Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

22 reviews

duckydarlingg's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Homophobia, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Death, Infidelity, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Classism, and Misogyny

kaylanicholsmith's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

This was the author's debut and I loved it almost as much as her follow up releases. I swear that Ashley Winstead can do no wrong.

The writing style that this author has is just something that really works for me. I have loved it every time. In this particular book, I feel like the writing was such a strong element because for the majority of the story, nothing superb was happening. I didn't feel like there were any major twists, any crazy plot point, nothing super jaw dropping taking place. However, I love a story that involves the unraveling lives of the super rich and elite. They always have skeletons in their closets and I love finding out what those skeletons are. This is where the author shines. I was so captivated just by learning all the shady shit that these uber rich and successful people were hiding up their sleeves for the past decade that I could have cared less if there was any impactful twists or reveals.

Luckily, the ending really nailed it for me. I don't think the ending reveal was anything that would be mind blowing for the typical thriller reader but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I have to say that the very final twist was so satisfying for me - I think Jessica was such a subtly brutal character and I was obsessed with the ending that she got. On the other hand, there is a male character in this book that is just reprehensible and I had him pegged from the first moment he showed up on the page. I really enjoyed the author's commentary on shitty men in positions of power and the things they do and think that they can get away with. This character's chapter was so unsettling to read and I hate knowing that there are men out there, on a daily basis, thinking these things about women. Gross.

This wasn't a new all time favorite, hence the 4.5 star rating, but I still loved it. So good.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Gore, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Alcohol

zenbirdie's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

2.0

Narcissistic characters who connive and secret keep. Their hearts corrode from the inside. It is like reading an episode of Big Brother. Slight twist at the end was intriguing. Not my favorite read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Gaslighting

melissaslibraryy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Misogyny, Blood, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

jessiejonesbentley's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Drug abuse, Outing, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Drug use, Physical abuse, Bullying, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, and Grief

maregred's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Infidelity, and Blood

Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Death of parent, Addiction, Death, and Sexual assault

Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Confinement, Gaslighting, Outing, Biphobia, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, and Suicide

clairew97's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Sexual violence, Stalking, Vomit, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Mental illness

cady_sass's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

Holyyyyyyyy. That was a rollercoaster! I am not usually a fan of an unreliable narrator, and the only thing keeping me from giving this 5 stars is that. You will go back and forth the whole book on whether or not you think she’s trustworthy, and I won’t spoil it, but it’s maddening and that’s intentional. This is a master class in unlikable characters, they’re all absolutely horrible including and most particularly the narrator. Do I hate her? Do I like I her? Do I think she’s guilty? What is she not telling me? Lots of dark and twisty turns and absolutely no stone is left unturned. I spent my entire day reading this and I have no regrets 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexism, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Medical content, Misogyny, Outing, Addiction, Body horror, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence

kw05's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Sexual assault, Death, Murder, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Violence, Addiction, Rape, and Sexual harassment

markedwithanm's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Blood, Addiction, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Homophobia, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism