Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Sadie

Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Sadie by Courtney Summers

136 reviews

notbrhymes's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense

5.0

absolutely heart wrenching. this book is one of the best books I’ve ever read and also one of the hardest. The audiobook was absolutely incredible. Highly recommend, but definitely be mindful of the heavy topics discussed.

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awebofstories's review against another edition

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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

3.0

I tried reading this book a few years ago and quickly gave up. I thought this would stay a DNF, but I was convinced to try the audio, and--yes--that is the way to go on this! In fact, I wonder why this wasn't an audio-only release.

Let's start off with trigger warnings for violence, substance abuse, and child sexual abuse. These topics are hard, especially the last one, so take care.

I appreciated that Summers tackled this story head-on. There were so many possible exit ramps where Summer could have taken the easier, softer way out. Yet, she persevered and told a story that played out realistically.

I enjoyed the podcast setup for this, which is why I think that audio is the only way to go with this. They used a full cast instead of just one or two narrators, which made it feel more like a podcast than an audiobook, and most of the performances were strong (there were a couple of one-liners here and there that didn't land quite right but that's no big deal).

My frustrations with the book come more from my own preferences than from any shortcomings on the story's part. Sadie makes decisions that I think are incredibly stupid, although I recognize that they are decisions that a teenager would make. Generally, Young Adult is not a genre that I read right now, and this is a strong Young Adult book that sometimes reminds you that it is a Young Adult Book. While I would never knock a book for being what it is, it isn't something I enjoy.

I can recognize the many strengths of this book, and I would recommend it to others. It just wasn't the type of book for me right now.

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kbenavidez44's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

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directorpurry's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

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fatkidatheartreads's review against another edition

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dark emotional

5.0

4.75 stars rounded up.
My chest hurts. This was devastating. My chest hurts and I'm fighting tears. Oh Sadie!

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ida's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Journalist and podcast host West McCray is asked to find nineteen year old Sadie Hunter, who has gone missing after her younger sister Mattie was murdered. McCray follows her trail, interviewing the people who meet her, as she travels to avenge her sister's murder, but as he learns more of her story, it becomes clear that there is a much darker evil lurking under the surface.

Have you ever read a book and wanted to throw it at a wall? A book that made you sob while reading it? This book is that kind of book for me.

Sadie's story is so heartbreaking and I can't seem to stop thinking about her. She went through so much abuse and hurt and she just kept fighting.

The audiobook is a stroke of genius. With a cast of over 30, each character has its own voice. The book contains two point of views: Sadie and podcast host West McCray. Sadie's parts are visceral and she will get under your skin with her heart and courage. West McCray's parts take the form of podcast transcripts, but in the audiobook it's actually like listening to a real podcast, phone interviews and all, and it just works so well.

Some severe trigger warnings are needed for this book, including pedophilia, and at times I felt physically sick.
I honestly don't think I would have read this book, if I had known all the trigger warnings, but I'm glad I did, because it feels like I got to meet Sadie and I wouldn't have been without that experience for the world.

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