Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

As Far as You'll Take Me by Phil Stamper

43 reviews

tetedump's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Outing, and Toxic friendship

worm_on_the_books's review against another edition

emotional fast-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

I’ve read a number of reviews about this book saying how they didn’t like/enjoy it due to the toxic relationships in it instead of a fluffy gay romance piece, like they thought it would be. It is also important to note that Marty is a somewhat unreliable narrator at times, which should be taken into account when reading this.
In my opinion I feel like this isn’t a romance book, it’s a book about healing and finding yourself within the larger world, and the toxic relationships come with that.
While I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, their complex character arcs made for an interesting read, exploring emotional connections and how people deal with life. 
I also felt like Marty’s anxiety was written rather well, many of his thoughts and anxiety spirals often reminded me of my own thoughts. 
The one thing that made me cringe slightly though was the way Stamper portrayed the instruments in the book, particularly the oboe.
As an oboist and flautist myself, some of his descriptions of sound and how to play certain instruments weren’t exactly correct, even if he does apparently have a bachelor of music. 
Overall an interesting story exploring the lgbtq community, starting anew and relationships.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship

Moderate: Homophobia and Toxic relationship

sighclopss's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual content

ravi_dejong's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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

3.75

This story is quite heavy, and deals with issues surrounding toxic friendships and relationships, eating disorders and outing. I feel that there were a lot of complex themes the author tried to check off, without really focusing upon any one of them in great detail. I enjoyed it anyway and preferred that it is focus on the mental health aspect.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Eating disorder and Homophobia

ahen's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Eating disorder and Homophobia

Minor: Death of parent

beniamino's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-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

3.25

The way younger me would have EATEN THIS UP. It's a really great book for gay youth, I think, which is why I have to give it a low rating; I've just grown up a bunch. Maybe I've "toughened up" or something, but I found myself cringing at everything going on. Kind of weird how creepily similar I am with MC. His anxiety seems really overdone, but maybe that's just 'cause anxiety's a spectrum – also, probably I was just cringing at his conversations with others about anxiety because I never had those...

his eating disorder plotline was done really really well, though; I also like the ending which focusses on him rather than the relationship. I have to give it a lower rating because his relationship with Pierce made me physically cringe, especially how fast it went... honestly, it's probably just been too long since I've read YA; but this is a perfect beach read, lighthearted when it's too dark, a great read for young gays. :)

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, and Outing

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual harassment

rainbowpridepin's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

Graphic: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Outing

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Body shaming

hannahs_library_'s review against another edition

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Outing, and Toxic friendship

blupies's review against another edition

hopeful medium-paced

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

2.0

It’s was fine, easy to read but nothing really happens in this book? I think the blurb kinda gives it all away, not that there’s much to ‘give away’. Overall, fine but not memorable 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Outing

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship

allons_y8's review against another edition

lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

2.5

I didn't love this book as I thought I would. I considered putting it down but continued reading as I thought it is interesting to read a book you don't really like. This could just be my experience and my perception of the experience of those around me with the issues raised in the book however I didn't particularly like the portrayal of anxiety or eating disorders. I think it is great they were raised however reading something felt off about them. Counter to this, I thought it tackled the issues of toxic friends, being outed and religious upbringing well showing nuance with Marty's relationship with his family and friends. I thought the downfall of the relationship between Marty and Pierce could have been better foreshadowed as Piece's motives came as a bit of a shock to me and I found both characters confusing. However, I loved the side characters and how they interacted with Marty. 

Overall the book is a positive love letter to music, a difficult but interesting romance and raises some very important issues but perhaps in a way that isn't right for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship