Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

76 reviews

karissa_bush's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Police brutality, and Racism

rachelfayreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Hate crime, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, Classism, Racism, Medical trauma, and Police brutality

Moderate: Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Torture, Slavery, and Panic attacks/disorders

jnl0's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.75

People say it’s too slow in the beginning parts, and I quite agree. BUT, all those parts in the beginning were needed. It’ll all be worth it in the end. I think I stopped breathing reading the last three chapters. And then that epilogue? Oh wow. It was like a warm hug after all that darkness. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Hate crime, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Classism

snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Abandonment, Addiction, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Alcohol, Classism, Gun violence, Violence, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Death, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, and Racism

readingismyluvlanguage's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Grief, Colonisation, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Hate crime

hollywobble's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Murder, Racism, Blood, Mental illness, Death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Deportation, Grief, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Confinement, Cursing, Kidnapping, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Gaslighting

jackie_reads_314's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I did have to put this book down for a little because it felt like I was being gaslit, just like Sydney. This felt like more of a horror book than a thriller; it almost felt like there would be supernatural elements at some points. The social commentary was exquisite, the characters relatable and believable, and the settings real. I would say that the first 3/4 of the book was an intense slow burn, and the last 1/4 was a racing and impactful end. I am very excited to read Alyssa Cole's next thriller in 2024!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Racism, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Police brutality, Stalking, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Medical content, and Medical trauma

raptorq's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Death, Infidelity, Classism, Blood, Racism, Kidnapping, Slavery, Medical trauma, Hate crime, Murder, and Gun violence

Moderate: Suicide and Gore

Minor: Drug abuse

faduma's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Body horror, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

livlamentloathe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

3.0

I loved the build-up. I loved the intricate webbing of the neighborhood and white supremacy and patterns in history. I couldn’t stop reading! I sped through the book cause I was so curious about how it pieced together and what would bring it to a climax. But the ending did not pay off.

It fell a bit flat for me. And didn’t solve a lot of the intricate side plots. This book fell into its own trap. I think the plot got too big for itself so when the ending came, it could never have properly wrapped up all the loose threads. The main problem is a pitfall I’ve seen a lot of books struggle with: the villain became too omniscient.

There were ring cameras everywhere. The cops were in on it. Politicians both local and brand name, lawyers, nonprofits and nonethical companies alike. The white folk too indomitable by the end. And the ending does nothing to combat this. What is there to imply it won’t start back up immediately? If the gang of golden-oldies were in on it, why couldn’t they do more?? All they did was charge in to finish Sydney and Theo’s work?? They should’ve pulled Sydney into the work! They should’ve done more to stop local kids and families getting mixed into it! I can’t just believe everything is all right now. What about Drea and the man dead in Sydney’s house? What about the strange bedbugs?

I have more questions than answers after all that. And while I’m glad Theo helped Sydney through it all, I never trusted him. I was waiting for him to pull an Allison Williams the whole dang time. The ending felt like the end of a battle, not a war. And it’s hard to believe this one neighborhood can fight that big of a fight. Although I did appreciate the friendly neighbor motif and how togetherness is the way to win. I wish there’d been more closure.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Racism, Colonisation, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Hate crime, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, Death, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Torture, Slavery, Death of parent, Mass/school shootings, Racial slurs, Addiction, and Medical content