Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The People We Keep by Allison Larkin

21 reviews

fuguballoon's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

3.5

I really got into the first half of this book. 4+ stars for sure. Parts were slowish, but there was enough momentum to keep me invested. April was a compelling character who made choices, things happened, she made new choices under greater stress, etc.

In the second half, the plot got more predictable, some of the characters were stereotypical, April got kinda watered down, and my attention waned. By the end, I stopped caring about her at all, which is a shame since the April of the beginning of the book was so well-written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Abandonment

Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Blood, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

liamliayaum's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

spockgirl99's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

mamadeb615's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved this book!  I think it was a BookTok recommendation, but honestly don’t remember.  It moves along at a good pace and has a wide range of mostly likeable characters.  It’s very well written and moves at a good pace. Every time I took a break from it, I couldn’t wait to go back and find out what happened next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Terminal illness

laur_astor's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

My second time reading this book didn’t disappoint and the audiobook is very good.

As someone who has lived in Ithaca, this book perfectly encapsulates its magic. As April says, “And snow feels nicer in Ithaca. I don’t know why. Everything is nicer there.” And as Adam says, “It's a hard place to leave… the world doesn't seem as right anyplace else.”

Some things I noticed during my reread: *mild spoilers ahead* Carly is pretty cold when April meets her, which makes their friendship even more wholesome since they really needed each other. I forgot how much I enjoyed Bodie, too. Also, you can feel April’s slight uneasiness in the chapters about Justin. Even though April does love him, there’s a comfort in other people who she meets that I just couldn’t feel when she’s with Justin. He just doesn’t understand her like Carly, Margo, and Ethan. Ugh ETHAN! His proclamation of how much he loves her at the end is the best. And I just love how their relationship is purely platonic.

This won’t be the last time I revisit this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Medical content

snipinfool's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.5

Sixteen-year-old April Sawicki learned she had to look out for herself. Her father left her to go live with his girlfriend and their new baby. She had been alone in a motorless motorhome for some time. April was failing school and often cut classes or missed altogether to pick up shifts at the local diner, Margo’s. Margo was like a mother to her since her mother left when April was young. April’s prized possession was the guitar her father gave her on her last birthday. She spent as much time as she could writing songs and creating music. April decided to try singing at a local open mic night at the Blue Moon Café. She sang her heart out and the crowd loved her songs. After a fight with her father, April felt it was time to leave and find her own way. Her father had broken her guitar during the fight, but she hoped she could find a way to use her talent to make a living. The story followed April as she found friends who became family, found the courage and strength to forge her way alone, and found a life she never imagined.

This was such an interesting story. One could not help but feel for April. Her childhood was difficult. I could not imagine striking out alone at sixteen, but she kept going to get the life she wanted. Along the way, she met people who taught her to love and others who reminded her to be distrustful. I loved that she remained in contact with Margo. Margo was such a wonderful character. Even though April didn’t stay in one place very long before she moved on again, each person she connected with left a little piece behind in her. I loved meeting April and reading her story.

Content warning: April’s father was emotionally and physically abusive. April was also sexually assaulted while out on the road as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

deannamullican's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

April is a complicated, flawed character and I love her. Abandoned by those who are supposed to love her, she’s left to fend for herself at a young age. I love that she didn’t allow herself to get stuck, but the flip side is that she pushed everyone away, which made me so sad. 

I was rooting for her.

She got the ending she deserved and I’m so glad she made it home.

 

I would love to hear her music. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

katyannreads's review against another edition

emotional reflective

4.5

“We have the people we get to keep, who won’t ever let us go. And that’s the most important part.” 

WOW this book was good. It’s not the typical genre I read, but I am glad I picked it up. An amazing story of healing from relational trauma and creating your own family. A girl going through life just wanting to matter. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

oodlesofbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

The first half I was searching for the plot line but still felt very engaged. It’s truly a coming of age story and a finding your own family story. Cute, touching, and loved the setting in Upstate New York. Enjoyed it enough I’m going to seek out other books by this author. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Pregnancy