Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

40 reviews

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

A vastly gripping psychological thriller that packs punch after disturbing punch of twisted lies and chilling in-depth details about a young woman’s disappearance.

Claire and Lydia, estranged sisters brought back together by another tragedy, embark on a journey almost twenty-five years old as new clues come to light about their older sister, Julia, who went missing when she was nineteen and was never found. Nothing is as it seems as present begins to connect rather ominously with the past.

This was my first Karin Slaughter book and man, did it deliver. It’s definitely a very dark book that seems to get darker with each shocking turn, not shying away from grisly facts or chilling thoughts. The writing was intense, fast-paced, evocative. Slaughter’s words made the story so vivid and realistic, my heart pounding the whole way through as if I were one of Julia’s sisters, too. 

If you’re a fan of Gillian Flynn, you’ll also devour this one. I found their writing styles quite similar and engaging.

I loved the way this story played out, the different story arcs that came to fruition. Of course, the subject matter is even more sinister then you’d imagine out the gate, but it was used so well in this one. 

I suspect I will be thinking of this book for a long time!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Dementia, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Body horror

rachelparker's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

lauramparis's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Car accident

nicole_cob_reads's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

dakotahrey's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

This book made me afraid to sleep at night. The writing is beautifully done and I can see why it had raving reviews. I love that the story is told from many perspectives that are valuable to the story and the character's lives.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Abandonment

febeleest's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

rachaelallyn's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

maddiegrace's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

crashiebang's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.25

Mind the content warnings - but a really well-written thriller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Police brutality, Car accident, and Abandonment

lesbianelvira's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

i was so close to setting this book down and never returning to it because the torture depicted got so increasingly graphic and harrowing. i’m glad i didn’t, i needed the ending that came. also glad that this isn’t getting a film or tv adaptation like one of slaughter’s other books (which i have yet to read), it would be so painful to watch and agonizing for the actors to portray. these characters, like those in the lovely bones, will remain in my memory as placeholders for the countless people— including my child self —who suffer from and are lost to violence. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Excrement, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment