Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The September House by Carissa Orlando

49 reviews

karalynaa's review

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

linora's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book made me laugh out loud and made me cry. It was written beautifully and I have a feeling that I will be thinking about it for a long time. 

I'm debated between giving it 4.75 and 5 stars, and decided to upgrade it to 5 stars because of a few scenes that were written with such care and understanding while still maintaining their humor. I do think the metaphor weakened towards the end as the plot transitioned into more traditional horror, but I loved it anyway

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

purstiltski's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

izypup's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I love when women 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Confinement, Mental illness, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

priscillarobock's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

caitmal's review

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

This was entirely not the book I was expecting to read. I was thinking it would be a millennial type adventure of “I finally can afford a house, no way are ghosts scaring me off”. It ended up being a lot darker but also a lot more layered than I was expecting. I really appreciated how the

author paralleled the staying in an obviously haunted and dangerous house with staying in an abusive relationship. The author did a great job of showing the mindset and thought process and how people often make excuses or blame themselves. I found the DV scenes challenging to read at times so I do wish I had read a content warning beforehand

I also appreciated how the ending had a twist within a twist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Self harm

alicevoyager's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

Being in a haunted house is the least difficult thing this woman has been through. I love that we come in 4 years into her living in this house. She's frustrating at times, but she's a whole ass character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide and Gaslighting

Minor: Self harm and Forced institutionalization

chainsawheartbooks's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book might have taken a while to get in to, but my god once it did it took off!
There were certainly really dark elements wrapped up at the heart of this story, but it handled things in such a good, honest and raw way. 
It’s a haunted house tale that is sure to stay with me for a long time, having planted its roots deep in my brain, as the house has with Margaret. 
A trigger warning of child abuse, alcoholism, as well as domestic and emotional abuse is something that’s important to share, but, in my personal opinion (and personal experience with emotional abuse), it’s handled with the upmost care. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Blood

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

lindseyrenee's review

dark emotional funny mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Self harm, Suicide, and Vomit

samburkhouse's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Mental illness, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Confinement, Self harm, and Cannibalism