Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy

14 reviews

smartcookiesca's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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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btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective tense 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? No

3.5

I feel like romances that are about 500 pages should either hit it out of the park, or just not be 500 pages, and this landed in the middle.

I feel like this could've been so much shorter. The author could have trimmed some of the extras that didn't add much to the story (I'm looking at you team building exercises that basically did nothing). Some of the team stuff was just a general lack of communication, and a lack of accountability. I liked the overall arc of the story - Ryder and Gigi helping each other grow and accept their own emotions and pasts; the smorgasbord team that's cobbled together becoming one in the end; the dreams realized and shattered. It was all solid, and I enjoyed the characters and the banter, but at the end of the day, I feel like I could've had all that even if the story was tightened up a bit. I'd reread this book in a heartbeat if it didn't have all the superfluous stuff (yes, that's a callback to the book cause that moment made me laugh).

I also hated how much sexism there was. Dumb comments from Ryder about females only being figure skaters, some other comments from other people about "crazy" women, and the fact that half the characters were f-boys who could just get anyone to sleep with them. Idk, it all felt a bit toxic, but I guess sports are generally just a bit toxic at any given time. That part was not for me, but I guess it was to be expected.

As a whole, I enjoyed the cast. I liked all characters and the different personalities they brought to the table, and I loved the romance arc! In the end, it was very much all devotion, and love, and emotion, and that worked very well. It was just some of the other pieces that really fell short for me. I'll likely read on in the series, as I like Gigi's friends enough to be curious about their stories, but it may be more of a skim going forward, because that's entirely too many pages for a romance for me.

TW: death of a parent, incarcerated parent, alcohol consumption, infidelity, sexism, injury detail; mentions cyber bullying, defamation 

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abidavisf's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

Oh, I just love The Graham Effect. It is truly Elle Kennedy’s best work. The first time I read it, I hadn’t read any other Elle Kennedy book so coming back for a re-read now that I know Hannah and Garrett was truly delightful.

Gigi is a ray of sunlight on a gloomy day. She is kind, hard-working and knows herself so well. She is everything I hope my future daughter will be.

I would love to wrap Ryder in cotton wool. Witnessing his journey from closed off recluse to a committed and loving partner was so beautiful. His heart is so full of love and it’s wonderful to see him share it, not just with Gigi, but with his teammates. 

My heart yearns for more intel on the rest of Hannah and Garrett’s friends and their families, but the glimpses I did get were gorgeous.

Now to The Dixon Rule!

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britwalsh16's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I didn’t think it could get better the The Dare. & then I read this book!!! While, The Dare hit home for me. I just fucking enjoyed this book like crazy!!! Seeing Hannah & Garrett as parents is priceless! & then all the little breadcrumbs about all the other characters & their kids were the BEST PART!!! 
Fucking Dean giving Gigi a huge box of condoms was hilarious!! And such a Dean thing to do!!

I love all they are all so close & Gigi grew up with them all as Aunts & Uncles & their kids as cousins! This has gotta be one of the best found family series I’ve ever read!!
But also, I just fucking loved Gigi & Ryder!!! They way they were there for eachother & supported one another! 🥰 
Also how they first got together… Use Me… Fuck Yes!! Haha 😂

This book gives you all the laughs, but then also gives you heart & the struggles of life. I really could not get enough!!! 💜💜💜

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mabellene's review against another edition

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emotional funny 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

4.5


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saoreads's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective 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

3.5

Evidently, I'm not a huge fan of foul language, but it leaves an impression and has some compelling qualities. The sexual tension and romance portrayed align with liberal perspectives, which can be perceived as common and cliché. However, the plot provides sufficient background for the main characters, making it easy to root for them. There were surprising twists, and it's great that the focus was on the evolution of the characters' personalities and behaviors, rather than solely the romantic aspects. Although I'm not knowledgeable about hockey, it appears to be well-represented in the narrative.

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pippamillerxoxo_'s review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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? No

4.0


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jordanez's review against another edition

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

3.0


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tguccione's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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brittinyh3711's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I loved this book! The ending surprised me some but I enjoyed it. I was literally falling over laughing throughout the whole book and even teared up a little towards the end. Can't wait for the next book in the series to come out 😊

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