Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

5 reviews

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

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

gowlstick's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-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

2.75

Overall I felt mostly disappointed with this book. I have not read anything else by C.J. Cooke, but I do still feel open to reading something else written by her. I was particularly drawn to the blurb and gorgeous cover art, and based off the brief description I thought it'd be something that would suit both my tastes and my Mums. 

The mystery of the lighthouse, witches and wildlings was decent at first but I found the last third of the book to be pretty dissatisfying.

I did enjoy that the 'wildlings' were only children who travelled by mistake and had no malicious motive was refreshing, though I do love an evil little kid. Or someone who is supposed to be another but just isn't quite right.

The POVs were managed well enough imo, but I felt that clarification that it was a Grimoire section would've been nice (despite the italics). I did find that particularly with chapters written in Luna's POV, the segments dedicated to her memory or flashbacks were unclear and I did find myself confused a few times in those instances.

I generally did not like any of the characters and found some of their building to be a bit weak, and throwaway. 

Somehow this entire book felt like a man trying to write 'strong women' or a 14yo girl writing fanfiction. As mentioned previously I have not read anything from Cooke before, and won't be against it. But I will be more careful to read a chapter or two before investing. And I'd be hesitant to recommend this to people who have similar tastes to mine. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Blood, Rape, Gore, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Death of parent

Minor: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Pregnancy

tigerlilliereads's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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 received this book from Netgalley for an honest review

Honestly, I put this book off for way too long because I am in love! I picked up the book based off of the cover (I know!) and the fact it had witches in the title. Little did I know this book would have so many more levels than I could ever imagine. I’m not one to read a thriller book, and I loved it. 

This story tells of some characters narrating from different time zones about their time on a Scottish island called Lòn haven. I’m trying to not give too much away as the story is very cleverly written with lots of interlinking. The story features Liv and her three daughters, Saff, Luna and Clover as they arrive on the island and Liv is tasked with painting a mutual in the lighthouse. Whilst there the family learns about the dark secrets and mysteries, witches and wildings that haunt the suspicious and cruel towns people. 

I love a witchy story but this one had so many more levels and so much more grounding in reality. The poignant message the story brings is still relevant now as it was back in the 1600s. The focus on the Scottish witch killings that are barely known about is, not only interesting, but also vital for those stories to be given a voice. I recently read A kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll and it also features this topic too. 

Honestly, this book is great and mirroring and interlinking of past and present and that ending! I am looking forward to reading more from this author! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Terminal illness