Reviews tagging 'Car accident'

The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins

13 reviews

reedandright's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Stalking, Death, and Gun violence

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Kidnapping

Minor: Excrement, Racism, Gaslighting, Torture, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Car accident, Cursing, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Vomit, and Infertility

newandhorrible's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

"For the rest of their lives, the girls would have to keep looking over their shoulders. It was the reason why slain villains in horror movies popped back up, still alive — because there would always be another man waiting to cause harm. It would never end. The girls would never truly be safe."

Has this ever been articulated so clearly?

I've had this hardcover (signed and dedicated!!!) on my shelf since its release in 2021 and neglected it till now. It's fine.

I knew Steph Perkins would deliver us another banger horror story after There's Someone Inside Your House. There were so many compelling parts, and I was literally gagging listening to the descriptions of broken bones. Josie and Neena's friendship felt so familiar and the tension between them rang so true. 

This book is:
Part Lost Girls of Panama
Part 127 Hours
Part Cabin in the Woods
Part Other Scary Movies I Avoid Because I'm A Baby
And an absolutely compelling thrill ride.

Stay out of the forest, y'all. Read this book instead.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Blood, Death, Murder, and Rape

Minor: Car accident and Death of parent

jyllibean's review against another edition

There was a certain point where the book stopped making any sense and I was just kind of over it

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Stalking, Mental illness, and Car accident

clarethajoanne's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Violence, and Stalking

Minor: Murder, Death, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Rape, Car accident, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

agameofbooksblog's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

"The Woods Are Always Watching" by Stephanie Perkins is a gripping and atmospheric young adult thriller that had me hooked from start to finish. This book showcases Perkins' versatility as an author, taking a departure from her usual contemporary romance and diving into the realm of suspense and mystery. With its intense pacing, well-crafted suspense, and an intriguing premise, this novel easily earns its well-deserved five-star rating.

Perkins excels at creating a chilling and foreboding atmosphere, making the woods a character in its own right. The setting is beautifully described, evoking a sense of unease and making the reader feel like they are right alongside the characters, navigating the eerie and treacherous forest. The main characters, Abby and Gretchen, are relatable and well-developed, drawing readers into their personal struggles and fears. The alternating perspectives provide insight into their thoughts and motivations, adding depth to their experiences and heightening the tension as the mystery unravels.

The plot is intricately woven, with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the final pages. Perkins skillfully builds suspense, balancing moments of quiet unease with pulse-pounding action. The story explores themes of friendship, trauma, and survival, all while keeping readers on the edge of their seats. "The Woods Are Always Watching" is a thrilling and satisfying read that will appeal to fans of both mystery and psychological suspense. Perkins' venture into this genre proves her storytelling versatility and solidifies her as a talented author capable of delivering captivating narratives across different genres.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Death, Murder, Violence, and Misogyny

Moderate: Death of parent, Stalking, Sexual assault, and Car accident

Minor: Vomit

tomato_soop's review against another edition

dark 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Murder, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Gore, and Death of parent

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, and Kidnapping

Minor: Addiction, Car accident, Alcoholism, Vomit, Child abuse, and Animal death

rosesofthespring's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

I'm using spoiler tags because the main threat of the book is not revealed until deep into the page count. Aside from revealing the threat and my issues with it, the spoilers are minimal and do not pertain to the plot.

A thrilling quick read. My rating would be higher if

the actions of the villains weren't immediately blamed on their bad (addict, sex worker) mothers. Most of the book is so delightfully anti-sexism, then it trips and falls into the "the bad actions of men can be blamed on failed women" trope. Ms. Perkins, you didn't have to do that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Sexism, Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Body horror, Animal death, Grief, Kidnapping, Violence, Rape, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Vomit, Blood, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Excrement, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Torture

Minor: Classism and Infertility

stephvt22's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

3.75

It wasn't great by any means, kind of predictable, almost to the levels of "comedy horror", but having said that I was definitely drawn in by it and read it in a day. 

Josie is a boss, would be friends with 10/10. Probably wouldn't read again though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Torture, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Vomit, Gun violence, Car accident, and Blood

niamhkerr45's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Sexual assault

nicolinebl's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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

3.0

I've had such a reader's block for the last couple of months and picking up this book definitely solved the problem. It was a quick read because of how incredibly terrifyingly thrilling it was. It picks up a bit slow but has enough spookiness to make you anxious reading it at night and then the real scariness begins. Wonderful writing and very real characters. My only issue with the book is

the decision of them to keep going after their big fight and since they were very anxious about bears and murderers I would have definitely decided to return home. But yeah, that would be a boring horror book I guess. Plus the shared trauma has definitely helped forget the fight and strengthen their friendship. I do think they need at least a gap year for therapy before they do anything else though. Oh, and I wasn't a big fan of the serial killers, they felt a bit too much I guess. Not fully believable but definitely disturbing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Torture, Death, Excrement, Gore, and Gun violence

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Car accident, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Excrement, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, and Vomit