Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

White Horse: A Novel by Erika T. Wurth

19 reviews

blackcatkai's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.0

I don't think I'm the biggest fan of the ending overall and the story was a bit slower paced. the descriptions were pretty great & I enjoyed the horror aspects. it had some fun nods to Stephen King & his work and I was definitely uncomfortable & tense in a few different moments so bravo! I would definitely pick up more of Wurth's work in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Gore, Violence, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Body horror, Alcohol, Addiction, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Domestic abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Ableism, and Gun violence

Moderate: Medical content and Sexual assault

yuyuv's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Drug use, Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Cursing, Addiction, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Car accident

zoracious's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Alcohol, Murder, Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Death of parent and Death

what_karla_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Drug use

Moderate: Death of parent and Drug abuse

Minor: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Incest, Gun violence, and Gaslighting

julied's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Addiction, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Sexism, Vomit, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

adriso's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I really enjoyed this book as a decompressing read, from lore and the mysterious atmosphere to the characters. Kari James is my favorite and an iconic resemblance of a woman I aspire to grow into. The puzzles and trials she goes through to uncover what happened to her mother while facing her past are inspirational and tense though watching her heal along the way is extremely rewarding.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Murder, and Drug use

Moderate: Body horror, Car accident, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Toxic relationship and Suicidal thoughts

ericarobyn's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

3.5

White Horse by Erika T. Wurth is a tale of secrets that refuse to stay buried…

Kari is an urban indigenous woman that wears black ripped jeans and band t-shirts, loves listening to metal, and always has a horror book on hand. Kari grew up filled with hatred toward her mother as she believed her mother had left her when she was just two days old. Filling the empty space with drugs and alcohol, Kari’s life isn’t on a great trajectory. But when her cousin brings her an old bracelet that has been in the family for a very long time, all of Kari’s core beliefs are shaken and it forces her on a new path.

Suddenly haunted by visions and the ghost of her mother, a fire is ignited in Kari. From there, it’s a rocky journey to find answers. Along the way, she’s forced to face her inner demons.

A slow-burn of a novel, this story takes it’s time winding around each of the story elements just like a car traveling up the Colorado mountain roadways. The paranormal focus was light, but it was sprinkled in just enough to keep catching me off guard!

I will admit, there were times I wanted to scream at Kari for how shortsighted and selfish she was being. She was totally wrapped up in her own things, and couldn’t see two inches in front of her to realize how her actions were affecting others. Of course, that lack of support for others finally explodes, leaving her adrift to solve her problems on her own. I was so excited that she had finally learned to think of others rather than wallowing in her own self-pity and grief. After that turning point, I couldn’t put the book down!

One quick element that I wanted to comment on before moving on is that while I’m not from the area, I have visited! On a work trip, I made it a point to visit the Tattered Cover. I was so excited to see a mention of being in Tattered Cover in one of Kari’s dreams, and then to see her visit the location as well! That is such a cool bookstore. If you’re ever in the area, make sure to stop by!

My Favorite Passages from White Horse

Daddy was brittle. His mind was like a boat lost at sea. Sometimes it came close to the shore, only to push back. I didn’t want to make it so it never made anchor again.

There was something sad and small and yet, almost otherworldly about Idaho Springs, like there were secrets in the cold, rocky ground that might spring up at any time. And take you down with them into the dark.

God, that tapping like a skeletal hand on a mirror.

Though I loved everything by King, I’d always found this particular book to be spellbinding. I remembered finding it in the library one day, after wandering the shelves, my fingers brushing the spines, trying to convince myself to check something more realistic out, something more patently educational, and failing and moving, like I was haunted, toward the horror aisle. For some reason, I hadn’t seen this book before, and finding it, a King I’d never read, felt like uncovering a magic key, one with infinite potential. One that opened doors that acted as portals to other worlds.

I feel strong by the end of that year, I am healed. But I don’t realize that healing requires scars, and I am still rough beneath them, I still have pain locked behind that ropy skin. And there is weakness there, there is vulnerability, a thing I have always been terrified of.

My Final Thoughts on White Horse

I highly recommend this story to fans of slow-burning tales that make you switch back and forth between loving and hating the main character, before settling in on how you feel about them right at the end.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, and Suicide attempt

cranewife's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Addiction, Drug abuse, Gore, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Grief, Drug use, Gun violence, and Violence

imstephtacular's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Addiction, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Sexual content, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Violence, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, Body horror, Colonisation, Pedophilia, Blood, Gun violence, Gore, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Child abuse, and Cursing

Minor: War, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Vomit, and Pregnancy