Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Shallow River by H.D. Carlton

4 reviews

molly11e's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Drug use, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Cursing, Death of parent, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, and Adult/minor relationship

theartistreader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Bullying, Rape, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Murder, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Medical trauma, Confinement, Gaslighting, Incest, Torture, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Misogyny, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse

tarynsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Addiction, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Vomit, Classism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexism, Stalking, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Torture

lauren_readsbooks2302's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Okay this definitely cemented Carlton as one of my favourite authors.

Don't get me wrong - this book is daaaaark. There's almost a new trigger warning on every single page, but the story was so compelling.

I thank my lucky stars often - especially when I read a book or watch a show like this - that I was surrounded by a loving family and found myself somebody amazing to share a happy, stable relationship with, so reading about domestic abuse, especially when it's in such vivid detail, is always heart breaking. Carlton really managed to capture the constant struggles domestic abuse victims face when subjected to years of belittling, gaslighting and manipulation at the hands of someone they love and someone who is meant to love them.

I did, however, feel that the Matt raping Ryan plotline was added without much substance to add some extra shock factor to the story, and considering the type of story this was and what the MC had gone through her entire life, additional shock factor wasn't needed. I understand that some people can act horrendously or treat people horrifically as a trauma response to something they endured, but people can also just be inherently bad. I don't know. It wasn't massively out of place but I sort of felt as though it was a last minute idea thrown in to try and garner some sympathy for the reader towards Ryan.

I adored Mako, but I'm starting to wonder what Carlton's obsession with sharks is. Is she a marine biologist, or just a shark lover in general? If you haven't read Does It Hurt? then you won't get this until you do. The name kind of made me snort a little when I first read it.

Oh, and the scene with River and Alison? Holy shit lmaooooo. I mean, it was kind of hot but again, came out of nowhere. 

One thing I do really like about Carlton's books is the happy endings. I feel like they're not always ensured when you're reading dark romance but I think I'm just a little sappy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Torture