Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

39 reviews

wiley_coyote5's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Torture, Toxic friendship, War, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol and Self harm

The relationship in this book is the classic possessive, 'touch her and you die' that is sexy in books and terrible IRL. The main character is abused physically and emotionally

saricostanzo's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Murder, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Child abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Confinement, Physical abuse, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Kidnapping, and Violence

cataloguekitty's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

Loved this twist on a classic vampire + werewolf story. While the world building and characters are very intriguing, the male character has some toxic traits that are thinly veiled under the guise of heroism and romance. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

silver_lining_in_a_book's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense 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

2.5

 

Fear and bravery are often one and the same. It either makes you a warrior or a coward. The only difference is the person it resides inside.

This book has problems - serious problems. I am not entirely sure how the questionable relationship at the heart of this book could have been given the Best Romance award for 2020, just as I am also not entirely sure why I read it, but here we are: people love this book and I've read it, just barely.

I cannot say that this book is bad in the slightest; it was entertaining, the world it was set in was complex and interesting, Poppy was a very likeable character, and (once we got through half of the book) we got a lot of action - plot-wise and otherwise. However, this is where my issues stem from. This romance was cringy at best and abusive and manipulative at worst. I really started to hate Poppy when her emotions oscillated between love and hate, loyalty and betrayal. After being so blatantly lied to and used, I would not put up with any boy, no matter how pretty his eyes were and how nice he smelled. I'm sorry if that isn't romantic.

I am also so over the abused yet strong main character in YA / New Adult fantasy novels. Having as much power and spirit as Poppy did would be near impossible in the abusive environment she was in and, if she truly was as powerful as the novel suggests, surely she would have stood up for herself sooner. In addition to that, who can forget about the whole pure Maiden side plot (yes, side plot because - let's be honest - the smut is the main plot)? I am not a fan; constant discussions of "naughty" acts, being "inappropriate" and just sexual relationships, in general, do not a fantasy novel make, though they certainly make the word count.

Now, I know that my mediocre experience is an anomaly here. If a dark, dystopian fantasy with a huge emphasis on romance, death and all your typical tropes (vampires, werewolves, a mysterious dark prince from another land, etc.) sounds like a good time for you, this book is worth a shot. Armentrout's writing is very readable due to its almost stream-of-consciousness quality with a sprinkling of very quotable lines throughout is nothing to complain about. I may give her other series a shot for this reason; I just hope there will be no mention of "honeydew", that was a choice. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Kidnapping, Grief, and Sexism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Confinement

macgarae's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

The plot started off slow then hooked me enough to keep me going, I was liking Poppy’s character so stayed invested, however the quality of the dialogue writing seemed to go from being believable and interesting to completely stilted and repetitive. I saw the twists coming from a mile off - which I don’t mind, to be honest - but the way Hawke’s character changed became so creepy and unsupportable that I couldn’t even be conflicted in shipping them at the end, all I could feel was discomfort and weirded out, for lack of a better phrase. It may be that this is something tackled in the next book as with ACOTAR, but I don’t think I’m invested enough to put the time in. The world building is strong and the driving societal conflicts are layered and clever, so between those and Poppy’s character, I’ve given this 3* ☺️

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Child death, and Blood

colinjames's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense

• 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Violence and War

Minor: Sexual assault and Toxic relationship

hvw17's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Blood, Death, Violence, and Toxic relationship

sami_leigh's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

🗡 First person POV (Penellaphe) 
🗡 First is a series of 7, with a spin-off series (neither are complete)
🗡 Fantasy
🗡 Easy to follow World Building
🗡 Forbidden romance
🗡 Enemies to lovers
🗡 Forced proximity
🗡 Tension and BANTER 👌🏻
🗡 Nickname
🗡 Sex positive, consent culture
🗡 Strong female lead with a lot of personal growth (Poppy serves BDE from day 1 🙌🏻)
🗡 Well established secondary characters
🗡 For fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses 🥀 

⚠️ Childhood trauma, death of a parent, grief, violence, torture, injury detail, emotional abuse and captivity, toxic relationships.

🌶🌶🌶

“With my sword and with my life, I vow to keep you safe, Penellaphe,” he spoke, voice deep and smooth, reminding me of rich, decadent chocolate. “From this moment until the last moment, I am yours.”

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, and Torture

Minor: War, Grief, and Death of parent

kaylamoran's review against another edition

I hated the writing style.  I hated the romance.  I don't understand the world building.  This just absolutely did not work for me.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse

Minor: Death of parent, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, and Death

marisa_n's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Child death, Child abuse, and Genocide

Minor: Infidelity, Toxic friendship, and War