Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

12 reviews

kier__'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Grief, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Death, Animal death, Gore, Violence, Abandonment, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

eli99's review

dark mysterious fast-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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. The only thing was some of how it was writing was giving 2010s YA novels. The multiple references to Twitter and Reddit sometimes felt like they were bringing me out of the story. 

It only had one moment that truly felt scary. Very minor horror like the type you see in YA, but with an older author. Some cliches thrown in, buy that was expected. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Cannibalism, Toxic friendship, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Gaslighting, Torture, Grief, Stalking, and Gore

anissawren's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Cannibalism, and Death

Minor: Drug use, Eating disorder, and Religious bigotry

madelinequinnee's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

3.5

This was a fun read, but kind of predictable

I guessed that Satan was Vesper’s father a few chapters before the reveal, and I then again guessed she was going to be sacrificed at the end

However, this was still a fun read, and I think anyone looking into getting into horror, this would be a good start! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Death of parent, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Blood, Eating disorder, and Alcohol

tiddlerrr's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

I bought this book on a whim to keep me occupied for an afternoon train journey, which it succeeded in doing. However, I think it struggles to decide whether it is a comedy-horror or not, and personally I didn’t find it particularly scary/horrifying. After going into this blind about anything that happened I do think that’s the best way to experience it, as it is VERY predictable in places. The MC is also not likeable and I don’t think she is meant to be, however all of the progression/development/action seems to happen at the end whereas the first two thirds are largely filler. It was a decent read and kept me occupied for an afternoon, but I don’t think I’d ever read it again.

I do also think the satanic cult “twist” was a bit overdone and would have been scarier if it was a Christian cult or something else entirely. Lucifer being her absent father felt very tropey, and as a someone who is normally lover of tropes, I mean that in a bad way.

I also didn’t really understand the point of the epilogue, the whole thing just kind of…ends.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Abandonment, Kidnapping, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Grief, and Child abuse

Minor: Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, and Alcoholism

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

mysterious medium-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

0.25

this is one of the worst books i’ve read this year, and just in general. the plot is incredibly misleading. the very early “twist” should’ve been mentioned in the synopsis, if it was i never would’ve read this. i think books should 100% mention if there are supernatural aspects, because that is a huge part of the book and something i don’t usually enjoy. the characters were flat and none of them were tolerable. the major plot twist is incredibly silly and just juvenile to me. overall, i don’t think this was written well at all and it was just silly, and not in a good way.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Stalking, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Death, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Violence, and Addiction

mispaintedlady's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Grief, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Mental illness

charliebriggs96's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Grief, Animal cruelty, Blood, Gore, and Physical abuse

mandi_lea's review against another edition

dark funny reflective medium-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Sexual content, Grief, Cannibalism, Toxic friendship, Gore, Animal cruelty, and Fire/Fire injury

starrysteph's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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

A clever piece of comedic horror that takes complicated family dynamics to a whole new level.

Vesper left her isolated religious community at eighteen and is stumbling her way through adulthood a handful of years later, waitressing at chain restaurants and keeping everyone at a distance. But when she mysteriously receives an invitation to the wedding of her cousin & closest friend, she journeys home. Back to her callous film star mother, her crisis of faith, and the people she thought she would never see again. 

But as family secrets come to life, Vesper realizes she’ll have to face her community … and the truth of her upbringing.

I loved witnessing Vesper’s fight for independence, especially as more and more of her past memories are revealed. She’s cynical, sarcastic, and callous, but I found her likable and relatable. Her internal struggle is compelling, as she contemplates nature versus nurture and who she is outside of the bounds of family.

I do think the pacing was a bit off at times (too slow at the start - and too rushed in the second segment), and I would have loved more time exploring the family dynamics and getting to know the supporting characters. Constance (Vesper’s mom) in particular had a very choppy arc and I wanted to dig deeper there. 

It’s more dark humor than horror, though there are some supernatural elements (and a bit of gore) towards the final segments. Overall though, the tone is playfully sinister and it never takes itself too seriously. I really enjoy Rachel Harrison’s writing style - super easy to read and sarcastically delightful. 

CW: murder, animal death, blood, gaslighting, injury, gore, emotional abuse, fire, cannibalism, body horror, torture, grief, religious bigotry, abandonment, sexual harassment

Follow me on TikTok for book recommendations!

(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Blood, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Torture, Grief, Abandonment, Cannibalism, and Sexual harassment