Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

167 reviews

daydaybookbay's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

I rated this book a 6.5 out of 10. The descriptions of torture get to be a bit much at times. I guessed the big twists, but I enjoyed the storyline and the small reveals. The torture content makes me question if I would read it again.

I do not recommend this book if you are triggered at all by: abuse. child abduction, drug abuse, gore, gun violence, murder, parent death, pedophilia, rape, sexual assult, suicide, torture. 

Please be aware that all of these topics and more are focused on at one point or another in this novel.

The characters are well developed and rounded. As a reader, you become invested in both the main characters as well as other characters (the father Sam, and Julia). I felt the pacing was steady and gave the perfect amount of time for buildup and resolution. Slaughter's storytelling is amazing.

Back to this trigger warnings bit. At some point, is this graphic torture for shock value? Kidnapping, torture, rape, and murder of teenagers... I almost stopped reading it. I can see it happening as I'm reading, so to have someone described as being raped by a machete... or the urine waterboarding. nope. Not my thing. Just the ongoing shock-value events in the second half are what knocked the rating down a bit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Torture, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Rape, Alcohol, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity

Minor: Trafficking, Stalking, Classism, Car accident, Cursing, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity

jamiejanae_6's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Addiction, Body horror, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual content, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Torture, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Violence

paigecoffman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug abuse, Addiction, Rape, Body horror, Drug use, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Stalking, and Violence

chandlercoco's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Fatphobia, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Trafficking, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Torture, Stalking, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Addiction, Murder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape

ssyme's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Violence, Torture, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Blood, Grief, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Addiction, Excrement, and Gaslighting

kmmstutz's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

Not my cup of tea, but I recognize why people who flock to this genre would love it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Gore, Blood, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Fatphobia, Death, Rape, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Violence, Suicide, and Drug abuse

mirrorchaser's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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

This was a really complicated read, it was difficult to read... but difficult like a train wreck, you just couldn't look away. I'm not going to lie, most of the twists got me (which is really unusual for me in thrillers!) I had no idea who to trust or what to expect. You know all of these many parts are loosely related but you have no idea exactly how until the very end. 

I will warn readers that this is about as close to splatterpunk as a mainstream thriller can go before it tips genres. I would not read this book if you have pretty much any triggers at all. This book is disturbing and really stays with you. It makes you distrustful. Consider your mental health first when you decide to read this.

I would go further into detail, but other reviews have already done a great job summarizing!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Excrement, Infidelity, Body horror, Physical abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Murder, and Torture

Moderate: Drug use, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Body shaming, Gaslighting, Car accident, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, and Addiction

kayleighpie's review against another edition

It was alright I guess. Almost halfway through I thought "What could possibly happen next" and realized I was not interested enough to find out. A lot of gore that made me wonder why some women are so obsessed with graphic violence against women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Car accident, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Cursing, Stalking, Torture, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Body horror, Death of parent, Sexual violence, and Violence

noeltappin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious reflective 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

4.75

Really good writing style but incredibly dark and graphic. The story draws you in and each new deal leaves you incredulous. Completely unpredictable, horrifying, heartbreaking with heartwarming moments. Glad the family was able to reunite after getting closure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Murder, Violence, Stalking, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse

peyviz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book up until the last 1/4. too much FBI/law enforcement/lawyer talk for my personal taste. that being said, it was a wild ass ride from start to finish and kept me hooked the whole time. I read this book with my girlfriend and found myself itching to read when she wasn't able to and wanting to read ahead. beware, this book is pretty graphic and violent for how popular it is, it surprised me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Sexism, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Death of parent, Blood, Kidnapping, Violence, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Rape, Torture, Death, Sexual content, Infidelity, and Body horror

Moderate: Gore, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Gun violence