Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry

21 reviews

alexandraloveee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Animal death, Mental illness, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Bullying, Miscarriage, and Child abuse

thatnewbooksmell's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Medical content, Death, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Animal death, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Self harm, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

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

alreinwarth's review

Just no. This feels like it is demonizing mental illness and childhood trauma survivors. And then the brutal animal cruelty was just too much for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Self harm, Abandonment, Excrement, Murder, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Medical content, Miscarriage, Confinement, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Violence

amaranth_wytch's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Grief

Moderate: Self harm, Torture, Violence, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, and Medical content

Minor: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Ableism

gneumann's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.0

this was a really tough read. i should not have read this

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal cruelty, Confinement, Grief, Child abuse, Animal death, Death, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Medical content, Abandonment, and Excrement

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

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

3.5

I liked a lot about this one and hybrid reading it (audio and on kindle) really added to the experience and made me feel more immersed in the story. I don't think the writing was the best ever but the story in general kept me wanting to know what happened. The very end did me very dirty though. if you know you know. Now I'm gonna start the companion novella to this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Miscarriage, Self harm, Confinement, Physical abuse, Ableism, Body horror, Abandonment, Infertility, Mental illness, Murder, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Excrement, Medical content, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Sexual content, Addiction, and Alcohol

kaylasbookgram's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

🤯🤯🤯

What did I just read?!?! I don’t think I’ve been this hooked on a book like this since I read Verity By Colleen Hoover. This was my first Lucinda Berry book and most definitely won’t be my last, especially if all her books are as great as this one. This book was impossible to put down the second I started it. 

Hannah and Christopher are a lovely couple who are struggling with infertility. As they start to consider the option of international adoption a little girl is admitted to the hospital whose mother was murdered and has clear signs of abuse. After being part of her surgical team Christopher falls in love with the little girl and talks his wife into fostering and then adopting her. What they didn’t fully expect was the toll it would take on their marriage. The little girl ends up pitting the couple against each other and causing Hannah to eventually have a mental breakdown. 

I absolutely couldn’t stand Christopher. Even with the therapist confirming Hannah’s fears he still refused to support her or even be there for his wife. I felt so bad for Hannah and understood her terror although I definitely think she went to far in her actions near the end. The ending of the book was extremely frustrating because it just ended pretty much in the midst of a thought. Left us wondering what happened I think a more satisfying ending was definitely needed. Overall I enjoyed this book and it got a 5 star review in my book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Excrement, Gaslighting, Infertility, Mental illness, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Blood, Medical content, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gore, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

pippamillerxoxo_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infertility, Bullying, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Torture, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Animal death, Grief, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Self harm

michelle_my_belle's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Death of parent, Excrement, Medical content, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Infertility, Murder, and Vomit

Moderate: Miscarriage

Minor: Drug abuse