Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier

7 reviews

readliketay's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

A book hasn’t made me cry in a long time, especially a thriller. This book reminded me of how I felt finishing “Pretty Girls”. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Chronic illness, and Stalking

Minor: Death, Drug use, and Child death

libraryjen's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

This one had some twists I didn't see, and a big one that I guessed about halfway through. It was still a wild, and enjoyable ride! Because life is busy, it took me a couple days to read the first 74 pages, then I read the rest of it in one sitting last night. I could not put it down! The characters weren't actually relatable (because I'm not crazy rich and I don't have a ton of free time or the ability to tell my staff to do my work for me when I don't feel like going to work). But, they were flawed and felt realistic to me. Her husband, Derek, and her best friend, Sal, were less likable to the than Marin, the main character. But, I still wanted good things to happen to them. The support group Marin was a part of was a great addition - it added another layer to the story.

Obviously, this book needs a trigger warning for child abduction. There's also infidelity and some not particularly graphic, but still there, sex scenes.

Overall, this was a great thriller and I definitely recommend it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity and Kidnapping

Moderate: Gaslighting and Murder

Minor: Sexual content and Dementia

meeklovestoread's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

The queen struck again!

This is my third Jennifer Hillier book and I didn't think it would live up to my expectations considering everyone was raving about it. Plus I was sort of in a slump-ish mood to where the book I've been reading books that were just okay/decent in a row but not books where that I found good/great. So I had alot of high expectations for this book and I'm so happy I was not let down.

I do have to admit the beginning was a bit slow for me. I wasn't sure what direction she was gonna go into and nothing really sparked for me until

Marin found out that her husband was cheating on her with McKenzie. Also I hated how Marin was always blaming herself for Derek cheating. That part never made no sense to me considering how "girlboss" she acted. Also her blaming McKenzie and not Derek for cheating will never make sense to me. I don't know what blinds Marin from not seeing what an low-life Derek is. I didn't like him the entire time to be honest.

Also, I do wish the author would just do dual POVs between Marin and McKenzie because we would get the book in Marin's POV for multiple chapters (everything is told in 3rd person) and then we just switch to McKenzie out of the blue. You get used to it after the first time, but it should've just been dual POV to make it easier on the reader.

On a completely unrelated note, Chapter 8 literally has my heart! For most of the book, I ADORED Sal and Marin's friendship. It reminds me of own. I absolutely loved her and loved Sal.😍 I like their whole backstory too and how they met. I don't ship them together, but I loved their dynamic. 

I'm literally a sucker for Jennifer Hillier's romance subplots. The backstories for them especially are so interesting. It make me want more. It lowkey makes me want her to write a romance book because I just can't get enough of her romance subplots.😂

 

Throughout the entire book I was hoping that it wouldn't be him (Sal). I hoping and begging that it wouldn't be him and I hate that it was. It wasn't much of a surprise that it was him,  but I was banking on it not being him because I adored Sal so much. But that doesn't negate the fact that he was a disturbed human being and his actions were reprehensible and distasteful and UNFORGIVEABLE. I do still believe he truly loved Marin, but if he lived I would also never ever forgive him either.

This would've been a 10 out of 10 read for me but I will admit there were some things I didn't like and also there were some parts that dragged in my opinion but overall I loved this book

and I don't think I'll ever get over Sal. His death crushed me cuz I grew very attached to him.

I haven't had a book give me so many emotions like this in a while so I'm so glad I read this!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Grief

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Child death, Suicide attempt, Death, and Self harm

Minor: Dementia, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Infertility, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Gun violence

itsalina's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Infidelity

Moderate: Violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Self harm, Dementia, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Sexual content

lilias's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

This was a thoroughly engaging thriller that touched on ridiculous a few times but not so much that it made me roll my eyes... too much. Instead, I had a great time reading it. I very much liked the story told from different perspectives.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Grief, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content, Gun violence, Eating disorder, Drug use, Dementia, Death of parent, Death, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

brookey8888's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I thought this was very slow and I honestly didn’t care. The first chapter was really good but then it got boring for like 60% because I did not care about this man cheating. Also I was just thinking about it and thinking of theories and I was right I don’t know how I guessed it but I did so I’m kind of like upset me because I actually really like that person. I do think you would like this if you like to see characters and how situations can affect them and the things they might do. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

oliviamichelle_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting