Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

20 reviews

ghostams's review

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I really enjoyed this book! It was a really interesting take on folklore, magic, and science! I have to say up until the last 50 or so pages, I wasn’t sure which way the plot was leaning which is really impressive! This was a book equally heart-wrenching and heart-warming. One that, in my opinion, is a truly unique take on the subjects it contains!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Religious bigotry, Gore, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Child death, Death, Murder, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Drug use, and Abandonment

Minor: Torture, Vomit, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Car accident, Sexual assault, Rape, and Medical content

cassie7e's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

"Sometimes you miss someone so badly you want to believe you've found them" A sneaky line that nails the theme of the whole story.

Starts off with a literary tone that could be any other novel spanning multiple timeframes, getting creepier and darker as you go, ramping up the horror at the end. The sci fi aspects wouldn't hold up in a pure sci fi novel I think, but since this one stands on folklore, I didn't give it too much scrutiny for being flimsy on the science. 

This book satisfied my hankering for a dark mysterious story blending Scottish settings, and folktale with reality, and was crafted well to reveal bits and pieces throughout. My early hunch about what was happening with the wildlings was correct, but it took time to know that, and was still enjoyable to watch as the characters figured it out and dealt with the consequences. I wish the witchy parts had been more Scottish than Icelandic/Nordic, just for personal reasons and not any fault of the story in using them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Violence, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Blood, and Body horror

Minor: Miscarriage and Death of parent

swordsmith's review

dark mysterious medium-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? Yes

3.75

i think the ending wraps up a little too neatly and there are a few holes in the set up but otherwise its very atmospheric and jumps between different characters/settings quite well. becomes a mildly gothic pageturner

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Child death, and Abandonment

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Death of parent and Miscarriage

bibliobetty's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

4.0

I don't typically read thrillers so am not overly familiar with the genre. That being said, I loved the multiple POVs and settings. The author really has a way with words and really set the mood and made everything feel dark and moody as needed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death and Abandonment

Minor: Grief, Kidnapping, Cancer, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Suicide, and Death of parent

pkc's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

This book had a touch of everything and I loved it. It was a rip-roaring plot, fabulous character development and a really great mystery that seemed to be one thing but masqueraded as something else. Just brilliant. I had a rare time reading this book and I’d like to look at more that the author has released!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Animal death, Murder, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Body horror, Grief, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Torture

katerina_l's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Body horror, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Child death, Infertility, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, and Child abuse

lit_with_lauren's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual assault

oceans_hannah's review against another edition

dark lighthearted mysterious medium-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

3.5

Not something I'd usually pick up. Loved the descriptions of the Scottish landscape and the references to folklore. Did get a bit confusing at times but overall a really enjoyable read!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Cancer, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Death, and Murder

chopspy's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? Yes

4.5

A mystery horror thriller with themes of witch trials and family. As well as the inescapable passage of time. 

The mystery itself had me hooked and I only understood it when the story wanted to.

It blends multiple character perspectives really well and overall is well paced.

The characters themselves feel human, especially those that make mistakes and grow from it.

Talking about you Liv

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Death, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

elizabethwebb's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Car accident, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Alcohol, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Vomit