emory's reviews
185 reviews

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi

challenging dark

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Genocide, Sexual violence, and Antisemitism

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Gore

The Home Place: A Novel by Carrie La Seur

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Moderate: Rape

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

emotional hopeful reflective medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Suicide, and Death of parent

A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

The Next Girl by Carla Kovach

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, and Stalking

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.

Ridiculous constant one liners like "the little lies we tell ourselves are the brightest shades of white" or nonsense little metaphors that get dragged out for a quip--just tell your story, stop trying to write a quotable little saying! The teenage family member talking like she's 8 and the ridiculously heavy-handed dialogue in the next scene was as far as I think Im getting. I'm not that curious about the mystery.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Child death and Abandonment

Minor: Addiction and Drug abuse

Hotel Paradise by Martha Grimes

reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Racism

Minor instances (1 offhand sentence each) of offensively stereotyped descriptions of Asian and Native people. One mention of lynching. Narrator is very neglected by her family and it can be difficult to read at times. Depiction of two men with speech impediments, that, while the narrator is nothing but kind and stands up for them against others, can still come off as uncomfortable as scenes are dedicated to deciphering their words, written phonetically.

My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Rape, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism and Vomit