Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

106 reviews

sldibened's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

opplecopter's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

If you like books that read like a Lifetime movie, you’ll love this one. I was expecting a thriller and just got a drama. I’m surprised this book was so popular in my book groups because I honestly wish I had left this as a DNF a long time ago. The first 100+ pages is about Amber Patterson and told from her perspective. I almost put the book down at this point because this part felt absolutely endless. Amber is a 20 something year old pathological liar who rambles on and on about how unfair her life is because she doesn’t have loads of money, material possessions, connections, popularity, power, influence, etc. Poor Amber is just a victim in her own eyes and she goes above and beyond to portray herself as such. She’s whiny, selfish, immature, and extremely annoying. Amber is determined to have a life of privilege, wealth, designer clothes, expensive jewelry, and being admired by those around her along with a husband who is not only loaded but who will basically be putty in her hands. She “accidentally” meets Daphne Parrish. A beautiful woman in her late 30s who has all these things. Daphne has a perfect life, a perfect family, and a perfect husband, Jackson, who adores her. She has an exquisite home, a staff, a charity foundation, and more. Even Daphne’s home, closets, cabinets, everything is perfectly organized, placed, equally spaced, and spotless. Amber of course is furious. How dare someone else have nice things while she lives in an apartment, right? So, Amber targets Daphne with a plan to ingratiate herself into her life and ultimately to take her place as Mrs. Parrish. Lots of lies, scandal, manipulation, and secrets come out as this story progresses. Overall, I found this very boring. There was no excitement. It all felt very contrived. Yeah there was a twist that I found to be ok,  and people get their just deserts, but it fell short for me. Once the twist was revealed, it felt like this book dragged on and on and at 400+ pages, that was a lot of dragging. It didn’t leave an impression on me and the 3 stars I gave was being generous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Gaslighting

Minor: Gun violence and Forced institutionalization

sourpout's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

em_pay22's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

antidietleah's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

Good psychological theory. Walked away thinking, wow, these people are messed up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

megs_readstoomuch's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Confinement, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Abortion, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

kb_06's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

1.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

viwilliams's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Classism

Minor: Incest, Infertility, and Death of parent

a_love35's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.0

Overall I liked this. The first half of the book dragged on and I nearly quit it. Once a different POV is introduced it became really interesting and I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook. Love when events are recounted from different perspectives and each sides motives become apparent only to the reader. I understand some folks complaints about the writing seemed forced at times - I could see that, but I still enjoyed it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

Moderate: Eating disorder, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting

readliketay's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Started off really strong, ending fell flat. I also guessed the twist which tends to ruin a thriller for me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting