Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

Near the Bone by Christina Henry

102 reviews

leilawoodhouse's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.0

Quite sad I didn't like this! I felt like there was too much going on. The William storyline, the creature, the 3 explorers. I thought they didn't really blend very well. I also thought the characters (mainly the Jen, Griffin and C.P) were a bit 2 dimensional

I thought that Jen and Griffin's deaths were unnecessary. I didn't see what,  especially Jen's, deaths added to the plot apart from showing that the monster was protective of its baby. I thought Griffin was built up quite a bit only for him to be killed quite soon after. The monster was never really explained either. Where did it come from? Why is it here? What is it? In another book that may have added to the mystery and given the world depth but in this book it just seemed rushed.

The ending was so abrupt for me!

we hear alot about Heather but then nothing really happens at the end

I think the creature and the William storyline would have stood much better individually. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug use, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Violence, Animal death, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Rape, Torture, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Torture, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug use, Death of parent, and Animal death

trrm's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

5.0

I loved this book! You have multiple stories going on once you meet the newer characters to explain various plots in the story. I loved how Mattie went from a little, timid, dormouse to someone who finds inner strength she never remembered having before coming to the cabin. 

This book disturbed me a bit too so if you’re not into kidnapping and the makings of a child bride, this one isn’t for you. I always struggle with stories about young children and sexual abuse, this one caught me off-guard. Once the realization is made and you connect some dots, you’re even more freaked out!

The only thing I want to know is: Does she ever find Heather?!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

nadiajohnsonbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Confinement, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Death, Trafficking, Infertility, and Misogyny

Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Rape and Blood

yekani's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping

Moderate: Sexual assault and Miscarriage

ronja234's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Death

Moderate: Murder, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, Physical abuse, Gore, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Miscarriage

Minor: Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Pregnancy

eva_rebolledo's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I really enjoyed it until I reached about 80% of the book. It's a good story with good writing. And still, there are just so many things left unanswered, and I'm not saying that every aspect or plot of a story should always be explained, but there were so many missed opportunities here; for once, the origin of the creature or

the fact that C.P. doesn't remember Heather being mentioned on the news.

There were a couple of disappointing events, too, 'cause, seriously, what was the point of the creature ripping C.P.'s arm? In my opinion, it didn't add a single relevant aspect to the story. Also, the creature taking away Griffin and Jen when they were the ones who cared the most about Mattie/Samantha? I don't dislike C.P., but I think the story would have been more interesting if we had a group of people helping Samatha instead of just being back to having two characters to focus on.

In other words, the story is good, but the ending is just... pretty meh.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Death, Rape, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Child death

mafaichney'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: Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Rape, Confinement, Miscarriage, and Death of parent

mandi_lea's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Gore, Miscarriage, Murder, Violence, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Sexual violence

graceev's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Drug abuse, Miscarriage, and Rape

sydneythekydneybean's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.5

4.5 terror-inducing stars ⭐

Samantha has always, will always be that final girl. Not only dealing with and battling physical danger at every turn but also dismantling the mental distress she has been forced to endure for over a decade. I loved piecing together her story and watching her becoming something new, not totally Samantha, not totally Mattie. I don't think that the creatures in the woods were as fleshed out as they could have been. I understand their necessity from the plot narratively, but other than as a plot point, I'm not totally sold as to why they are in the story. I always felt a true sense of fear and anxiety from William, always watching, stalking and waiting for the right time to strike, but I didn't feel that way from the creatures.

But, the creatures in the woods, are on the lowest tier of why this book worked for me. For me, the other characters in the story (besides William, but that should be obvious) were so endearing to me that even though they were only introduced halfway through the story and we didn't spend a ton of time with them, the time I did spend with them they dug their way so deep into my heart,

I felt like I was more distraught by Griffin's and Jen's death than C.P.

In another life, Griffin, Jen, C.P., and Samantha all escaped William and the monsters in the forest and lived happily ever after as the best of friends, Mattie finding a family in these strangers who showed up in her forest one day and refused to leave her behind.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Body horror, Blood, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Violence, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Infertility, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Death

Moderate: Confinement and Grief

Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual violence