Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Sign Here by Claudia Lux

14 reviews

spicycronereads's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted sad tense medium-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

4.0

I listened to the audiobook, performed by Macleod Andrews and Brittany Pressley. It was a lot of fun.

This book is really hard to describe. It is part absurd workplace comedy (where the workplace is hell) and part thriller. 

There are two parallel narratives, one following Peyote Trip, the hell salesperson charged with closing deals. We see what happens to his work life when a new woman joins the organization. The other narrative centers on a family going to their summer house in New Hampshire. 

The first half of the book really centers on the absurdity of hell and building the tension around this family’s summer vacation. And then it takes a pretty dark turn and the thriller aspects ramp up. 

I won’t say much more for fear of spoiling it but there is character development and it happens in some surprising ways. Speaking of surprises, I guessed a few of the twists but at least one got me. 

There is pretty much no diverse representation. Everyone is white and the family on earth has multi-generational wealth. 

The audio performances are great. I loved Macleod Andrew’s’ take on Peyote’s voice and Brittany Pressley really brought bone head teenage boys to life while simultaneously capturing women in a variety of ages. 

Overall, I really enjoyed it. To the point that when I got home from work yesterday with only an hour left to go, I listened to the rest from the couch (I normally only listen while driving or doing housework). It also made me feel totally justified in my dislike of Jagermeister. 😂 IYKYK. It is a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Violence, Abandonment, Torture, and Self harm

Moderate: Infidelity and Murder

Minor: Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Toxic friendship

Cult,

reedcodes's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Death, Self harm, Murder, Grief, Alcohol, and Infidelity

Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Cursing

Minor: Cancer, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Child death, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, and Pedophilia

bookishchaos's review

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

I don't get the hype. It started off great but I struggled to finish it. None of the characters were likable and quite forgettable. The ending was super confusing and disappointing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Murder, and Infidelity

Moderate: Self harm and Pedophilia

Minor: Gaslighting

lizacorn's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Death, Self harm, Infidelity, and Child abuse

Moderate: Gun violence, Bullying, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Sexism, Drug use, Misogyny, and Child death

Minor: Sexual content, War, and Gaslighting

booksnbrooches's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was compulsively readable, I will give it that. However, I was very mislead by the book marketing on BOTM’s app. It has the book labeled as humorous, and IT AIN’T. Sure, there are some dark humor elements. But this read is depressing and upsetting. Triggers galore. 

The mystery part was interesting, but easy to figure out in my opinion. I think my own expectations let me down with wanting a whimsical story about Hell’s bureaucracy. I repeat, this was not that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship

annorabrady's review

dark mysterious medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

The premise was interesting and the writing compelling, but I still struggled through a good portion of the book. Especially in terms of Silas' interactions with Ruth, who was only a 10th grader. 

Also, climax of the story was really good but the epilogue ruins it, in my opinion.

The whole time traveling aspect, especially one so far before the main storyline, means none of what happened in the story matters. Because even if somehow all the events happened as they happened before the story began, the events of the climax couldn't happen because there wouldn't be a reason for him to intervene.

If you struggle with eating disorders, self harm, and suicide, procede with caution with this book. 

Another note on the ending,

I thought that Mickey was the one in the family that Pey needed to get a "complete set" since he rushed to save her as she became "disconnected." So I was very much confused when Mickey still died and then the deal was made with Silas.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Death, Eating disorder, Child death, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Gun violence, and Suicide

monstersinspace's review

dark funny sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed the subtext of the book and I found the character's flawrd but likeable. I will admit I was confused a lot about what was going on and who was talking in since it jumped time and place so often. I think it falls into the same issue a lot of time travel adjacent stories do where if you think about them long enough they are nothing but paradox so its best to take the story at face value. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Alcohol, Self harm, and Death

Moderate: Gaslighting, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Infidelity

maggieparedesauthor's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Alcoholism, Blood, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Murder, Pregnancy, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Addiction, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, and Drug use

loy127's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Bullying, Suicide, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual violence, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Violence

blackcatkai's review

dark funny tense medium-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

4.5

CW: alcohol/drug use, death, self harm, gun violence, pregnancy, gaslighting, infidelity, body shaming/fatphobia, eating disorder mentioned, torture, cancer mentioned, cults, religious bigotry, child abuse, blood, violence, some body horror, casual ableism, suicide mentioned.

i had a lot of fun with this one. it's funny, at times uncomfortable, and wholly entertaining. it had a couple small twists towards the end that i both wasn't expecting but thoroughly enjoyed.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Body horror, Child death, Violence, Death, Self harm, Blood, Gun violence, and Child abuse

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Suicide, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Death, Grief, Gaslighting, and Drug use

Minor: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Ableism, and Cancer