Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

16 reviews

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

A very sweet and—despite being about ghosts—realistic look at loss, love, and life events. This isn’t strictly a romance, but the romance found within the pages is tender and charming and at times, a little sad and a little bleak. But that’s what makes it feel so real. The writing reminded me of Beth O’Leary meets Sally Thorne. 

In a word, this story was unexpected. I was expecting more of a cute paranormal romance, but that’s not really what it was. I was expecting it to go in many different directions than it did. In the end, I really loved where it went. 

I would also say this book is like (the family drama of) The Haunting of Hill House mixed with a touch of Sixth Sense meets Ghosts (UK version all the way) with a little Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and Just Like Heaven and Six Feet Under. If that gives you any idea at all of the genres this novel encompasses. In other words, a great book for the season that isn’t scary!

AND great LGBTQ+ rep in this one!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Blood, Abandonment, and Alcohol

bookishflower's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad 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? Yes

5.0

The Dead Romantics is for the eldest siblings, people with anxiety, those who escape into books, the 'tis the damn season lovers, people who were bullied in school, the hopeless romantics who have been hurt by love but keep trying, and the people who long for things that only exist in their memories.

This cute, spooky book hurt , but was so comforting at the same time. A beautiful exploration of grief, family, love, and learning to trust again.

The perfect read for an autumnal night when you want something cosy, human, and full of heart.

Thank you HQ/ HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Minor: Cursing and Alcohol

imstephtacular's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Cursing, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, and Pregnancy

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

The premise is a little bit corny and unbelievable but the writing is beautiful and the characters take you on such an amazing ride that the little bit of corniness is well worth it. I cried a lot during this book — it’s about loss, but also about the things you can find inside your grief and loss. Florence is incredibly relatable to me for myriad reasons but I saw myself and others I love in the other characters as well. If you had told me before I read this book that I would believe in and love a ghost story romance, I would’ve called you a liar. But here we are. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

headinthepages's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

stardustandrockets's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book deserves ALL OF THE STARS! Poston really outdid herself with this one. The feeling of grief was so viscerally present throughout the book. I spoiled myself on events of the ending about halfway through because I kept reading the questions in the Reader's Guide at the back of the book. I also guessed a major plot point about the ending about 100 pages in, but that didn't ruin anything for me. This has been the first book to make me cry in my adult life (if you don't count Fruits Basket). It's such a beautifully written book and it'll stay with me for a good long while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Minor: Car accident, Murder, and Alcohol

There's one HP reference in relation to publishing, so not a pop culture reference