Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell

19 reviews

ezrazoe4's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

Admittedly I will be biased towards this book because I love eldritch main characters trying to blend into society. That wasn’t exactly what happened, but I love it all the same. 

I love Shesheshen. Although I do wish we could’ve gotten more on Homily’s thoughts about Shesheshen basically eating her whole family, Catharsis in particular? That was the death Shesheshen directly caused. Nevertheless.

I really like the weird creepy monster biology. I like that the author really leaned into it and didn’t try to humanise her too much. Usually I’m not a fan of instalove, but I donno. The way this was written made me like it. Probably because it started as a big crush, then grew quickly into love? I can’t really wrap my head around it. 

Also omg sapphic ace lesbians??? I’m so happy. 

I genuinely did not guess that the Baroness was also Shesheshen’s mother? That was some reveal.

Anyway, in conclusion, good standalone sapphic fantasy with a lot of horror elements. I like it. Would love if there were more books like this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Violence, and Torture

temperamentalprotagonist's review

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Body horror, and Child death

Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Homophobia

terriaminute's review against another edition

dark emotional lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

I took my time reading this novel, because the author has a clever way with words and I didn't want to miss anything. :) 

If you've ever felt that monsters get a bad rap, this novel is for you! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Bullying, Death of parent, Child death, and Violence

abookwormspov's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

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

5.0

This was an absolute joy to read! Love me an asexual blob girlfriend

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Death, Blood, Grief, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Cannibalism, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Violence, Stalking, Torture, and War

bglenners's review

adventurous funny fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Child death

Minor: Physical abuse

bebidocrimes's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Usually I don't think 'cozy' and 'horror' mix well, but this book had such a beautiful balance. The action was brutal and detailed, but the relationship felt so soft and genuine. I'm not the right person to speak on asexual representation, but I feel like this does justice to ace couples.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death of parent, Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing, Abandonment, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia, Pregnancy, and Classism

gawdz0rz's review

dark funny medium-paced

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

5.0

legitimately a fantastic book about finding love, learning how to deal with new relationships, and overcoming trauma, but with a monster twist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Death, and Gore

Moderate: Physical abuse and Blood

Minor: Child death

pm_me_book_recs's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death, Excrement, Gore, Child death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gaslighting, Body horror, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Classism

rambles's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny reflective fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A delightfully weird book. The ending dragged a bit but I get what the author was going for. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Death, and Child abuse

kitsuneheart's review

dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

5.0

 

Cross-cultural relationships rely on clear communication and not making assumptions. Shesheshen, a blob monster, learns this when she realizes her new human girlfriend, Homily, doesn’t consider laying your eggs in your partner so they may be eaten alive by your young…to be the logical goal of dating.

Somehow, as a reader, I’m with Shesheshen on this. Infest me, Mommy.

This is definitely a pick for queer readers with family trauma. Despite this book being about a ravenous blob-monster on the run, so much of the real drama and interest is about Homily’s ruthless family, and how they have left scars on her past.

It’s also a rather asexual romance, where the asexuality is not a point of tension, which I really appreciate.

Somehow, I found this book almost cozy. The horror definitely comes through in the end, but I was so much more invested in Homily and Shesheshen’s romance and latching onto their every scrap of domestic bliss. I loved the end, and felt quite satisfied. There doesn’t need to be more. It’s just…nice. Very nice.

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Bullying, Blood, Body horror, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Body shaming, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia, Animal cruelty, and Death of parent