Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

13 reviews

mal_reads_books's review

dark funny mysterious slow-paced

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

1.0

2 stars for the “twist”, minus 1 star for the following comment in the book out of spite:

"The woman bore her bitterness like a badge; the kind of person who writes one-star book reviews."

Reading this book felt like a chore. The main couple was whiny and insufferable. Everyone was a lying POS except for Bob the Dog. The buildup was extremely slow and boring; nothing happened until about 60-70% in. I didn’t feel the tension that was supposed to be there. Much of the story didn’t make sense and was laughably stupid at times. I mean, the couple played rock, paper, scissors multiple times to decide whether to get divorced, despite knowing their relationship’s been awful for years.

I didn’t expect this to be “life-changing” or anything like that. I was hoping for something quick and entertaining, neither of which I felt about this book.

Audiobook note: The narrator for Adam’s chapters did a good job, even for the female speaking parts. I didn’t care for the Amelia narrator’s delivery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma

Moderate: Infertility, Infidelity, Animal cruelty, and Mental illness

Minor: Suicide and Animal death

Bob the Dog doesn’t die. Amelia works at an animal shelter and describes the abuse and poor conditions in which the animals arrive. A shelter dog dies, which upsets Amelia.

sharlapeggy's review against another edition

challenging 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Loved it. Gripped me from start to finish and had so many fun twists and turns that were unexpected. Read in 24 hours!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Suicide, Death of parent, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Murder, Car accident, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Stalking

rsagarin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Car accident, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Infertility

Moderate: Child abuse, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Medical content, Death, Classism, Pregnancy, Murder, Grief, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Cursing, and Violence

candaaaace'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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Blood, Infertility, Murder, and Mental illness

cwerber's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.0

<spoiler > 

*sigh*

Was I supposed to like anyone in this book? 

Except for Bob. I love Bob. 

But other than that, everyone was terrible.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Car accident, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Infertility, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders

grace33's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Infertility

Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, Infidelity, and Car accident

mackescalona's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Death, and Infidelity

Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

joisaddler's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Grief

Moderate: Miscarriage, Child death, Mental illness, Death, and Infertility

Minor: Miscarriage, Murder, Abortion, and Suicide

julienicole1106's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Car accident, Mental illness, Murder, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Violence, Abandonment, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship

vereadsbooks's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

 

I was excited to read this. The cover is very pretty, and the title hooked me from the beginning. But the story disappointed me a bit.

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. 

The book is alright, and I have enjoyed it. I was intrigued by the letters and the marital relationship. In addition to the atmosphere, which I must highlight. Because it really added to the mystery and created this cold, isolated, creepy vibe that made me think this book could turn into something more unearthly.

Some of the plot twists were easy to guess, so I decided to sit back and wait to see if my predictions were correct and enjoy the denouement of the story.

But the ending was not what I expected. The book is well built until the first big reveal, and then we have the other plot twists. But nothing more, and it's fine. Because it's a domestic thriller, and usually most of these thrillers are that way. It was my mistake to assume this was different.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Mental illness, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent