Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

21 reviews

maiahhtratchh's review

dark funny reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

There were aspects of this books I loved and others I wasn’t a fan of. Despite literally being a book literally about murder it was quite light hearted and quirky. I enjoyed how the story was told and I did like the character of Grace, even though she is flawed, i like her in a “good for her” type way. One of the major issues I took from it was that I feel like her motive could have been flushed out more. Like I was just under the cup of really supporting her… I needed the reasoning to just be a bit more. I actually enjoyed the ending, I thought it left it really open ended which is how this needs to be because there really was no good way to wrap it up.

okay so now the big issues I have, other then motivation. For someone SO SMART AND CALCULATED with her murders …. How did she write down her murders in a notebook in prison and not expect Kelly to read it?? She literally talks about reading Kelly’s and how Kelly is so nosey so this just was such a gap in logic and left a bad taste in my mouth. The entire time I was thinking that it was stupid she was doing that and hoping I just misunderstood and she was mentally journaling her story but no… she physically wrote it down. Yeah I just really hated that. Other then that it would’ve been 4 stars but that aspect brought it down the 3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Classism, Death, Murder, Stalking, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Infidelity, Confinement, and Death of parent

ruthmoog's review

dark tense fast-paced

4.75

Grace is so mean!

I enjoyed that the reputation of being a rotter was a family trait that Grace didn't see in herself, and her lack of self-awareness really comes to a head as the story develops.

There weren't many (any) likeable characters in the book, and the subject matter was fairly grim, yet I was very invested - I wanted to  find out what happens next.

This book is described as funny; it's told in a chatty sarcastic way as if what the narrator says is funny. But it isn't actually funny. The jokes Grace makes are snarling and mean, and at the expense of others. And that is perfect for her character.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Ableism, Death, Death of parent, Stalking, Body shaming, Car accident, Cursing, Drug use, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Minor: Blood, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit

zara89's review against another edition

dark emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Abandonment, Car accident, Murder, and Blood

Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

courtneykingxo's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

The ending really made me admire and appreciate this book, i had chills and won’t forget it for a long while. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Physical abuse, Confinement, Death, Murder, Stalking, and Violence

sabbcm's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious slow-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Stalking, Sexual content, Murder, Drug use, Death of parent, Confinement, Car accident, and Blood

eimear_jane's review

dark 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Confinement, Abandonment, Murder, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Classism, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Stalking, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Addiction

esme_may's review

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

This was loads of fun! The murders were really inventive, and even though it seems a bit controversial from other opinions I've seen, I didn't mind the ending at all. I found Grace a bit frustrating and judgemental at times, and even though there's a reason why she sees the world the way she does, it made my reading experience a bit less enjoyable at times. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Classism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual content, Stalking, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, and Infidelity

Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, Eating disorder, Ableism, and Biphobia

abithereader's review against another edition

dark funny tense medium-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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Eating disorder

onthelam's review

adventurous mysterious reflective sad tense 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

3.5

I found myself rooting for a murderer.

I was unsatisfied at the end when she didnt receive the money and felt as if she has been further wronged.

Interesting but i felt it could have been more..

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual content, and Stalking

Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Hate crime, Sexism, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Abandonment

Minor: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, and Toxic friendship

beca_reads's review

dark funny 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? Yes

3.0

This was an interesting read. I struggled at first to get into it, I found that it is quite similar in nature to killing eve. I definitely feel that Mackie was inspired by killing eve when writing this book. Personally I found it hard to keep a track of the different characters and there connection to Grace the female protagonist. I did find myself laughing out loud at points and the book was fairly well written. I do however, feel that the ending could have been more precise and condensed down.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Car accident, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Eating disorder