Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Come Closer by Sara Gran

40 reviews

jj_tj's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lindsaylhunter's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

So, so bleak. Brilliant as a little one-sit read. It can be very easy to get into OTT territory when it comes to horror but this is written in such a way that the sense of dread creeps up on you gradually until it totally envelops you.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

asterius's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • 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

Thrilling, but definitely not for me. If I had to put my finger on what kept me from loving this one it would have to be the bare bones nature of who these character are. 
In part I supppose it's because the issue has also always been with Amanda, a bit, with it only now suddely escalating -- I just would've loved to have seen more of her life before. I didn't feel I believed her connection with her husband Greg either, cutting me off from the impact of the finale where the protagonist and the demon inhabiting her could really become one. Also, the relationship of the characters have to suffer for there to be drama, for it to feel like they're being driven apart. I just did not understand what either of them actually saw in one another before things even got particularly 'bad'.


This plot is certainly for some, but just didn't hit for me. The writing style was witty, clipped, and didn't waste any time with anything at all fluff or unnecessary; lots of strong craftsmanship in the thrill department. There were quite a few times I chuckled out loud at something, in a good way.

If you like the movie
 Possession,
you'll really like this.

PS: Did not like the Latina mystic/tarot reader stereotypical stock character; it seemed like a joke about the way these things are usually solved in movies, but it just didn't land with me. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

silea's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes

3.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

fernbomb's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark fast-paced

3.0

Honestly the first book that has ever terrified me. Although I enjoyed the compact length, I wished a few story elements were more elaborated on. There was a brief mention of an outdated attitude towards lgbtqia+ that was very minor, but deserves to be mentioned nonetheless. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lavendar_fr0g's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

A realistic look into how the average person would react to getting possessed. 
As in, a bunch of denial and more ‘sane’ explanations til it’s too late. You can sympathize with Amanda, with the way her life falls apart and she loses control. You can’t blame her either- because possession & demons don’t exist, right? 

Could’ve done without the demons lore or whatever, as that didn’t interest me much but it didn’t take away from the story- wouldn’t you want to know everything about what’s happening to you?

I feel bad for her and her loved ones by the end of it all. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

kaitieg97's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

chloevienna's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark sad tense 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

2.0

there’s no mystery or intrigue to this book - it tells you what it is and what it plans to do and then does it without skill. i’d seen this all over tiktok and figured i’d finish it in one sitting due to the length, but it took me a few days because of how boring i found it. i’m honestly shocked at the high-ish ratings on here considering how surface level the material is. i feel bad being so harsh, but i truly found none of it original or remotely scary. i’d recommend skipping this one.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

not_another_ana's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

3.25/5

 We could devote our lives to making sense of the odd, the inexplicable, the coincidental. But most of us don't, and I didn't either. 

Come Closer follows Samantha, an architect, whose life slowly unravels as a dark presence starts taking over her. This book is pretty straight forward, lineal and exactly what it promises. The main character's slow descent into madness is believably described and interesting to follow. Th prose is very tight too, it doesn't digress or ramble. I feel like this would have been a disaster if it had been any longer.

Personally I didn't find this scary or even spooky. I do read a lot of horror on the regular so I think that's probably why this didn't hit me the way it seems to have affected others. I found the plot and the escalation predictable. I will say that I am thankful that the author didn't play around at the end with a twisty reveal or anything like that. Fast read, I recommend it to anyone who wants to read something quick but well done.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings