Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

13 reviews

soobooksalot's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Death of parent, Pregnancy

streberkatze's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This book fell like several books in one, and I loved it! A started out as a literary slow burn, went thriller-ish for a bit, and then on to an ending I still don't know how I feel about. The author uses the long, yet ever-evolving shadow of childhood trauma to toe these parts together, and she does so successfully.

Also, in terms of CWs: I'm sensitive to descriptions of domestic violence, and the author does a great job of getting the dread across on the page without going into too many gory details.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol

Moderate: Infertility, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, Blood

elliv's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Infertility, Pregnancy

jenhuddles's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I was immediately hooked from the first paragraph. The author’s writing was captivating and I can’t wait to read more from her. It’s haunting and it’s about very sensitive subject matter, but I also loved the humor. I loved this book and I love Clove.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment

alpalli's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Pregnancy

meghanmccall's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment

juanat77's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Madwoman by Chelsea Baker

This one is definitely a slow burn but also very intense and captivating. I almost quit but the second half saved it. The writing style is different. There were multiple timelines but it wasn’t cleared until you read for a bit and figured it out. I prefer a date before the timelines change. It was written in 2nd person which I really liked! It’s unique and different but gives it a very different feel. 

This is definitely a powerful story about domestic violence, childhood trauma, the strength and healing of a woman with a couple of twists thrown in. It focuses on the dark look of motherhood and the choices we make. It was handled beautifully!

3.5 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

#madwoman #chelseabaker #littlebrown

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

hmccarthy95's review against another edition

4.75

dark funny mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment

Minor: Chronic illness, Infertility, Infidelity, Kidnapping

gwenswoons's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Really excellent and incredibly unusual. It’s a difficult and awful read in many moments, with vivid and realistic-feeling domestic violence at the center of every part of the plot, language, and character development. I was so deeply impressed (and also deeply uneasy) with the way in which Chelsea Bieker is able to make the language in which she writes — and in which her characters write and move — mimic the confusion, exhaustion, and underwater-terror of grief and complex trauma. I think in most people’s hands this amount of graphic violence would feel sensationalist or trauma-porn-esque. But Bieker actually makes it echo and illuminate the experience of trauma in a way that is unlike any I’ve quite seen. Overall just such a devastating and unusual book — even as someone who has not experienced DV (but does have an intense trauma history), I found so much of the way these characters move and try desperately to make sense of themselves and their pasts so vividly recognizable. I think it’s going to be with me for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Classism

readwithkb's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail