Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

24 reviews

ksuazo94's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Child death, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Rape

Moderate: Grief, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Confinement, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

jpfortmiller's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Bullying, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Domestic abuse

Minor: Pedophilia

amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Mary Addison was convicted of murdering a white 3 month old when she was 9 years old. In a tale that twists and turns, we meet Mary after she went to baby jail and is now in a group home. The teenage girls are vicious, and Mary's only refuge is her volunteer gig at a nursing home where she met Ted. Through the plot, Mary decides the only way out is to tell the truth. Who will believe a child who murdered a child? 

This story was so heavy. I spent the majority of the book in tears. 

The ending made sense, even though it didn't tie up all the loose ends. Trauma changes the brain and Mary's been through so much. I hope her story ends with actual therapy and support as she has her baby

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

aprilbethp's review

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Abortion, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Grief

calamitywindpetal's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Murder, Violence, Racism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Grief

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Blood, and Sexual content

Minor: Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Abortion, and Lesbophobia

tbell0211's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Twisted up, but too conveniently packaged at the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Sexual content, Death, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Racial slurs, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Vomit, and Toxic relationship

onemorepagecrew's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Allegedly is yet another Tiffany D. Jackson book that had my complete attention.  In it we meet Mary, a fifteen-year-old girl who is in the care of a state-run home after serving six years in juvenile detention.  When she was 9 years old, the 3-month-old baby that her mother was babysitting was murdered … and all signs pointed to Mary.  

 

But did she do it?  That’s the question you’ll be wrestling with the whole time. 

 

I loved the psychological guessing game in this one. Mary is intellectually gifted and processing trauma, so as a reader it’s hard to know if you can trust her inner monologue at times.  Her mother is perceived as a church-going, good person but as a reader we see glimpses of other sides of her personality.  Mary’s state-employed caregivers are rarely in her corner and sometimes working against her best interests.  And her boyfriend is desperate to keep them together, especially now that Mary is pregnant. 

 

You’ll think you know Mary.  You’ll think you see what’s happening.  But if you’re anything like me when reading this, you’re in for a satisfying storyline and ending.  In the beginning of the book, I felt like the characters were misreading each other and at some point, I realized I was misreading them too.  I really love when authors subtly toy with the reader like that – it’s the finesse of a psychological thriller. 

 

This book was the debut from the author and has her classic style of waving societal issues into tense storylines that keep you turning the pages.  She has a gift and to see that her first novel was this strong is impressive. 

 

Content warnings: Child death, Child abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Child death, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Murder, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Vomit, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Domestic abuse, and Cursing

Minor: Abortion and Dementia

bookedandbusy's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was so good!

the plot twist was insane because I was fully convinced Mary was innocent!

I absolutely love Tiffany D. Jackson’s work! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Child death, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Homophobia, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

there’s a scene in which one of the people in the house finds a dead cat. This scene is extremely graphic and very upsetting. The aftermath is also graphic

yellowdays99's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

I’m honestly not sure how I feel about this book.  It just felt like it fell kind of short. Like the plot twist wasn’t really something that was a twist it was just like ugh really. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Rape, and Violence