Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Vértestvérek by Ania Ahlborn

39 reviews

aj176'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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts

bxtskr's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

please read the content warnings for this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

maggotea's review against another edition

adventurous 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

abbeyhuffine94's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I was able to guess most of the ending. And even then, I wasn't super surprised. However, I thought this book was an interesting (albeit cartoonishly overdone) look at a violently dysfunctional family and cyclical abuse and violence. Very emotionally charged and scary.
Reb was one of the most evil characters I've ever read about. Michael was one of the most infuriating. I understand he was living in horribly abusive circumstances but his cowardice irritated me throughout.
I do think this novel was extremely far fetched. I also think that horror has to have some reaches at times to make for a truly scary story. I guess if everyone was reasonable, horrible things would happen less.
One more observation: this book was way tamer in terms of graphic violence than I anticipated. On a horror scale of, say Haunting of Hill House to American Psycho (non-graphic horror to very graphic horror), it's about a 5-6.
The vibes were very cool though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Animal cruelty, Gore, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

shannananahey's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Grief, and Stalking

Minor: Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

finleyfrogreads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

whitneyonline's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

2.5

 This is not a badly written book (which is what I usually give my 2 star ratings to), but I just didn't connect with it. I was promised the Texas Chainsaw Massacre of books but it was hardly scary. Yes there were a few death scenes and descriptions of gore but they weren't all that frightening. I feel like Ahlborn tried to tackle too much, with the end result of none of the relationships feeling truly fleshed out - especially the relationship between Rebel and Michael, the one the whole book is supposed to revolve around.

Reflecting back it feels like the women in this book just served as plot devices that serviced the men (Laura Lynn, Misty Dawn, and Alice). Although I did enjoy how the twist near the end showed what a terribly evil person Rebel is. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Incest, Physical abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, and Gaslighting

mold's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I can't think of any words to sum up how I feel about this book. I guess I'll keep it simple and say it's the best thing I've ever read. Nothing can top this, I know that for certain. 
Michael will always be in my heart. Reb will always be around the corner. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

theserendipitousreader_'s review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail