Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

285 reviews

areyreads9's review

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

spinzdancer's review

emotional sad medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma

rimz1802's review

emotional slow-paced

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

2.5

Mixed feelings about this book, it's very predictable but enjoyable. The story focuses primarily on two characters, whom I'm sympathetic towards due to the traumas they experience but they just dont pull themselves together and it becomes frustrating. The storyline could have shared some focus on the other diverse characters and their stories, which would have made it more interesting. There were some complex issues such as race which was very briefly mentioned throughout but could have been explored thoroughly. It's also not realistic when the main character doesn't question or fight for answers, shows enough passion or anger with all the inconsistencies in their life. The ending is completely unrealistic after a big revelation. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Dementia, and Kidnapping

Minor: Racism

nordicat's review

emotional hopeful sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Racism, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

faefolkreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A

3.5

Wow, this book kicked me in the feels and just kept kicking. 

When this was announced the my book club pick I instantly said ‘I’m not going to read that- it will be too sad’ but against my better judgment, when my library reservation came in I picked it up to read the first sentence- at least that way I could say I tried, right? Before I knew it I was 100 pages in, knowing this story was breaking my heart and still unable to not see it through to the end.

I read review that said The Berry Pickers is a quiet type of story, and I feel that encapsulates this book perfectly. It was a story about love and grief and loss and trauma, family and hopes and heartbreak, but told in such a soft and gentle way that it was letting me feel and grieve with the characters. 

This book felt beautiful and real, but unfortunately  that type of story just depresses me, and I was expecting a little more drive and gumption and character growth then what was planned. The lower rating is 100% a me problem- I just feel there could have been *more* in terms of Norma finding out her past, more for the resolution, more from Joe, more time exploring the racism and class system that was touched upon in this book and so many other things which were glanced past but not delved in to. 
This book will be loved and appreciated by many- unfortunately it’s just not my cup of tea. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Kidnapping, and Alcohol

Minor: Confinement and Infertility

lisettemarie's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, and Grief

Moderate: Cancer, Miscarriage, Racism, Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Pregnancy

bookgurlie's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, and Kidnapping

stace_reads's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Racism, and Kidnapping

melllllting's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

2.75

I saw some spoilers early on in my reading but honestly, the story was a bit predictable so it didn't make much of a difference. The two storylines are interwoven, but they sometimes end up feeling disconnected. Amanda Peters presents cultural issues surrounding Indigenous Peoples in eastern Canada without becoming a historical fiction. The Berry Pickers is a melodramatic story of loss and culture (somehow, everything I read lately seems to include the theme of grief). I feel like this book had a lot of potential and just slightly fell short.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Kidnapping

Minor: Miscarriage

paigegibsonstylist's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Dementia, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting