Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

These Deadly Games by Diana Urban

12 reviews

julierambaeck's review against another edition

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

3.5

Fast paced, fun but also very young.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Eating disorder, Death, Child death, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Medical trauma and Death of parent

ashylibrarian's review

challenging 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? No

3.5

I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer meets Unfriended in a game-based horror novel of cheats, lies, and deception. 

This book did not always feel 100% realistic, but it was a wild journey, and I did have fun (most of the time) while reading it. 

There were plenty of times that I was super annoyed with Crystal (the MC) becuase she was being so completely reckless and not picking up on what An0nym0us1 was getting her to do. But Diana Urban did a stellar job creating scenes that kept me coming back and wanting to find out what happens next. 

I will likely recommend this title in the future, though it may not be my first grab. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Toxic friendship, Death, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Alcoholism, Confinement, and Torture

Minor: Racism, Eating disorder, and Car accident

myfictionalworld's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Alcoholism

Please look up any trigger warnings for this book. This can be very dark to the YA audience.

gssll_lpz's review

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Stalking, Domestic abuse, and Racism

Minor: Eating disorder and Fire/Fire injury

beckyremillard's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Blood, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, and Toxic friendship

mollyalex's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Eating disorder

bookedandbusy's review

dark mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

I absolutely loved this book! It kept me at the edge of my seat and I didn’t know who to trust! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child death, Kidnapping, and Stalking

Moderate: Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Blood

nerdybirdy101's review

dark tense

4.0

*Thanks to NetGallery for the e-ARC*

I actually read this book in one day that is how pulling it was. I thought it was an interesting thriller targeted towards teenagers, but there are some more violent themes than in typical teen thrillers. I liked the use of the cell phone in this thriller because it helped create the thriller aspect and even showcased the danger cell phones can have. If you like video games that are also a huge portion of the read because that is the unifying activity between the main friend group. The book does jump back and forth between the past and the present, which can be confusing at first but really does help the plot form. I could see this book being translated into a movie. The reason I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars is mostly that there were some scenes and characters that I did not find realistic. It felt like there were stereotypes that were used to help create drama that did not fit with the way the character was written.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Bullying, Gaslighting, Blood, Kidnapping, Cursing, Grief, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, and Eating disorder

juliannar's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, I could not put this one down! I started it last night, and then finished it early this morning. The story was compelling, the characters can really draw you in, and you can feel the pain of everything Crystal has to do. Each riddle and game seemed so innocuous, but there were always dire consequences. Every twist and turn left me gasping and with wide eyes. 

I thought that it was really cool for video games to be such a big part of the story, and of Crystal's character. Reading about the hobbies characters have in books is really cool to me. 

Overall, I think if you would really enjoy this book if you are a fan of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, One of Us is Lying, and the Inheritance Games. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Grief and Stalking

looseleafellie's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This YA thriller follows esports aficionado Crystal Donovan, who must complete challenges set by a mysterious app to save her sister from a kidnapper. But when the app starts directing her to hurt — and even kill — her friends, Crystal must outwit the culprit and bring them to justice!

This book grabbed hold of me and would not let go! I was on the edge of my seat wondering what the killer would make Crystal do next, and how it would end in disastrous consequences. I felt like few places toward the middle weren’t as focused on the actual game as I would have liked, but overall I was hooked.

I did sort of guess the culprit by about the 50% mark, but there was another big twist regarding the killer’s identity that I didn’t see coming, so I was still shocked by the reveal! The plot also leans into making the main character — and the reader — question reality given that the killer covers their tracks so well, which I TOTALLY loved!

Overall, if you’re looking for a cracking YA thriller that plays tricks on your mind, keep an eye out for this one when it releases on February 1st!

Thanks to Wednesday Books for the ARC!

CWs: Kidnapping, murder of a friend, child death, grief, domestic abuse, cyberbullying, doxxing, stalking, panic attacks, gaslighting, suicide, and mentions of eating disorders and racism.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Stalking

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Suicide

Minor: Eating disorder and Racism

I tagged this for suicide because

a character purposely blows up a house with themselves inside, though it is revealed later that they escaped alive

The domestic abuse (of the main character's dad abusing her mom) is recounted from the main character's perspective, and her mom's bruises are mentioned, but it isn't graphic to my recollection.