Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

101 reviews

poetsofsweetpea's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I didn't dislike the book as much as I was disappointed.  I thought the book would be about a magic Bookshop based on the title, description, and cover.  I was surprised to find instead that it was really about women surviving abuse and also a love story and also a magical bookshop.

There were a lot of things going on, and as a result, a lot of questions were left unanswered.  There was also a lot of convenient pieces of information given sentences before it was needed, even though there was ample opportunity to provide that context earlier in the novel.

Some of the relationships felt forced.

The ending was satisfying.

The POV'S were confusing at first, probably a me thing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and War

rebeccamtann's review

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.5

I loved the intergenerational ties and family history here. Also super fun to think about book dealers.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

rhi_'s review

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

0.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Gun violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: War

erwikka's review

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

So Night Circus is my favorite book and I’m always looking for something that gives me what I felt reading that. This book did that. Martha, Henry and Opaline’s stories were so engaging and magical that I was hooked from the first sentence. I love the multiple POV and I’m a sucker for duel timelines, I love seeing how the past can contribute to the present. I feel like this book is about the power of stories and your place in the world. Truly being who you are and not hiding from it was a key theme in my opinion. Magic Realism is such a compelling genre that instantly grabs me and doesn’t let go. I really loved the beautiful, sad, and hopeful book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

peterparker's review against another edition

challenging hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

I have so many thoughts about this book that it rings back around to struggling to write them all down. 

While I could predict one of the plot twists later on in the book there was still another that left me flabbergasted. Also being able to predict plot twists does not make a piece of media bad, it's what that media then does with the twist that makes it good or bad. In this book the conclusions of the twists and turns are written so well and I loved where the story ended. 

The major theme of this book that I loved is how male toxicity harms not just women but other men as well. Henry has to deal with an alcoholic dad who will do anything to get money for another drink. Henry's relationship with his father was the point in the book where I went "this is clicking". 

The only reason I don't give this five stars is because I felt like the ending was a bit rushed. I would have loved to see certain things fleshed out more but I understand the stuff I was interested in wasn't the basis of the main story. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Physical abuse

jocelynbold's review

medium-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Child death, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Suicide, and Death of parent

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

5.0

Considering what a dud my last read was, this one could only be given a full five stars. I normally dislike parallel timelines telling two stories back and forth. This time, it felt less linear and more circular. I was yelling angered, saddened, shocked, elated, hopeful, satisfied, curious, cheerful, and so many other feelings all throughout the book. There are so open questions, but the book felt so good to finish that none of those questions actually need answers for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

skinnymouse's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This book broke my heart and put it back together again over and over. It's funny, sad, romantic, hopeful... everything. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Death of parent

sjurkiewicz's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

alanahcw's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

Magical ❤

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, War, and Classism