Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Shark Heart: A love story by Emily Habeck

51 reviews

bellsdixon's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

unsweetener's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad fast-paced

5.0

Wren is a woman who, through grief, lost her ability to engage with her emotions, but who, through grief, learns to feel them again. 

This would be an absolute downer of a book if not for the element of magical realism and the structure of the novel (and I'll confess to being somewhat emotionally wrecked). 

I don't want to say much more, because I think it's best experienced. I flew through this story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

The main character experiences a good bit of trauma and loss surrounding her mother and husband. If you're affected more than usual by things of that nature, just plan accordingly!

scaredygoose's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Death of parent

bookskatie's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

aharper's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Animal death and Abandonment

Minor: Abortion and Death of parent

alex_bousquet's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

The author takes the question "would you still love me as a worm?" And transforms it into its own world of people changing into different species. It tells the story of how strong your love has to be and makes you question if you would still be with the person you are with if they were different. It was an amazing read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

heshanks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Gorgeous prose that doesn't collapse under its own weight.
Excellent use of silence/blank space
I often get tired of format swapping, but this moves between narrative prose and play scenes and does it to *fantastic* effect.

Main characters encounter peril but do not perish.

Weird premise, beautifully told.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Dementia, Abortion, and Death of parent

spellbindingtomes's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism and Abandonment

Minor: Animal death and Drug use

hocuscrocus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

Man. If I were just rating part one, it would be an EASY 5. That was some of the most beautiful literature I've ever read. I was sobbing by the end. I can definitely understand why the format might not be everyone's cup of tea but I absolutely loved it.

Unfortunately, the book lost me in part 2. It's a lovely story, but it felt like too far a meander from the gut punch that was part one. If it were up to me, I would have had just the first part, about half of the third part, and the epilogue.

All that said, I whipped through this book like wildfire.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement

Minor: Infertility and Abortion

tetrootz's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Abortion, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic