Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

25 reviews

alilucia's review against another edition

funny reflective 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Body shaming

Moderate: Body shaming, Drug use, Infidelity, and Sexual content

Minor: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, and Toxic friendship

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

cnannery19's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

aseel_reads's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

This was a relatively good slice of life, post divorce life. I think the downward spiral was super realistic and it didn't end with a perfect happy ever after, because that wasn't realistic. I do wish her PhD played a bigger role, like it is unrealistic to be like "oh she just goes to work and then comes home and be sad" like work as a PhD is not easy. I also found the pacing/split of the novel not great, like it took so long to get anywhere and then changes started happening super quick in the last hour of the audiobook. Another annoying thing

amy was portrayed as one thing, being a drunk and a hater, but then does a 180 out of the blue and we have no clue as to how or when she made the changes so that was an annoying illogical part

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Vomit, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

bellsdixon's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Biphobia and Eating disorder

kkpines's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

_maddy_'s review against another edition

emotional funny sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship

calliedoo's review against another edition

funny reflective slow-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

2.5

I think this book was written as if it was the main character’s journal. I really thought I would relate to a lot of things throughout the story, but I found that it was drawn out and somewhat redundant. Not my favorite book and didn’t meet my expectations, but it does have some moving messages to it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder

Moderate: Body shaming and Cursing

Minor: Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

bookishlittleme's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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

So funny and so relatable! Heisey expertly portrays what it feels like to lose oneself in that dark pit at the end of the relationship before finding your way out and learning to be okay again. Although the protagonist, Maggie, is not always likeable she is incredibly human. The only way I can describe the humour is "real." This book had me laughing out loud! Wish I annotated this one for sure since I had so many thoughts while reading :) - Plus the sticky flags would go great with the excellent cover 🫶

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content

Divorce is the central catalyst for the protagonists story and arc.

sakisreads's review against another edition

challenging funny lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.5

This was chaotic right from its cover page to the very end 😂 Monica Heisey clearly wanted to write from the heart and was successful in doing so.

Some of the parts, especially around 70%, felt very repetitive and my attention started to wane, but I’m glad I pushed through.

The bit where they’re all having their adult dinner party and telling each other how precious of a relationship they have with each other as friends, I had a little tear in my eye 🥹

I have to say, Maggie starts off as quite unlikeable but in the end really grows on you. I just loved the truly chaotic and difficult time, and although I haven’t gone through a divorce, I felt her therapy journey was very similar to mine. I had moments of laughter throughout 😊

3.5 or 3.75 stars for me, nearly a 4 ✨ Thank you!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship