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Karla Dee (6 KP) rated Little Thieves in Books

Nov 19, 2021  
Little Thieves
Little Thieves
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am a fan of the cover because the bone skull and the little Sailor Moon symbol at the top. Also the intro or dedication to the gremlin girls was inspiring and I hope it encourages all the young girly readers to continue breaking the glass ceilings with bricks or whatevs else they can get their hands on. There are trigger warnings at the beginning of the book warning the reader about the content in her reading which included child abuse and assault.

This read is a grimm retelling story and is very dark and magical. The author, Margaret Owen, based this book on the "The Goose Girl" which I have never heard of or read. This retelling is also a series so there is another book after this one which is the first of the series. I'd also categorize this retelling as LGBTQ+ which I love. I have no idea what Goose Girl is about but the idea of there being a more woke version is AMAZING to me <3<3<3 Bring on the next book please!
  
The Lady Who Left
The Lady Who Left
Ginny B. Moore | 2025 | Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE LADY WHO LEFT is a heartwarming and heartbreaking historical romance that deals with emotional abuse on page. If this is a trigger then please be warned!

Marigold has put up with her abusive older husband for years and nothing she does is ever good enough. She copes with it though, for her own sake, but Mama Bear comes to the forefront when he threatens her son, Reggie. She threatens him with divorce, with every intention of following it through, but because he is a Peer of the Realm, no one will touch her with a barge pole. That is until she meets Archie. They have a history between them that neither expected, which only serves to confuse the issue. Archie does take on her case though, and it is make-or-break for both of them.

The connection between Archie and Marigold shone on the page and I loved every scene with them in it. Marigold will do whatever it takes to protect her boys, but that also means she doesn't see them at their full potential sometimes. Archie has had a different life from Marigold, harder in some ways, but that allows him to see possibilities that Marigold can't.

The abuse Marigold goes through is hard reading, especially for someone who has been through it. Remember that trigger warning! And to have Archie's fear become a real possibility was horrifying. I imagine the research into this subject was in-depth and not at all pleasant, but it did make for a great read.

Thoroughly enjoyable and definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 3, 2025
  
Anatomy of a Scandal
Anatomy of a Scandal
Sarah Vaughan | 2018 | Thriller
8
7.8 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
A well-timed book about abuse of power
An Anatomy of a Scandal is a book about privilege and power, a timely novel given the recent spate of high profile sexual harassment cases. In this instance, James is a privileged, charismatic, successful member of Parliment and is accused of raping his mistress in a lift on the grounds of Westminster, while his doting wife Sophie, is torn between believing him and staying with him.

A trial then ensues, in which the accuser, Olivia is forced to face her worst nightmares, all the while fighting against a system in which he is king. Her lawyer Kate on the other hand, knows he is guilty, and we watch her back story unfold.

The book is told from alternating viewpoints with alternating timelines. As more of the past is revealed it is even more clear, that James is hiding more than expected.

An Anatomy of A Scandal exposes sexual assault for being more than just a moment in isolation. It is a culmination of behaviours and attitudes leading up to that moment and involves more than just the victim and the assaulter. An interesting read, and worth a trigger warning.
  
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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Peach in Books

Jan 15, 2018  
Peach
Peach
Emma Glass | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
8
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Dark, harrowing but poetic - requires a trigger warning
This is a debut novel by author Emma Glass and she has produced something extraordinary. Her writing is confident and bridges any gap between prose and poetry, with emotion portrayed often through alliteration and repetition of key phrases.

The story follows Peach, who has been brutally battered and left bruised one night, though it is never clear what has happened. Her thoughts meander over the incident and the consequences in which at one point she believes she may be pregnant.

The remainder of the book paints a graphic picture of the effect the trauma has had on Peach and how this is expressed by her in changes to her body shape, and in her perception of the ordinary things of life.

There are mythical and superstitious elements to Peach's damaged psyche, which you will need to experience yourself. I must admit that some of it escaped me, but this thin volume has such power and leaves the reader in no doubt of Peach's pain and the ultimate consequences.

It is quite unlike anything I have read before, and whilst I cannot claim to have fully understood it, it definitely is unique. Unfortunately it is an acquired taste so not everyone will appreciate the style.