Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

16 reviews

julis_libros's review

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, and Death

Minor: Death of parent and Child death

samantha914's review

emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Rape, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Pregnancy

Minor: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Animal death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Stalking

killmoore_'s review

dark sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

This is one of the most gut wrenching books I have ever read. Just about every twist and turn absolutely wrecked me, and my heart broke for Annie with every chapter. 

I'd give anything to read it for the first time again, ngl. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Body horror, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, and Murder

redefiningrachel's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Murder, Stalking, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Car accident, Gore, Death, Mental illness, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Violence, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

zumpers's review

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

1.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Car accident, Death of parent, and Cursing

crushedvelvet's review

dark emotional 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

3.5

CW: Contains multiple scenes of graphic sexual assault.

Still Missing is a difficult read. It follows a 32 year old realtor named Annie as she navigates the trauma from being held captive for a year. Told through a series of therapy sessions, we weave between past & present. Reliving the harrowing events that changed her & watching her fight to pick up the pieces. 

The plot adheres to genre conventions for the most part. An example being the archetypal predator with an Oedipus complex. The one way it does diverge is what makes it a cut above the rest. This book doesn't pretend everything is over once victim escapes. It shows the elusive, non-linear reality of the healing process. And that a large part of it is grieving the person you were before trauma changed you. All in all not bad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Confinement, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Stalking, Death of parent, Car accident, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Cancer

simplyammee's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Vomit, Confinement, Torture, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Animal death, Child death, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Stalking, Cancer, and Alcoholism

Definitely check trigger warnings! However, as someone who has a rape trigger, I found skipping over any scenes just fine for me (it does mention rape a lot though beyond the scenes; it doesn't beat around the bush with it). This book is not worth pushing yourself with triggers though, and again there is A LOT.

meeklovestoread's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.25

To say I liked/enjoyed this book feels wrong because this book was very heavy. Let's just say this is the first ever thriller where I was shedding tears. It did take me some time to get into (about 60 pages, but after that, I was hooked) because of how the story was formatted. So, just to prepare you the story is told through therapy sessions where only the main character speaks, and in these sessions, she starts off talking about a detail/event that happened to her in the present then goes into what happened to her then it ends off with her in the present again (that's how each chapter starts and ends). The first 50-60% of this book is her (Annie) recounting what happened to her and how she escapes. And my gosh it's so heartbreaking to read. 

Something I want to point out is that I personally like how the author presented Annie's personality through how she acts and speaks because you really get a feel into the type of person she is and how this experience has shaped who she's become. I think the author did a good job in presenting what an experience like this can take from someone and something as tragic as this creates deep scars into someone; scars that may never go away. 

The rest of the novel explores the present-day investigation into who did this to her and why. Now I personally feel very indifferent towards the twist. I understood the twist, however, I understand why many people feel like it was a cop-out and that it lacked luster. Especially because I don't think we got enough closure especially pertaining to certain characters like Luke (I really felt for him; he was so kind). 

I did not like Christina and I'm glad Annie finally let her go. I can't believe she even forgave her the first time. It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth that she and Luke slept together while Annie was out being tortured by "The Freak".

  Overall, if you do think about reading this I really do suggest checking those trigger warnings. I've never cried in a thriller until I read this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Grief, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Body horror, Death, Violence, Torture, Stalking, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Murder, Medical content, Cursing, Body shaming, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit, Cancer, Car accident, and Animal cruelty

meyeram30's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

I really enjoyed this one! Great to jump you out of a reading slump. Keeps your attention throughout and has a great plot twist. I really felt for Annie and loved listening to her story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, and Rape

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Abandonment

wyabook234's review

dark emotional tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Physical abuse, Confinement, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Death of parent