Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Sign Here by Claudia Lux

51 reviews

blissofalife's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

If you like putting together the puzzle pieces, this is the book for you! I thought the ending was a bit rushing and lacking the narration of the rest of the book, but a satisfying end nonetheless.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, and Violence

Minor: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Grief, Gun violence, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Sexism, and Sexual assault

trips's review against another edition

dark emotional funny inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.0

 I've been reading a lot of books about making deals with the devil, so naturally this book came along and I had to read it. (My name is also Trip, so of course I wanted to read a story where there is a character named Peyote Trip)
It was great! The prose is fast and interesting, the story kept me engaged the whole time. I found pacing and the deeper ideas presented in the story to be very eloquently put, especially for a debut author. While I found some of the writing to a tad confusing at points, the execution of the stories twists and how the reader uncovers the mysteries just hit right with me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Self harm, and Infidelity

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Child death and Cancer

knlipke's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

The plot moved terribly slow. The further the book moved along, the more questions I gathered. I’m still a little lost on the ending..

Overall, it was an interesting take on Hell. Def not a horror book. Just not for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture and Death

Moderate: Infidelity and Self harm

Minor: Addiction

symabee's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

I thoroughly enjoyed Sign Here and was shocked to learn this was the authors debut novel. It is a dark comedy, a murder mystery, a coming of age tale, and a moving story about humanity and love, all rolled into one. I love the way this author writes and look forward to her future books. 

Things of note:
✅️ Short chapters
✅️ Lots of alternating POV 
⚠️ Check content warnings. While this book can be humorous, it also contains a lot of dark subject matter.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Infidelity, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Eating disorder, Self harm, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Torture, Blood, Gun violence, and Murder

Minor: Gore, Kidnapping, Cancer, Pregnancy, Drug use, Abortion, and Fire/Fire injury

haylzno's review against another edition

funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

WOW. 
I absolutely devoured this book. Finished in barely a day. It was super fast paced, multiple POVs and short chapters that keep you saying "okay one more chapter"

I thought the author dropped some really nice hints throughout the whole thing. Some twists I guessed some I didn't but it kept me guessing the wholeeeee time. I loved (most) of the characters and the dynamic between Hell and Earth. I enjoyed the world building and found myself chuckling at far too many of the "hells" experienced in Hell (she kinda nailed that corporate office life LOL). 
There's one aspect of the book I didn't like but I'm going to hide it in a following spoiler warning just incase. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it 

SPOILER:

My biggest peeve is the pedophilia.... I don't understand why that was included. Did it make Silas an easy character to hate? Hell yea. But wtf was the point of it? I think it easily could have been taken out and wouldn't have changed the story at all. And the comment about his OWN DAUGHTERS LEGS?!?! No. Straight to jail. Why was that even necessary

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, and Child abuse

Minor: Abandonment

wai's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious fast-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? Yes

5.0

I figured I would like this book, but it still really surprised me. A lot of twists and turns that I thought I had figured out but turned out to be wrong about. It keeps you guessing until the end. With very intriguing world building around Hell and selling your soul, and dark humor, it's worth the read if this is your thing. Please mind the content warnings as it does contain many triggering concepts and descriptions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Murder, Self harm, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Grief, Cursing, and Gun violence

Moderate: Drug use, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Blood, Suicide, Eating disorder, Bullying, Alcohol, and Sexual content

Minor: Pregnancy and Pedophilia

kylieqrada's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

First thing I will say is: TRIGGER WARNINGS. If you need them, check them, cuz there's about 20,000 in this book. I was expecting a light comedy satire horror thing, and this is not really that?? It's way darker than I was expecting, with moments of levity from Pey that kinda lighten the mood. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and will definitely be reading more from this author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Death, and Torture

Moderate: Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Murder, Alcohol, Infidelity, and Body shaming

Minor: Cancer

savvyrosereads's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious medium-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? Yes

5.0

Rating: 5/5 stars

Peyote Trip works in hell—literally—and he’s one sold soul away from a “Complete Set” and the rewards that will come with it. But when he meets newly assigned Calamity Ganon, all his carefully laid plans begin to go awry.

I had high hopes for this one, and it absolutely delivered. I was immediately obsessed with the writing style, which is equal parts hilarious and poignant, and the concept is brilliant—disturbing, fascinating, and nuanced in all the best ways.


I actually did not expect the plot to include an element of murder mystery, but given that those are my favorite books to read I was thrilled that it did. The characters and plot were incredibly well developed, and I was honestly sad to finish the book because I didn’t want to leave the world that Lux developed…a particularly weird thing to say when that “world” is literally hell, but there you have it.

In short—I need everyone to read this book, immediately.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: dark humor; moral greyness; mysteries with a unique frame

CW: Torture/gore; death; child abuse; infidelity; self-harm. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, Torture, Violence, and Infidelity

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Gun violence, and Murder

Minor: Cancer and Terminal illness

dizie_lizie's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Torture

Moderate: Self harm and Suicide

dani_reis's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

3.5

I hated all of the characters. The ending wasn't as confusing as some reviewers have made it out to be.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Grief, Self harm, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Abortion

Fantasy of adult/minor relationship by adult.