Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

58 reviews

tessazwaan's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

3.0

Avery (& everyone in the “present” basically) was a really flat and just generally not so well written character, which annoyed me a lot. The rest of the book is way better. 3 stars because it just didn’t feel like the perspectives chosen were the right ones for the book. Wanted to see more Rill, May and Arcadia and way less Avery and Trent. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Trafficking, and Death of parent

bailsoutbooks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Kidnapping, and Classism

Minor: Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

annatroughton's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Kidnapping

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Dementia, and Death of parent

jaclyn_janowski's review against another edition

challenging 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? No

3.75

Good read - very well written, but man, this book was a doozy to read through. It took me a couple years to finish it if I’m being honest because it was so heavy and sad. Not saying that to lessen the story,  but just gear yourself up for some heavy emotional turmoil and be prepared to cry. Sometimes the content was too much for me and I had to take long breaks from reading. I still enjoyed the book, however, and thought it had beautiful moments of storytelling. I do appreciate how the author went to these challenging places to share what awful things actually occurred in real life to these children- just be ready for it. On a different note, I know this was a period piece, but I didn’t like how the very limited few people of color in the book were written and addressed… that felt a little yucky to me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Abandonment

holliebye's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Excrement, Dementia, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Cancer

nadia_luq's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Cancer, Infertility, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Death of parent

xxjenadanxx's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Dementia, and Kidnapping

Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Police brutality, Dementia, Trafficking, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

kirayoshinaga's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

What an incredibly written novel for such a harrowing story. I was captivated immediately and felt so connected to the characters. The best part about the book was the bond between sisters through the end that brought me to tears with her beautiful words, “But the love of sisters needs no words. It does not depend on memories, or mementos, or proof. It runs as deep as a heartbeat. It is as ever present as a pulse.” I highly recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

amberlinanderson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

This book will make you experience every emotion: love, sadness, fear, disgust, happiness, anger, hope. I had no idea what I was getting into, and I’m too young to have ever heard of this real life scandal. I loved this story so much, but it also broke my heart. I definitely recommend giving this a read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Torture, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Infertility and Rape

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

brittneyw9's review against another edition

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Dementia, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Alcohol