Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

64 reviews

katiemack's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This is fine but fairly predictable. The spooky elements are mildly interesting and fit the brief, but what I really want is more characterization--the characters feel more surface-level than I anticipated, and there are some side characters that didn't really need to be included. It is a decently fun mystery, though, and I don't regret reading it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, and Rape

Minor: Cancer and Death of parent

redefiningrachel's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Murder, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Infidelity, Grief, Gore, and Death

Minor: Drug use

mariakureads's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

Ok. A book this good shouldn't have taken me as long as it did but trying to read this at night in a home that makes weird sounds and then randomly nothing but silence creeped me enough to just read this during the day which thanks to work took longer than what even I wanted.

The duo POV from the two MCs took me a bit to get their names and timelines straight since one timeline is in the 80's and another in 2017 but once I had it sorted out, it was interesting to have both voices alternating chapters. One giving the reader the buildup and world building and the other working backwards to get where the other is leading.

St. James did an amazing job of keeping me in my toes. I really thought I had it figured out but the surprise twist was something I didn't see coming and I love that element of surprise. Honestly a fantastic read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Death, and Violence

Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Rape

boba_n_books's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

Told in a dual timeline, we follow Viv in 1982 and her niece, Carly, in 2017 as their lives follow a disturbingly similar path in the town of Fell and at the Sun Down Motel. Viv disappeared back in 1982 and has not been found since. No one else seems to care what happened to Viv, so Carly decides to go to the Sun Down and figure it out for herself. Back in 1982, Viv is trying to figure out why the Sun Down is haunted and what its ghosts are trying to tell her. 

I was held in suspense the entire time wondering what happened to Viv and how it's related to Carly in 2017, and the ending does not disappoint. I flew this creepy, paranormal novel! This is the perfect story to get you in the mood for spooky season. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, and Cancer

8bumblebee8's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness

matcha_cat's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Misogyny, Stalking, Death, and Murder

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Blood, Cancer, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Grief

jmkendall0218's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Stalking, Alcoholism, Child death, and Addiction

stories_of_the_soul27's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

This book had a good mystery, a sombre well created horrific atmosphere and some good supporting characters. What always intrigues me in this type of plot is what the contribution and thought process is of all the women in the story. Without giving away the plot I will say: props to the author for all the women characters in the story. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

nykolereads's review

adventurous emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

Minor: Death of parent, Cancer, Child death, and Stalking

bumblebre's review

mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault