Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

10 reviews

sea_tea_books's review

I wasn't interested in a ghost story at the time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Stalking, Rape, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Abandonment, Cancer, and Emotional abuse

skeptic_hecate's review

dark 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? It's complicated

3.75

I couldn't put it down, at least until almost the end. The Viv parts of the book were thrilling and told from the perspective of a very interesting, deeply caring, missunderstood and likable protagonist. Ther Varly chapters were not so great. 

Carly reads like a run of the mill "pick me girl", with extra "not like other girls" sprinkled on top. Where Viv used her brains and worked hard, Carly got deus ex machinas in the form of Heather and Nick. The entire character of Nick read too much like a romance book, which is a genre I am not fond of. I found myself wanting to skip Carly's chapters just so I could read more about Viv.

All in all, a decent read, I would read more of the author. I heard this book in audiobook format, and the avllet girl accent of the voice of Carly only made me loathe that character even more. I do however recommend it as a fast and exciting read to get out of a reading slump.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Child death

Moderate: Gun violence and Sexual harassment

thecriticalreader's review

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? No

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James is one of the worst books I’ve ever read. I bought it because I’ve seen quite a few people give it rave reviews, but I have to seriously disagree with their opinions. 

 

The book is split between two perspectives: the first is Viv, a twenty-year-old who relocates to Fell, NY in 1982 and mysteriously vanishes that same year. The second is Carly, Viv’s niece who moves to Fell thirty-five years later to investigate her aunt’s life and disappearance. I kept mixing up whose point of view I was reading because they both lack a distinct voice or personality. They are practically indistinguishable, as their only distinguishing trait is that they like true crime. Carly makes it known that she’s “not like other girls,” because she likes to read and learn about true crime. Any depth they have to them is filled to the brim with pure stupidity. They practically beg to get arrested, attacked, murdered, etc. as they wander about “investigating” murders with a wanton disregard for safety (of themselves and others) and the law. They justify their misinformed and risky “investigations” by claiming that they are trying to bring justice to overlooked murdered women, which is the pathetic excuse thriller authors use to distract the readers from the fact that their protagonists have neither the right nor reason to irresponsibly play amateur detective. 

 

The only reason Viv and Carly get anywhere in their endeavors is that the author sets up every possible plot convenience for them, most of them so ludicrously implausible that my eyes got stuck in the back of my head from rolling them so hard. I could go into specifics, but I’m afraid I would lose brain cells from recalling such stupidity. 

 

If you have any respect for yourself or real murder victims, don’t read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Grief, Misogyny, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Terminal illness

Minor: Sexual violence and Sexism

bookishbutch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Sexism, Death of parent, Stalking, and Child death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

bxnnny's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

greatly enjoyed the pace of the story, the plot, and the two different timelines coinciding. though it was pretty predicitable, it was enjoyable and i read through it in one day.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Stalking

Minor: Sexism, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Blood, Pedophilia, and Cancer

murder, paranormal activity, and violence against women are main themes. rape is mentioned several times as well as some mentions of cancer. there are brief instances of homophobia and sexism. pedophilia is implied as well.

theonlybaillie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Stalking, Death, and Sexual assault

Minor: Child death, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Violence

cmaples's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Rape and Sexual harassment

Minor: Mental illness, Cancer, and Homophobia

_forestofpages's review

dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Body horror

maddycumerlato's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

What. A. Ride. The Sun Down Motel is the perfect mix of Nancy-Drew murder mystery and old Hollywood “El Royale” influence.

The novel is split into two perspectives; the first, a young Vivian Delaney looking for a new start in NYC but ending up as a night clerk for a seedy motel, and the second, Vivian’s niece Carly who follows her footsteps 35 years later. The two stories interweave with each other as

both women search for the answer to a series of murders in the small New York town

. This structure, while it was a bit confusing to keep up with, was incredibly satisfying when one woman would learn something and the other slowly crept upon the same answer in a later chapter. So many loose ends coming together… nothing more satisfying than that!

The characters of this novel were strong and multi-faceted, realistic in their words and their actions, but not too overly developed (is that a thing? Personally I think it is, so we’re going with it).

I especially loved Officer Alma Trent and her kind sternness from the 1982 timeline, as well as rugged hotel guest Nick and friendly yet timid roommate Heather from the 2017 timeline.

Carly, on the other hand, reads a bit traditional “I’m not like other girls and love to read, how crazy!!1!1!1!1!1” which is… slightly off putting. But can be overseen!!

I absolutely love this book and i think it’s perfect for a bit of a spook!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Stalking

Minor: Cancer, Child death, Drug use, and Mental illness

maer's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing and Murder

Minor: Blood, Cancer, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Stalking