Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Broken Bonds by J. Bree

14 reviews

noellelovesbooks's review

4.5

 Content Warnings: violence, ptsd, grief, bullying, kidnapping, physical abuse, body shaming, death of loved ones, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.

Joined a local book club and this was our first book club pick. I've heard from a lot of mutuals that this series was good but never heard any specifics about the series. Going in not knowing anything aside from the back of book description was a lot of fun.

Though she's only 19 I easily related and loved Oli and her BFF Sage. We get good world building and I love the way each relationship with each of the bonds is different but also constantly evolving.

I planned to read this slow...so I could attempt to space it out but...it was so good I devoured it. I was at 30% and the next thing I knew it said I was at 89%...at which point you have to finish. Right? haha

I'll definitely be jumping immediately into book 2 😎 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Violence, Bullying, Kidnapping, and Grief

melissa_rueff's review

emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.0

This book is a good example of poly rep but filled with horrid misogyny. Every part of this book is just the main character shitting on women for being feminine or pretty or interested in men. The main character just is just screaming internalized misogyny all over the book. Honest to God I almost didn’t finish the book because it was so misogynistic. I finished it because I like the poly concept, but I really really think that the author  
 is a “not like other girls” girl and that’s really disappointing to me.  Like the concept that you can write about a poly relationship yet you can’t think that other women who are  feminine are not shitty for being so. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Stalking, Rape, Kidnapping, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Body shaming, Car accident, Classism, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting

The relationship depicted is severely abusive. I believe the author did that intentionally to create plot points, but the fact that the main character doesn’t recognize and then states the treatment as domestic abuse at the level it is really makes me question what this author thinks is okay. because everything that is happening here is domestic abuse and not even light abuse like horrid treatment is astounding to me. If you’ve experienced any form of like gaslighting, or like control, this might not be the novel for you, I say all of that is a warning because I don’t feel like I was warned getting into this book. I did enjoy this novel it has a lot of fun plot points is an interesting concept. There are redeeming characters, but the fact of the matter is, there’s not enough of a warning how severe the domestic abuse is, and it’s never really touched on even later on in the other novels and nobody really apologizes for the severe severe abuse outside of like “I’m sorry that happened but it had to happen because of the plot points that wr as the character expierenced so it’s excuse” which is a shit excuse and also abuse in itself. Understand me I like this novel but I am warring you it’s a bad time.

bangiebangs's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Oh this was a tricky one.

Things I liked:
- the writing (notwithstanding occasional typos)
- the mysterious setup... this feels like a pretty new take (maybe I just havent read the book series similar to this one?)
- Gryphon. Also Atlas. They seem like rounded people who think before they act. (The rest of the bonds are just insufferably childish, self-centered dudes)

Things I disliked
- he world-building. There is some info about what these bonds are and how they work, but why, when do you usually learn about your bonds, how do you find them (like, some people are "waiting to find" them? Also, seems like you can reject a bond, what happens then? How is power heightened or acquired when a bond is completed? So many questions, but not in a good "mystery we will uncover" way, but more a "causes confusion when reading" way. Also, what is the Resistance resisting against and why? No idea. But they seem to be the baddies for some reason?
- the FMC's naivité. Annoying as hell. I'm personally not a fan of mysteriously self-sacrificing characters, especially when it is then used to explain some shitty behavior without much context?
- description of FMC through the book. She seems to have a normal (or even hot) body in the beginning, enjoying her food, and as soon as she is forced to do more physical exercise the fact her clothes don't fit and are too big gets mentioned a lot. I find that annoying. 
- How old are the bonds? Like, all around same age, or some way older? Some are councilmen and uni professors, others students?

But overall... I read this quickly, and I was hooked. Spice is not happening here (0.5/5 for some drooling over hot bodies), but that's likely because this is setting up the series. Wished that I wasn't so confused half of the time when it comes to in-world politics, but hoping that things will clear up. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Torture, Violence, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Stalking

Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, and War

Minor: Abortion and Gun violence

sexual assault neglect (FMC is left without food for days on end, not being taken care of later in the book) FMC is violently implanted with a tracker (against her will)

hannahs_library__'s review against another edition

Writing is bad, main character is a pick me girl, and I didn't know it was why choose 😭🤚

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Rape

bialves's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual violence, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Genocide, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual content

mikver's review

adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Death, Torture, and Child abuse

Minor: Sexual assault and Physical abuse

amre23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, and Confinement

Moderate: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, War, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

Minor: Car accident, Sexism, Vomit, Abortion, Gun violence, Medical content, and Torture

Abortion is mentioned in conversation not attempted. Coercion within a sexual assault/content scene.

lotte5322's review

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Abandonment, Car accident, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Bullying, Violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Rape

daisycantread24's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Car accident, Violence, and Rape

Minor: Abandonment, Confinement, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Bullying, and Mass/school shootings

cassie12_21's review

adventurous funny tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Started out slow but I think this series has potential.

Spoiler

I can tolerate North, but I hope Nox dies a slow and painful death

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship, War, Sexual harassment, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Confinement, Car accident, and Blood

Minor: Torture, Abandonment, and Fire/Fire injury

Rape:

Spoiler

is within Harem. Nox is a little bitch boy who deserves death. Towards the end of the book he tries to force the bond (its a bit graphic, no penetration)