Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain

18 reviews

powellki's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I enjoyed the premise of this book, I enjoyed the beginning mystery. I wanted to know what had happened to Elora as badly as Grey did. There were a few twists and turns in the book I didn't see coming, especially the last hour of the audiobook. I am very disappointed with the ending because it turned into a very twisted love triangle (that had been hinted at throughout the book), and ends with the unnecessary death of multiple characters. I was also unhappy with the epilogue because it ends ambiguously. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Blood and Alcohol

cbbyles07's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

Minor: Pedophilia

Very descriptive regarding hurricane, hurricane prep (may be triggering for someone that has weather related Phobias)

spaghettii's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

4.5

I'm not sure how I feel about mixing psychic stuff with a murder mystery but it was pulled off really well!

Okay so I suspected Hart because he just wasn't suspicious-- which is suspicious. Evie though?? Absolutely not that was a complete shock.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

debussy's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Vomit

anniereads221's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Physical abuse, Suicide, Vomit, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

whatrhireads22's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Gun violence, Suicide, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury

hannahadamson's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this one. It was very atmospheric and the mystery aspect was really interesting. I absolutely loved the small town setting and I didn't know who to trust the whole time which kept things exciting.
I've been really enjoying dark, mystery books recently and this book gave exactly that.
 
However, the plot was very slow to unravel. Looking back on this, not a lot really happened. Therefore, I think this book could have been 100 pages shorter. I spent most chapters wanting more from it. For example, a lot of chapters would end on an exciting cliffhanger, but then the next chapter didn't resolve any of it.
Also, I really didn't like the scenes between Grey and a certain character.

(Hart)

It just felt like the same conversation was repeated over and over again 
Also I found that the ending wrapped everything up a little too quickly for me. The whole book was quite slow paced but then the big reveal at the end was over in a flash! And thats the best part of a mystery book, so I wish we'd spent a little more time there. 

In addition to this, I didn't really like any of the characters and I don't think them being psychics added much to the story, I think i'd have preferred this book if the supernatural elements of the book weren't there. 

Having said all that, I did read it really quickly and there were lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing and the reveal at the end did genuinely surprise me! Overall, if you're looking for a supernatural, small town mystery with a really dark and atmospheric setting I think you would enjoy this and I will definitely be picking up Ginny Myers Sain's books in the future! 

make sure to check the trigger warnings before reading this one! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder

ladylivs's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

’m not sure what’s spookier; the unexplainable circumstances around our main character’s best friend Elora’s disappearance, the obtuse comments from all the dozens of psychics in this Louisiana bayou, or the literal storm on the horizon. (Or maybe I’m pushing up the creepiness of the storm because of Hurricane Ida’s monstrous damage to the homes and livelihoods of so many people.) 

Grey spends her summers on a tourist island off the coast of Louisiana, a “self-proclaimed Psychic Capital of the World.” But this summer is different because 6 months ago her best friend disappeared, and no one knows exactly what happened to her. Grey starts searching for answers and only gets more questions, although as she begins to discover secrets and acknowledge hard truths, they may be more horrifying than she’s ready for. The biggest question and truth of all: is Elora dead and gone for good, and did someone kill her?

This gothic horror started almost too slow for me, but about a quarter of the way through it really snagged my attention and didn’t let go. It’s dark, suspenseful, emotional, and absolutely enthralling. The writing really makes you feel sweaty and hot, like you too are in a swamp dying of heatstroke and swatting mosquitos away while monsters prowl around you in the dead of night. For those of you who bemoan them, you should know there is technically a classic YA love triangle, but since there’s a whodunnit quality around whether we like the potential love interests, I personally forgave the author for the inclusion. 

If you read it and especially if you like or love it, I’d recommend looking up mutual aids for the Louisiana bayou since their Hurricane Ida recovery will be a long and hard process.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail