Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

73 reviews

peggyt's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Abandonment

Minor: Murder

annawinters92's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide

law_8290's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I give this more than 5 stars. This may be my favorite thriller I have read to date now. This was my first Feeney book but it won't be my last. I am very curious to read her backlist now. The twists in this book, IMO, were NOT predictable. As soon as I thought I had things figured out, she took me on a whole different path which then veered off into yet another. There was even a twist you had to go back through to find. Brilliant 👏. The atmosphere in this book made it even better and fit the plot perfectly and gavebit major spooky vibes. My favorite book of 2025 so far.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Alcohol

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

jennnareads333's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Holy psychological thriller!!! Best book of the year!!! 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse

jgillaspie20's review

dark mysterious 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

3.5⭐️ - this book drew me in and kept me coming back, but it the twists and ultimately conclusion seems a bit far fetched. I am also struggling to decide if it’s a book meant to empower women, or meant to be critical of women… 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Child abuse and Child death

fallonf's review

dark 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? No

4.0

Wow this was my first time reading an Alice Feeney book and I really enjoyed it. The description of the Island of Amberly made me want to be there as I love the ocean and the beach. It definitely kept me on my seat the whole time and I could not put the book down. The plot twist near the end shocked me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Domestic abuse

britloveslit's review

dark mysterious slow-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Abandonment

Minor: Child death and Suicide

qynnderella's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I liked a lot of it, but the end left me sadder than I thought it would. I don't know what I'd rather it end with, but I wish it wasn't that. The mystery was good and I enjoyed piecing it together. Spent what felt like half the book screaming

it's only women on the island!!

before Grady figured that part out. 
Also so sick of the main characters in like every book being writers. Like, I get it- you're a writer, write what you know- but can we please have some variety. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Child abuse and Sexual assault

bregigler's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual violence

denisse_hg's review

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Suicide, and Toxic relationship