Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

50 reviews

amurray1996's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I don’t have the words to describe this book properly. It was one of the best books I’ve read, ever. Heartbreaking, grueling, tough read at the beginning. But turns into painful angst, healing from trauma, and becoming an unconventional but tragically beautiful love story. This book was flawless, and is one of those stories that sticks with you long after. I’m in awe. Not to mention, the writing was incredibly well done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Addiction, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, Self harm, Alcohol, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content

reddeddy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Cursing, Confinement, Grief, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Murder, Abandonment, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Stalking, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Medical trauma, Abortion, Blood, Dementia, Alcohol, and Gore

Minor: Gaslighting, Medical content, Pregnancy, Car accident, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, and Incest

fink1129's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Murder, Grief, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Rape, Confinement, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Animal death, Dementia, Pregnancy, and Vomit

coglelauren's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Rape, and Violence

kimkybooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I’m trying to gather my thoughts and feelings on this.. and put them into words. 

“𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐝 — 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭, 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞.”

This was like one big trip down PTSD lane and it was beautiful yet heart wrenching. 

Cora and her brother in law, who she despises are being held captive by a serial killer. 

They try to survive for 3 weeks in horrible circumstances and become each others lifeline. 

“𝐈’𝐦 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧..”

While reading this book you get a little glimpse of how people try to survive after trauma. When you are still mentally chained and unable to get free. When you are trying to float but feel life is pulling you under and you’re drowning. Every day. The romance isn’t easy, nothing about this story is. It’s complicated, raw and messy. 

I wouldn’t say this is a dark romance perse but this is definitely trigger heavy, especially in the trauma department. Some potential triggers: 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙚, 𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙪𝙡𝙩, 𝙨𝙪𝙗𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙚, 𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨, 𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚, 𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙚, 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙏𝙎𝘿.

The reason why I rated it 4,5 stars is that I might have preferred it to be a non-HEA.. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Alcoholism

dontbechey20's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book absolutely DESTROYED me in every way possible...and has become one of my favorite books because of it. I initially tried so hard to not like this book. Seriously! I was fighting it. It's beyond messed up to fall for your sister's fiance after he is forced to do unspeakable things to you after being kidnapped together...right?! WRONG! Jennifer did such an impeccable job unraveling the story of Dean and Cora, both as enemies and lovers. 

One of my favorite things about this book is how raw and real it is. It's not an insta-love story that works out perfectly. It has glaringly obvious and frustrating bumps along the way, which makes the love between Dean and Cora feel so real and authentic. As a reader, I was THROWN every which way with my emotions. I spent the entirety of this book crying, laughing, swooning, and yelling from pure and utter frustration. 

Authors can very quickly and easily fall into a "pit" of trauma and pain. Writing a story stemming from pain, dispair, and trauma can be easy. Jennifer seamlessly joined two timelines together to tell the love (and hate) story between Dean and Cora. She somehow brings awareness to dark, heavy, and deep topics, while simultaneously keeping the book hopeful and hauntingly beautiful. I was honestly worried the entire book was going to be focused on the abduction, so as I got through the first chapters that were utterly disgusting (in the best way possible), I was worried Jennifer was only going to hone in on the ugly. To my surprise, she pivoted the story rather quickly to focus on the part of the story a lot of people avoid - the recovery. That is why this book is so powerful. 

This book is not meant for everyone, but if you can find the mental space and capacity to read it, please do. You will not regret it. It will leave you aching, crying, and in love with both characters individually and together. Also, this book is NOT focused on the spice. Expect spice (don't worry, it gets better), but that is not the focus of this story. 

Quote from the book: "I know I said you’re holding me underwater but you’re the only thing keeping me afloat." I CAN'T!! How can you read that and not fall in love?! 

BRB, going to see if I can find a matching necklace, because I need to torture myself every single day with a reminder of a chef kiss of a book boyfriend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Sexual content, Rape, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Self harm, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

Minor: Abandonment and Alcohol

kelseyfreeman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Body horror, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Death, Torture, Violence, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, and Blood

aliceloyallaleon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Violence, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Dementia, Grief, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Car accident, Rape, and Self harm

firequeen_ash23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I went into this book blind and I'm glad I did. It wasn't what I expected. (in a good way)
I loved the characters, well most of them and thought the author did a great job with writing about the trauma and the healing. 

I honestly wasn't sure if this book was going to be a HEA especially with all the stuff that happens to Cora and Dean. They go through a very traumatic event and aren't sure if they're going to survive or not. It's a very emotional book. I think the way the author turns the book around and is able to show what love should be when it's healthy was beautiful. 
I know I cried a time or two because the book just spoke to me in a way you want your romantic type of books to do. I think the author did a fantastic job at makin  the readers experience several different emotions throughout the book which in my opinion is the best because if I'm not feeling sad, angry, happy and overjoyed at one point in the book, was it really that good? I need my books to connect to my emotions and feelings. That's how I know I really enjoyed the book. 

Not to mention after everything that Dean and Cora experienced together, they deserved a HEA. I was also glad that Mandy got her happy ending as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Confinement, Cursing, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicide

Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

emilyreadstoomuch's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

2.25

very unique book, but it tried too hard and also was somehow not enough at the same time. don't know why when they were screaming at the abductor, of all the horrible things he did that they could've thrown in his face they just kept calling him fat?? they were like "you are FAT" like why not murderer, rapist, creep, etc.????? so insane. also it was just annoying at parts where cora was soooo not like other girls and mandy was villainized for no reason at times lmao mandy was a really terrible person though. this had a TON of potential like i could see the vision so clearly but was honestly underdeveloped. very fake deep!!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Infidelity, Gore, Gun violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Murder, Misogyny, Violence, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Cursing, Confinement, Blood, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Torture, Rape, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting