After That Night
Book
After that night, nothing was ever the same again … Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton's life...
Trigger warnings: violence Trigger warning: rape Trigger warning: domestic violence
Auburn (57 KP) rated White Stag (Permafrost, #1) in Books
Apr 10, 2019
Soren and Janneka make the perfect pair to take on the world. Their companionship and fight through the book is commendable. This permafrost world is so well developed that it takes a bit of time to understand the plot. The characters had their own fears and you developed warmth for the odd man out.
*Warning of slight trigger warning for rape is advised. There is no full discussion but alluded to and the scars it leaves behind are in the plot multiple times.
Nightcrawling
Book
When there is no choice, all you have left to do is walk. Kiara Johnson does not know what it is...
Trigger warning: sexual assault Trigger warning: rape Trigger warning: underage sex
The Heroines
Book
In Athens, crowds flock to witness the most shocking trial of the ancient world. The royal family is...
Greek Mythology Trigger warning: Rape
Nasty Little Cuts
Book
WHEN YOUR MARRIAGE IS THIS BROKEN, YOU MAY NOT MAKE IT OUT ALIVE. A nightmare jolts Debs awake....
Domestic Noir Psychological Thriller Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence Trigger Warning: Rape
Half Blood: The Complete Collection: Books 1-5
Book
The survival of a species is on the line, and everyone wants a piece of her. Indigo is hard-wired...
Adult Paranormal Romance Urban Fantasy Vampires Shifters
The Trial of Lotta Rae
Book
On Halloween night, 1906, young working class Lotta Rae is attacked by a wealthy gentleman. She...
Historical fiction Suffragettes Trigger warning: rape World War 1
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated All the Rage in Books
Feb 20, 2018
Trigger Warning. Rape and Recovery.
All The Rage is about a girl. It's about rape culture. It's about her trauma, and the aftermath. The book flashes back and forth a little - it includes a triggered flashback to her rape, and her memories of it. The font choices show how mixed up she is sometimes, and how hard it is for her to tell what's really happening, what is a memory, and what is a flashback. Her rape is never written about in high detail. One Goodreads reviewer made a good point - the details being scant makes the shadows larger for the devil to hide in. (Her review is is posted in full on her blog, and it's a powerful one.) (links can be found on my blog as they can't be embedded here.)
The book was an easy read, technically - I read it in an afternoon - but it was a very hard read, emotionally and mentally. The main character, Romy, talks about how no one prepares girls for this, and she's right. As a society, we don't. We tell girls how to avoid those kinds of situations, but not what to do when actually IN them. Or how to determine the best course of action. Because surviving an attack is usually the priority, and screaming and fighting isn't always the best way to do that. Romy froze, and she blames herself for the failure to fight. But she also blames society for not teaching girls what to do. And once the unthinkable has happened, society abandons the victims. That was one of the hardest parts of the book - the victim-blaming. No one believes Romy. They call her a slut and a liar. Her high school classmates do horrible things to her.
The book is dark, but there are points of light. Leon is a coworker at the diner, and he's sweet on Romy. The book uses the relationship to show how rape can affect any future intimacy. Romy can't trust him, because her rapist seemed sweet, too. Until he wasn't. Romy's mother and mother's boyfriend are both supportive, caring, and loving. They don't understand what she's going through, mostly because Romy won't tell them, but they do their best anyway.
All The Rage is a really good book. It's also a very important book, and personally I think it should be required reading in high school. (That will never happen, it's too graphic and would offend parents, I'm sure. But it should.) If it's something you've experienced personally, it's very triggery and should maybe be avoided. But if it isn't? Read this book. You need to know.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Briannabrown1019 (799 KP) rated Love Letters to the Dead in Books
Nov 9, 2020
This was a super interesting idea. The story was deep, and it was the first book I've ever come across that told its story through letters to dead celebrities. So bonus points there for sure!
The overall story reminded me a lot of Perks of Being a Wallflower, which is one of my all time favorites.
I did not LOVE the POV/writing of the book but that wasn't because the author didn't do well. In fact I'd say that means she did amazing given the book is told from the POV of a teenage girl. She's young, and the writing reflects that. So while it wasn't my personal cup of tea, it made sense for the book. Bear that in mind when going into this one.
We follow Laurel venting to dead celebrities about her life and the loss of her sister. How did she die? Why does Laurel feel guilty? Why isn't her mom around anymore? Through letters to her idols she reminisces and vents, and we get to see her navigate life and relationships without her big sister.
*Potential trigger warnings for domestic abuse, rape, molestation, drug/alcohol use, and suicide.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Thirteen Reasons Why: (TV Tie-in) in Books
Jan 31, 2018
The story was told through dual perspectives which I think really enhanced the impact that this book had. Clay receives the tapes that Hannah has recorded, detailing the people and events that have led to her decision. What she believes to be the tale and connections that made her fall further and further. We hear each story and the heart-wrenching impact another person’s actions have on Hannah’s psyche, whether they mean the harm or not. Everything affects everything. One seemingly innocent, yet mischievous action, can snowball into a very harmful situation.
As the reader, we experience the story through Clay’s eyes and follow the emotional journey with him. We despair for Hannah as the events take place, grow to care for her and see how the smallest action might create a larger impact. Clay’s emotions mirror our own, frustration, horror, despair, outrage, and acceptance. We take the journey and grow along with him, learn to be better people and hopefully make a change.
I feel that beyond the trigger warning, it is best to go into the story without preconceived notions and allow it to have its full impact. So many people have connected to this book over the years and for good reason. It is a fantastically powerful story and I would recommend it.
As an additional note, the Netflix series based on this book is a very faithful recreation of the story. Some minor details may be changed, like a character’s name or the order of one of the stories – but overall it follows the book fairly closely. Some of the more major changes were done for dramatic effects, like extending the amount of time that Clay listens to the tapes, allowing them to add more story to the present day tale. I reiterate my trigger warning and believe that it is even stronger for the show, but would still recommend both mediums of the tale. I don’t believe there is a particular order that you need to or should read versus watch them in.