Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

51 reviews

bookswithlauren's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

I am wavering between a 3 star rating and a 3.5 star rating for this final book in the series.

My favourite thing about this series is how well planned and thought out each and every element is across all three books. There is always a connection, a deeper meaning, something to look further into and it is brilliant. However, this book is definitely my least favourite in the series for multiple reasons.

The first half is a slow burn and I really enjoyed it. We delve into Pip struggling with her mental health following the events from the second book and it is real and insightful. We explore PTSD, Anxiety, Addiction and Depression and how these have also had an impact on her relationships between her friends and family. It was well written and I am glad Pip was not just simply fine after everything she has been through.

There are two twists around the halfway marker in this book, one being the identity reveal for a serial killer and the other being what Pip does about it. Up until this point, I had not entirely worked out any of the twists Holly Jackson had written in her books and I enjoyed this uncommon occurrence for me but in this instance, I did work out the identity of the serial killer quite quickly. I did not mind working out a twist before it occurred, what I did mind was a character we have spent two and a half books getting to know and like acting completely out of character. I feel like the second half of the book had a much darker and far fetched tone and I was not a fan. I still finished the book as I wanted to know how the storyline was being played out but it was not the best choice in my opinion. All the characters we have grown to know and love seem to have a complete change in their morals and beliefs, especially Pip and I did not enjoy it. It made the second half of the book unrealistic and far-fetched to me.

The ending also aggravated me, for Pip to drag her friends into everything, for them to be so incredibly loyal to her and for her to just ghost them, not okay with that and not something Pip would have done. I think this particular storyline would have worked more if Pip's mental health had more to do with it but there was never any connections made between her mental health and her actions.

I still really enjoyed the series and would recommend the first two books to anyone and everyone but I feel this third instalment is a bit like marmite, you either love it or you hate it. I have said it in my other reviews and I will say it again here, the audiobooks for this series are incredible, immersive and impressive. Highly recommend listening over reading for sure!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Grief, Rape, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Animal death, Death, Gore, Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Addiction, Blood, and Torture

lais's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Stalking

Moderate: Drug abuse, Animal death, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Death, Sexual violence, and Animal cruelty

holliesatchell's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Car accident, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Sexual assault, Stalking, Vomit, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, and Panic attacks/disorders

mganallirt's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Murder, Vomit, Stalking, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Blood, Violence, Torture, Gore, and Gaslighting

theromanticace's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Death, Blood, Grief, Violence, Drug use, Confinement, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Stalking, Torture, Vomit, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Rape

criticalbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Gore, Murder, Stalking, Rape, Gaslighting, Grief, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Violence, and Vomit

bookish_kori's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Blood, Death, Murder, Gore, Violence, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Vomit

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cursing, Rape, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement

Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty

abi_ineedtoreadmore's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Grief, Car accident, Death, Addiction, Stalking, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, and Physical abuse

skyegbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

Holly Jackson doesn't leave a stone unturned. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Rape, and Drug use

cepbreed's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.75

I did not think this series could continue in a meaningful way, I'll be honest. The second book was great, but certainly had a dip in quality compared to the first book, so I was expecting the third installment to be even worse. I was mistaken to the most severe definition of the word. Pip is an amazing character whose arc fully rounds out in a way both expected and unexpected from the moment you first pick up the series. Jackson artfully interconnected every character's plot line in this story in an almost incomprehensible way. I swear she must have had the entire series mapped out from the beginning, it is crafted that masterfully. I have to wake up at 3:30 in the morning but at this point I don't care. I picked up this book at 10:30 and could not put it down for the life of me.

From the second I read that Pip had turned back to face Jason Bell my heart dropped. I stared at the book in my hands, too in shock to comprehend that I was holding it open to the middle. Meaning Pip's story was far from over. After that point I was pulled in every direction, I felt my heart beat against my ribs as if I were Pip herself. I just have to applaud Holly Jackson. I am in awe.

Ranking of the books: As Good As Dead, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Good Girl Bad Blood

Song:

• Power & Control - Marina and The Diamonds 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Stalking, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Drug abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Gun violence