelty, kidnapping, pedophilia, suicidal thoughts, torture, suicide attempt, injury/injury detail, fatphobia, body shaming, self harm, abortion, vomit, excrement.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Self harm, Abortion, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Body shaming, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, and Fatphobia

sblake26's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Addiction

thislibrarylife's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

4.0

This book has a great narrative feel, and I love the back and forth of perspectives. I was unfamiliar with Tony Costa, and this book has a really well-rounded view of him. TW for murder, rape, dismemberment, abuse, drug use, alcohol use... All the triggers. 
Recommend for folx who enjoy true crime, like I'll Be Gone in the Dark (McNamara). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

taiy's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

4.0

Interesting format and perspective to tell this story. Definitely a dark one all around. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence

kelligrace's review against another edition

dark

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

caseys_chapters's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

3.0

 The Babysitter left me with mixed feelings. Many recent true crime books blend memoir with journalism to provide both an emotional and factual account that wholly captivates the reader. This one fell a bit flat for me.

The chapters about Tony Costa were fascinating. They include rich (and sometimes disturbing) details that taught me a lot about a lesser-known criminal. I wish it included more hard facts over speculation, but understand that this isn't always possible.

The Liza chapters were far less gripping. Her childhood was undoubtedly heartbreaking, but too distant from the crimes to add much emotion or substance to the overall picture. It felt like two separate books at times. The connection between Liza and Tony was a bit forced and exaggerated by the title and premise.

Overall it is an interesting story with a unique perspective, but the execution fell short. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Addiction and Homophobia

molsreads's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

3.5

Part memoir, part serial killer true crime novel--The Babysitter: My Summers With a Serial Killer by Liza Rodman & Jennifer Jordan is told through Liza's first-person recollections of her summers spent in Provincetown often spending time with the local hotel handyman, Tony Costa, who, years later, she learns was a sadistic serial killer known as The Cape Cod Vampire.
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 What's heartbreaking and shocking about this story is that Tony, despite his brutal crimes,  is not portrayed as the only villain in this story. Liza's own mother is physically and emotionally abusive and deliberately cruel. 
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It's heartbreaking when one of the few people from Liza's childhood that showed her the most kindness is revealed to be a serial killer-- who was likely grooming her to be a future victim.
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I had never heard of Tony Costa so his story and gruesome crimes were completely new to me. It's not the best true crime book I've ever read, that honor is still held by American Predator but it is definitely worth a read for any true crime fans. 
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Thanks to @netgalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. 
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Since @jobis said true crime counts for the #50states50horrorbooks challenge; this is my choice for Massachusetts.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Violence

lilacsandliterature's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Thank you to Atria books for the advanced copy!

As a huge fan of true crime, I’ve heard of many cases but for some reason had never heard of Tony Costa, The Cape Cod “Casanova” or “Vampire.” This book was my first introduction to the serial killer, and now I’m scrambling to learn everything abut the case.

My two favorite genres are true crime and memoirs, and this book exceeded all expectations on both fronts. Told as a dual perspective between a young girl growing up on Cape Cod with a difficult mother and secrets of her own, but also following along with Tony, a young man newly married with many demons. I was enamored with this story from the very first pages and couldn’t put it down. It’s written so smartly, and keeps you engaged with every page as you clean motel rooms with Liza, jump in a truck with “Tony the handy man” to head to the dump, and dive deep into the life of a horrific serial killer.

If memoirs aren’t exactly your favorite genre but you devour true crime, you won’t be disappointed. The book tells of the graphic crimes of a seriously deranged man. This isn’t written for those who don’t want to know details, as every single one is described to the letter. There is also graphic sexual violence and drug use.

This will be a true crime novel I recommend to anyone interested in the subject. Informative but not written dry or like a text book in any capacity. I applaud both writers for diving deep into secrets and sharing so much with the audience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, and Violence