Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

11 reviews

sarahmerfi's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping

ladyaligator's review against another edition

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Grief, Trafficking, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Infertility and Dementia

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Rape, Racism, Pedophilia, Addiction, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Police brutality

sarah_amy's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

This book both had and broke my heart. I cared so much about Rill/May, her siblings and all the other children, and Avery's investigation among it all. I went in completely blind with this book, so was floored to know this is based on real events and that Georgia Tann was the person behind all the horror. I was less interested in the political side of it all and the romance felt a bit forced (not a bad match, just unnecessary). It would have been a 5 star on the investigation and flashbacks to Rill/May's past alone, but the politics/romance almost felt like I was being interrupted by a side story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Domestic abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Torture, and Racism

Moderate: Death of parent, Slavery, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dementia, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Cursing, Rape, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Violence

Based on the child trafficking/illegal adoption agency of Georgia Tann. Lots of details of abuse and allusions to death that went on in the foster homes involved. Many of these children were adopted out illegally and without the consent of the birth parents - some were outright stolen like in this story.

fragrant_stars's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

would've rated it higher if not for the timeskipping back and forth between present and past. was not all that invested in the present day bits of the story, felt like a hindrance at some points.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Child abuse, Gaslighting, and Child death

Moderate: Death of parent and Death

Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Rape

jamiejanae_6's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Grief, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

trinloyd's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I thoroughly enjoyed this book way more than I anticipated. It is heartbreaking and gut wrenching, and so well written. The author did a beautiful job telling this story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Medical content, Alcohol, Cancer, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Murder, Kidnapping, Infertility, Racism, Alcoholism, Classism, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, and Gaslighting

holliebye's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, Dementia, Excrement, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Miscarriage, Murder, and Trafficking

Moderate: Cancer

kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious 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: Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Classism, Sexual assault, and Trafficking

mandi4886's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Abandonment, Murder, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infertility, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual harassment, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, and Confinement

Moderate: Racism, Rape, Alcoholism, Ableism, Alcohol, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Police brutality, Chronic illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Vomit

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Terminal illness, Cancer, and Antisemitism

maggiemercutio's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Trafficking

Minor: Rape and Gaslighting