Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

65 reviews

abbyjme's review

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.0

Going into this book, I felt the first few chapters real little slow, but it was all worth it for the way that I fell in love with all of the main characters. I truly admired how the story explored parenting and how the effects of our upbringing last a lifetime. Not even just parenting, but how literature can raise a child. 

I saw the review VE Schwab left for this book and I could agree more “ Clever,dark, and hopeful—a love letter to reading, and the power that childhood stories have over as long after we’ve grown up”

I’m not gonna spoil anything but let’s just say I was happy scream crying while reading the last few chapters.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, and Abortion

boop123's review

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad 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: Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, and Grief

Minor: Miscarriage and Pedophilia

gogglor's review

hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing slow-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

3.75

Been looking for something like House on the Cerulean Sea that doesn’t turn into a Hallmark movie, and this is it. Took a really long time to get going and it did sometimes veer into sappy, but on the whole it was a very sweet book and I enjoyed reading it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, and Grief

Minor: Alcoholism and Pedophilia

notbrhymes's review

emotional hopeful

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

5.0

I cried my way through this book.
What a beautiful, beautiful story brimming with love and whimsy and so much humanity. My heart was broken and repaired multiple times throughout this novel and I think it is such a feat when an author can accomplish that while also having an otherwise interesting story. 
I read this in one sitting and I couldn’t be happier that I decided to ignore the other books that I had due back to the library much sooner & I picked this one up instead.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Cancer

karapillar's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Eating disorder

readingwithmeredith's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Minor: Miscarriage and Medical content

Super minor language, child neglect/wounds from parents for multiple characters

bbbarttt's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

scarlettrogue's review

adventurous challenging funny mysterious medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Miscarriage

mdavis26's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

kedalrymple's review

lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

This was a delightful and easy read.  I couldn’t get over the Willy Wonka plot, and at times it felt like the author was just piling on trauma and grief for character backstories because there isn’t a lot to the plot. Even so it’s a gentle book that’s perfect for a beach or a rainy day. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Medical content

Minor: Miscarriage and Pedophilia