Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry

93 reviews

sare1125's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Confinement

Moderate: Murder

astralfeline's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

Really enjoyed this book. It was disturbing in a way that I haven't seen in other books (though I haven't read a ton of thriller so idk if thats just my experience). Also listened to the audiobook as I read and the narrators did a great job. It definitely kept me engaged and I didn't want to put it down. I was a bit disappointed with the ending because it felt a little anti-climactic though, it felt like it didn't really have closure in the story it just sort of ended so Idk how to feel about it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Medical content, Excrement, Pregnancy, and Animal death

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Death, and Abandonment

Minor: Miscarriage, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Physical abuse, and Body horror

gjenn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infertility, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail

lish02's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, Death, Pregnancy, Violence, Sexual violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Animal cruelty, and Addiction

lazulisky's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Animal cruelty, Violence, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Infertility, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Child abuse, Blood, Death, Vomit, and Mental illness

Minor: Eating disorder, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Confinement, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Medical content

bekahzabel's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The Perfect Child is told in alternating points of view. Focusing on a couple who’s struggled with infertility, a social worker assigned to a strange child abuse case, and a seemingly innocent mysterious child.  

All the Bauer’s ever wanted was a baby. When a mysterious young girl shows up at the hospital with terrible injuries, she wins over Christopher Bauer’s heart. The Bauer’s decide to take Janie into temporary foster care, with the intentions of helping her transition and adjust to a better life. As Janie’s behaviors and past begin to unfold, things seem to get darker at every turn and crossroads. 

Boy oh boy, things got pretty dark between these two covers. Very hefty child abuse and violence trigger warnings. 

For me, The Perfect Child had me white knuckling my kindle, and salivating for the next page. Even though I guessed some of the twists, this dark tale was a great read for me. My only qualm is how abruptly it wrapped up. 4/5 stars! 🌟

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Infertility, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Murder, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Medical content, Death of parent, Violence, Vomit, Animal death, Self harm, Miscarriage, Death, and Medical trauma

thebookishgamerr's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Grief, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Infertility

katiesovik's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

2.5

This book was confusing to me. I don’t understand why Christopher and Hannah were written as medical professionals when:
A. It contributed nothing valuable to the story
B. It’s obvious the writer has no concept of how any of these medical situations would actually happen. 
Getting past the beginning was somewhat worth it. The book did get better. Everything builds and builds and builds and then it just feels like it ends in the middle??????? Are they just leaving Janie in the rehab house? Are they having her rehomed? What is going to happen with the lawsuits for Allison??? 
This book was entertaining like a bad horror movie. It felt surface level and insincere. Really bummed because I wanted a good thriller and this was just stupid.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Animal death, Death, Vomit, and Animal cruelty

It’s cringe.

taykimel's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Murder, Animal death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Mental illness, and Death

nallelyjael's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Fast read with complicated and sometimes infuriating characters. I consider this book a slow burn despite how fast I read it. The ending is abrupt and leaves many questions unanswered.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Death, Infertility, and Pregnancy