Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Hidden Pictures: A Novel by Jason Rekulak

102 reviews

emilywitho's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use and Kidnapping

Moderate: Death of parent

theskyylife's review against another edition

dark 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

5.0

Loved loved loved this book! I love the writing I like how there was a twist or two in the book. I couldn’t put it down! I love the illustrations throughout and the action that took place and I loved the ending!! Highly recommend!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Drug abuse

vivisms_82's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

21 yr old, several months sober Mallory gets a job as a nanny to a 5 year old child named Teddy. Mystery and strange occurrences ensue. I truly liked this book. An unexpected page turner for me - it is part paranormal/part domestic thriller and I was quite ok going along for the ride and buying it. Is it perfect? No. I mean

The red herring mystery of Annie and Willie was a bit bonkers. I mean two mysteries?? I don't like rubbish coincidences like that. Weird.

I have noticed on a few platforms this book has been given low ratings due to

Teddy really being a girl

I can respect people being pissed if this was used as a comment on

children and transgender

, however I don't believe this is so - this is quite important in bringing the story together and (to me at least) makes it plausible ie

is used to protect Caroline and Ted from detection should the police come knocking - I mean a child goes missing, the first thing they broadcast is the gender "missing 2 year old girl" etc. They are on the run and by making Flora appear like a boy is to keep their crime safe for goodness sakes! Not some hidden anti-trans meaning!

. It completely makes sense and is not some leftist author preaching his anti-woke views. I think some folks have read too much into that. I also don't like JK Rowling or agree with any of the harmful narrative she feels compelled to expel - HOWEVER I don't think a reference to Harry Potter is the author giving a nod to her or the hidden spoiler showing support to her either. I think it is simply used so the plotline works. I work with books all day - HP is a go to even for people that don't read at all - they will pick it up for a gift, for themselves or read it to someone. My point is I think it is used simply due to its huge popularity - everyone has heard of it even if they have never read it; the author was just trying connect those scenes to the reader. 

I will say I do however agree that the casual fat shaming with the mamma was weird and uncool.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Infertility, Kidnapping, Violence, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Car accident, Addiction, and Death of parent

throwback682's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

Edited: I initially thought I didn’t know if I liked it or not but after telling my partner about it and reading other reviews… I hate it. The half star is for the audiobook narrator who I thought did a great job. This book is a heavy handed morality tale a la after school specials, disguised as a ghost story. It’s transphobic, for one thing.

The people that turn out to be the bad guys are liberals who force their kid into gender transition against their will???

Gross. Just one example of the right wing propaganda in this novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Child death

There is a content warning that I can’t give without spoiling a major plot point. If you have a marginalized identity or might be sensitive to topics related to marginalized identities, I’ll say which one it’s related to here:

transgender

There’s not a character with that identity exactly… again it’s very complicated without giving total spoilers. I’m kinda squicky about them using it as a twist. I don’t know. Edited: okay I thought of a content warning but THIS COULD ABSOLUTELY SPOIL A MAJOR PLOT POINT VERY VERY EARLY. The extremely spoiling trigger warning is

forced gender transition

carlaa_aa's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Classism, Gaslighting, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

edilyaaang's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Some decisions made my the FMC in this book frustrated me but other than that, this book was a great read. I love the twist near the end. The way it ended never crossed my mind. I love how despite it being a 300+ page book, it was a very quick read and it had me on the edge of my seat once the story gained momentum. It wasn't really scary so I guess I would categorize this as more of a thriller than horror

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Drug abuse, Addiction, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Blood, Death, Drug use, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Grief, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Car accident, Cursing, Dementia, Stalking, Transphobia, and Racism

rochelleisreading's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Car accident, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Gun violence, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Grief, Classism, Drug use, Stalking, and Drug abuse

Minor: Infidelity, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Infertility

dyslexiaa's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

Suspenseful, keeps you on the edge of your seat and the twist was unexpected!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse

Moderate: Gaslighting

Minor: Murder, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

k_a_t_y's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Addiction, Death of parent, Drug use, Death, and Murder

Minor: Infertility

kelskekay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Gun violence, Child death, Addiction, Kidnapping, and Car accident