Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

15 reviews

thepaperbackqueen's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

My favorite parts of the book were the beginning and the end. The beginning was so interesting. It introduced us to the 2 students who play a role in the Ellingham case and I really enjoyed their pov.

 The past timeline still remains my favorite because it was more mysterious to me and watching snippets of the past play out left me with more questions than answers honestly but that's one of the things that made it a blast to read. 

The middle component of the book was nice but not as fascinating or as mysterious as the beginning and the ending. 

I also wish there was more detective work from Stevies side on trying to find out what happened to Hayes since I don't think it was an accident. And that's one of the reasons why the middle part of the book didn't really feel like a mystery to me. 

(Sexual content: No sex detailed or described but there are some heavy make out sessions that are steamy
Profanity: Increased a bit in this book but it's sparse and sporadic) 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Blood and Cursing

headinthepages's review against another edition

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Murder, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Abandonment, Death, Gore, Body horror, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Alcohol, Confinement, Violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

rylin_marie's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my goshhhhhhhhhhhh i’m speechless

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug use, Medical content, Mental illness, Addiction, Child death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Murder

falennahrm's review

dark mysterious slow-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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Body horror, Dysphoria, Gore, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Cultural appropriation, Suicide, Stalking, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

rissaandherbooks's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

An incredible continuation of my favorite series!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Murder, Medical content, Violence, Gore, and Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Sexual content, and Sexism

readingwithmeredith's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense medium-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

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Death, and Blood

elskabee's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

 I really struggled to remember anything that had happened in the first book even though I read it earlier this year so I really could have done with more of a recap of events at the start of this one.

I struggle with my feelings on this book because the first half was very slow and hardly any progress was made at all. Then the second half was actually quite good as we actually start to learn more info and it picks up the pace. Thank God!

I'm intrigued enough to continue the series still, but if it hadn't picked up at that halfway point I was fully ready to DNF it. So I guess it's on thin ice mostly due to pacing issues for me personally.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Confinement

Minor: Cursing, Alcoholism, and Fire/Fire injury

Characters attend an anatomy class where dissection of animal specimens is described

readerette's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

I still find myself conflicted about David. He does not bring out good things in Stevie, and he does not make many good choices, even considering he's a teenager. 

I'm having trouble following what's actually remaining to solve the case now, with the flashbacks and Stevie's doubts and the drama with some of the people she knows. I'll read the third book, but this whole story probably should have been a duology if not a standalone novel. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Blood, and Cursing

emily_mh's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This instalment was just as spooky and atmospheric as the first book; I was completely hooked and read it in a day. Also, I liked that Stevie was actually investigating this time around. However, this series didn’t need to be three books. The plot and mystery are spread pretty thin, especially the romance with David, where the conflict just feels contrived. I also predicted who Truly Devious was early on in the first book. A predictable solution to a mystery doesn’t necessarily mean docked stars, but it does if the solution feels meh or unsatisfying, which is sort of the case here. I really hope things pick up in the third book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, and Confinement

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Gore, Kidnapping, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, and Mental illness

Minor: Drug abuse, Excrement, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Vomit, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Alcohol, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Racism

Illness, bombs, discussion of global warming, HP reference, divorce

bookishgoob's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

this second book was so much better than the first i’m so glad i continued with it. and the ending!!!! the twists!!!! highly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence