Reviews tagging 'Violence'

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

79 reviews

jlazear's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Felt the twist was pretty predictable but over all a pretty good read 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Physical abuse, Drug use, and Drug abuse

coco78337's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Murder, Death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Blood, Child death, and Violence

Minor: Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Self harm, Bullying, Vomit, and Stalking

author2223'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
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Child death, Death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Suicide attempt

Minor: Self harm, Infidelity, and Domestic abuse

sydthewitch's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I love thrillers and I love trying to guess the twists. I did guess the main twist/reveal on about page 72, but even so, there were even more twists and revelations that I absolutely didn't see coming! As each aha is revealed, the clues and foreshadowing earlier in the book fall into place and make total sense, every detail accounted for. 

The characters aren't nece sarily lovable but are deeply imperfect in a relatable way. The author does a great job of depicting CPTSD and other mental health issues. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Addiction

Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Gaslighting, Child death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Minor: Kidnapping, Murder, Stalking, Gun violence, and Violence

ajanel98's review

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.75

It took me almost half the book before I really go into it. I found the beginning to be very slow and almost boring. It was an almost DNF but I powered through and finally finished it! The story really picked up about halfway through and I did enjoy the plot twist at the end! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Murder, Drug abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Sexual content and Violence

liv_brisson's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I don’t like the “is the MC really a reliable narrator?” Trope. I didn’t like it in in The Wives by Tarryn Fisher and here it’s not as bad, but still frustrating (if you liked that trope in The Wives, then this book is for you). 

I have also read so many books with the serial killer father trope and hate the overused & predictable ending of the narrator being the murderer who finishes what he started. This book doesn’t succumb to that end (thankfully lol). The interesting premise that keeps you on your toes is what saves this book from being a DNF/lower rating. 

Overall, I’m not mad at it. Though some of the trademark thriller twists & turns were a bit predictable, I did find it quite riveting a lot of the time! Many of the twists and turns were actually unexpected. The end resolve left a bit more to be desired for side character development & tying the ends of side plot lines, but I really enjoyed the last few lines & the full circle moment for the narrator.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Death, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual harassment

Minor: Blood

thismermaidreads's review

mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

This book starts with an unnecessarily triggering description of a mentally unwell teenage girl. I was able to mentally push past that just to get 80% of the way through the book where the main character does something I CAN’T stand in books and find incredibly unethical. So I know for those reasons I can't rate it higher than a 3...it's getting a two because quite frankly there were just too many oh my God I can't trust these people in her life and like i get it, but also like couldn't she have at least ONE person in her life who could be trustworthy? Oh she did...but yeah they weren't actually so this poor girl (woman) left the book with literally no ONE. Had that plot twist 80% of the way through NOT happened and she at least got a HEA I THINK I could have gotten up to a 3.5 4 star.

I just can't with people who use their horrific experiences as a reason to cheat on an otherwise loyal partner.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Medical content, Murder, Drug use, Abandonment, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence

easchesm's review

dark sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Drug use, Child death, Violence, Stalking, Physical abuse, Murder, and Kidnapping

Minor: Self harm

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was annoying in that the protagonist was annoying, but it was good in that it had an enough red herrings to keep me guessing. I would’ve preferred the ending to be a little happier, but I suppose it’s unrealistic to think it could be. Maybe I can think of it more like a lot yet but maybe later - something that gets worked out off the pages and after the story - like in an unwritten epilogue.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Confinement, Grief, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, and Violence

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Death, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Infidelity, and Violence