Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

8 reviews

kimveach's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

It was an excellent thriller, and it was great on audio. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me entertained.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

sldibened's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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? No

3.75

A bit dragged out and repetitive, overall entertaining and a good read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

kyliejade322's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

fharyya09's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

She just killed her former friend but I also think its not her fault because maybe she just did that because of her illness but I'm glad that Cora is back with them safe and sound.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Toxic friendship

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

I thought this was a good read. I predicted a bit of the plot, but not the whole thing, and I was interested in how everything was going to unfold. But boy howdy, men ruin everything. I'll be paying attention to more books from Ms. Lapena.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Sexual content, and Alcohol

nabaraditi's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

1.5

  The premise was good that the parents are irresponsible and dumb to leave their 6 months baby alone to go to a party next door. And that's it. That's all good and interesting there is in the book.
Everything else is the opposite of good.
The characters are flat. I also didn't like the writing. There are twists in the book but they don't keep you on the edge of a seat like a thriller is supposed to.
There were plotlines in the book that didn't make sense in the story like   

"the wife has postpartum depression and could hurt the baby and she's drunk enough to not remember" this makes sooooo much sense, so why add the "death of her father has caused her stress and trauma and she's diagnosed with dissociative disorder"????? like why?????????

Also, 

  the father-in-law having an affair with the lost child couple's neighbor???

  I felt like that was just added to put everything together and fit it all in but it didn't make any sense to me.
And who is the title referring to? Who's the couple? The main couple who lost the baby? or their neighor-couple 

who secretly film the wife having sex with other men and the husband watches it later and enjoys it??

 
There were too many internal monologues where the husband, the wife and the detective keeps going over the story and his inferences over and over and OVER AGAIN!! like i get it!!! i don't need to read what they think must have happened soooo many times!!
Nevertheless, it was hard to put down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Kidnapping

Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Infidelity and Blood

birkenstonk's review against another edition

inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Toxic friendship

hello_lovely13's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment