Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

172 reviews

rylee_marcoux's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Stalking, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Misogyny, and Murder

rachelmwhat'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

3.0

 This was a very different book for me based on what I've been reading. It was a little hard to keep straight the different POV's at the beginning, but that eventually gets a little easier. It was full of major suspense and it kept me turning the page. Do pay attention to any trigger warnings (r***, murder, torture, etc.) because there is a good amount of this book that actively describes what is basically torture porn. If you really like Criminal Minds and are into that sorta stuff this would definitely be up your alley!

Now it's time for me to go back to my happy romance for a bit lol

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Torture, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Blood, Gun violence, Gore, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Drug abuse

haleybre's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Suicide, Blood, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual content, Vomit, Violence, Body horror, Gun violence, Rape, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Gore, Grief, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Torture, and Trafficking

currentlyreadingandcrochet's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

2.5

My reading experience started off really strong and then took a steep dive off a cliff. There were some twists early on that really had me intrigued but then the twists stopped coming and it just became an overly-detailed drag. This book could have been A LOT shorter. 

I knew almost nothing about the storyline going into it except that it was going to be extremely depraved and dark. And it was! But it felt… pointless. Like it was just there for shock value and nothing more. Like, why? TELL ME WHYYYY. 

I will say the best part about this book was the father. I’ll leave it at that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Murder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Torture, Body shaming, Body horror, Confinement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Gore

Moderate: Sexual violence, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Infidelity

hugsy85's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

One of the most challenging books I have ever read. Be sure to read the trigger/content warnings before going into it as the content is incredibly graphic. Karin Slaughter is definitely one of my favorite writers and her ability to pull together this story ... It was heavy, descriptive to the point where you could visualize each aspect and feel like you were there in the moment - it was unnerving. I honestly don't know how I finished this one and will need to follow through with a lighter read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Murder, Misogyny, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Pedophilia, Stalking, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Rape, and Grief

Moderate: Drug abuse, Trafficking, Drug use, Fatphobia, Addiction, Car accident, and Cursing

Minor: Animal cruelty

savvynurse13's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Addiction, Blood, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Death, and Alcoholism

blairlynn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death, Blood, Sexual assault, Cursing, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Excrement, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, and Panic attacks/disorders

Spoiler Horrific, rape, kinky, bound age, teen age son video recorded all the murders, and what took place before death. shackled, when the main person died, the son took his place.

cma048's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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

Very dark, but fast paced. Relatively predictable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Murder, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Drug abuse, Cursing, Confinement, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Rape, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Medical content, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Mental illness, Vomit, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Suicide, Gore, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Death

sarah_amy's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

Loved this so much! And hated it too, but for all the right reasons. There were twists and turns in just about every chapter and I never knew what I was going to be surprised with next! I was taken surprise by each revelation, which never happens for me and I never knew who to trust. Only complaint is it was almost too graphic to stomach. If it hadn't been so well written and I didn't care about the characters, I might have stopped. Lots of very graphic torture, violence & death. Be warned. I have a headache and I've had dreams about this book. But it was so good. I'm very confused how I should be feeling haha. My first and probably not my last Karin Slaughter book, but I'll definitely be needing a palette cleaner in between.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Child death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Kidnapping, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Torture, Death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Cursing, Dementia, Alcoholism, Car accident, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Abandonment, Grief, and Addiction

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

I can’t decide how to rate this book. It includes some of the most disgusting and depraved ways a person can possibly think. It’s so dark. I didn’t realize how awful it was going to be until it was too late. The only reason I was able to keep reading was because the two women at the center were worthy of rooting for. Ultimately, it’s a four instead of a five for me because there were parts that were too unbelievable and too sadistic, and I don’t ever want to be mistaken as condoning violence against women for any reason.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Fatphobia, Dementia, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Suicide, Abandonment, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Child death, Mental illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Medical trauma, and Rape