Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

56 reviews

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, Dementia, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

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

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

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

Moderate: Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, and Infertility

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

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

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, Death of parent, and Sexual assault

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

Moderate: Rape and Infertility

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, Kidnapping, Confinement, Alcohol, Dementia, and Death of parent

duchess16's review against another edition

emotional mysterious fast-paced

4.75

holy spaghetti this book. i cannot even find the words to describe it. it’s wholesome and deep and emotional and clean and literally makes me want to read it over and over again…. the storyline and multiple time lines is exciting and intriguing and I feel like i could aLmOsT predict what was gonna happen, and then it would. but in a way i never expected. idk i can’t put words to how i feel right now. this book rattled my insides and i don’t know how i can pick up another book now 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Kidnapping

Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Grief, Physical abuse, Self harm, Alcohol, and Forced institutionalization

fruity999's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-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? No

2.0

I added this book to my wish list a while ago but can’t remember why. I didn’t really enjoy it but it was easy to read. the topic is also important and one that may need to be explored more but often the story came across as shallow and entitled. The present day storyline felt corny in comparison to the experiences of the past storyline. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Child death, and Death of parent