Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

60 reviews

juanat77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Suicide, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Child abuse, Medical content, Animal death, Child death, Alcohol, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Vomit

sierrabowers's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was a great read that told a chilling story. I did predict the ending, but I thought it was still a great book. I was sad for Elle the entire book and found myself gasping when I found out all of the things that happened to her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Miscarriage, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Infertility, Pregnancy, Suicide, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Blood, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Stalking, Violence, Child death, Sexual assault, Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, and Trafficking

jennacollier1512's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Mental illness, and Kidnapping

isabezza's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

I don't often read thrillers but Lisa Jewell is my go-to. Each novel I have read has been packed with suspense and disturbing psychology and this story was no different. The story discusses family dynamics after trauma and contains a distressing mystery. I really enjoyed the multiple POV which garnered an insight into each characters motivations and perspectives of others. A little slower than some of her other mysteries but ultimately just as gripping. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Child death, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death, Murder, and Stalking

crowray's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

i loved the twists in this book i hate when i can guess but a few of them really caught me by surprise. the characters felt fleshed out and human and the emotion and writing was brill. didn’t feel very tense apart from towards the end but that’s really the only thing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Grief, Animal death, Blood, Murder, Death, Gore, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Violence, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infertility, Physical abuse, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Mental illness

jpt007's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.75

This was a book I chose to read on a whim while on a Barnes and nobles run with a friend, and wow I just have to say my luck that day was really good! 

Characters- 5/5*
The characters felt rich, deep, and most importantly real. You hated some of them but understood the 3D image of them.

It was impressive Jewell even did that with such a horrible person as Noelle Donnelly. Authors sometimes struggle to give depth to “villains” but Jewell did it beautifully.

Conflict- 5/5*
Once you get into it you couldn’t put the book down. Trust me I tried! 

Plot- 5/5*
The structure of the story was beautifully done. Even the exposition drew you in. Every moment of the journey had thus unsettling feeling that just made the book so much better.

Setting- 4.5/5* 
It was basic but that was the point. I added the the gravity of the story an every day neighborhood. My only complaint is as someone not from London I was lost with a few thing and would have loved a hair more description. (But that’s just me being knit-picky)

Theme- 5/5*
Even after life gives you hell you can find a way to live again, it will take time, but you can do it.

also never inform gut feelings!

I wasn’t expecting to cry from a book like this but at the end I was left with a message I really needed to hear.

Overall Score: 4.9/5⭐️

I recommend this book to anyone who wants a thrill and needs a reminder of why they like to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Animal death, Grief, Kidnapping, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Rape, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Cursing

rubberrosebooks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This was my first Lisa Jewell novel, and it definitely won't be my last. I absolutely devoured this book! The storyline was easy to follow, character development on point, and the twists just kept coming. I only predicted one part, but only shortly before the reveal. I appreciate that by the end, all my questions had been answered. This is exactly what I look for in a mystery/thriller! I've had this on my TBR list for a few years now, and I'm SO happy that I chose to finally read it! 

I only give 5 stars to books that I know I want to read again someday. Unfortunately, with mystery/thriller books, the excitement factor won't be there the second time around, so I gave it a very solid 4.75!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, Violence, and Toxic relationship

bookstwokathryn's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Stalking, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pregnancy

avaa_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Stalking, Torture, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Rape, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This was an interesting story, and I didn't predict a part of the climax.  I definitely thought the storytelling was stronger in the The Family Upstairs series, but this one was fine. The whole

hamster

thing was weird though and kind of felt like a detail added later to increase ~weirdness~.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Death

Moderate: Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Grief, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Infertility, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Alcohol