Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

If You Tell by Gregg Olsen

39 reviews

abbeyreadsthings's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense

0.5

Just… no. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Murder, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Torture, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Excrement

cardlikecredit's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

4.5

This book was intense. Well written so that it flowed more like a narrative than just straight non-fiction. Keeps you hooked until the very end. Read with caution though, the details are really tough.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Fatphobia, Confinement, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Death of parent and Excrement

courtneywojo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Torture

priscillarobock's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Medical content, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Slavery, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Bullying, and Toxic relationship

dale1997's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Torture, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Child abuse, Murder, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence

maddness22's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

0.25

I do not respect this book in the slightest. It's an attempt to capitalize on one family's horrible tragedy during the height of the true crime fascination. This is poorly written without any substance to the cruelty it outlines. There's no additional psychological insight into the mother's sadistic nature, no actual mention of the "bonds of sisterhood" until the final 10% of the book and even then it's a rather weak grab, and the timeline of events is written in the worst and most confusing manner. This was literally just composed for shock value and really only lists the acts of crimes committed by the narcissistic and sadistic mother and her pathetic husband. 

If it was meant as a warning for Shelly's release or even as a toolkit for others to recognize how severe abuse can be so subtle in its nature to integrate so fully in a victim's life, the message could've been conveyed with about 200 less pages and repetitive drawn out torture scenes. However, these lessons are barely conveyed successfully anyways. The writing is vague, confusing, and the author truly uses the word "niggled" un-ironically at one point. Like? Seriously? That's not even a real word and it sounds childish at best. 

Skip this shock value torture nonsense. Just know their mother was vile and we need to believe in victims. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Child abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

csmoke85's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

csimonsensays's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Grief, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Violence

anusplugger's review

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• 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

4.5

This story was truly heartbreaking to read and to know that these were true events were frightening. There are people out there who are like Shelly out in the world living without facing any consequences for their sadistic actions and it's so sickening . My heart goes out to all of the victims and victims family who were involved in all of this. There were moments in the story where I got frustrated with the victims because I kept thinking this was all fictional, but I had to take a deep breath to remember that these were true events. And if I were in their shoes, I myself would have done the same as them. However some people in the story should have been more involved and should have taken more action.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Self harm, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Torture, Violence, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Suicide attempt

serenaann's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Blood, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Abandonment, Child death, Sexual violence, Violence, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Murder, Sexual harassment, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Vomit, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Addiction, Cursing, Excrement, Medical trauma, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Gun violence