Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

104 reviews

kim_ng's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Very well written, dark, graphic, messed up.
I didn't want to put it down until I finished this book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, and Vomit

Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

jeannette_r's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

3.0

This book wasn't bad but I wouldn't define it as a thriller. Not many twists, just new information with each chapter. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment

paulineerika's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

3.0

This one was hard for me to rate. I think I expected a different story, based on the first half of the book. I enjoyed the first half and Geo's no-nonsense survival personality. I was at least engaged and interested about where the story might go.

It lost me, though,

when we discovered how Angela was raped and murdered.

While the story felt at least somewhat fresh before then, that particular chapter felt recycled and stale.

The same happened for me when Calvin came back and raped Geo, when we read about her teen pregnancy, and then when Dominic confronted Geo.

I'm not really sure what I expected, but these parts seemed to fall into the more predictable thriller tropes for me. Nor did I find the characters particularly "morally gray."

The chapter with Geo directing Calvin on how to dismember and bury Angela felt like a complete left turn for both characters and I wasn't buying it. It seemed contrived.

Geo and Calvin were probably the most interesting characters to me, but even they couldn't save the novel. And I just did not like Kai, honestly. 

Rating also downgraded because of

the early commentary about the "wicked human beings" in prison, the author's unnecessary disparagement of public defenders (and totally unrealistic portrayal of a baby PD being assigned to represent an alleged serial killer), and Kai's creepy stalking of Geo in prison. $6000 to spy on her? JFC.

Finally, while I'm not particularly queasy about what I read, the multiple instances of rape/sexual assault/attempted rape felt borderline gratuitous.

Overall, I like Hillier's writing, but this particular story and plot had problems for me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Death of parent

astoriareader's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

SYNOPSIS

• Georgina (Geo), Angela, & Kaiser are best friends in high school. When Geo starts dating an older guy named Calvin, the dynamics in the group change. One day, Angela disappears.
• After fourteen years, Geo is a successful executive at a pharmaceutical company & engaged to a rich dude. When Angela’s body is found, Geo is arrested on murder charges by Kaiser, who is now a detective. 
• Geo ends up doing time in prison, and more murders start happening.
• What happened in the past & how is it connected to the present?

MY THOUGHTS

• Multiple POVs - Geo & Kaiser.
• Set in Seattle area.
• Different timelines - alternating between what happened in past versus present.
• Third Hillier book I’ve read, and she’s quickly become one of my favorite authors of the genre.
• Intense & hard to put down.
• Complex characters.
• Tough topics covered in book. Check trigger warnings.
• Well written. Easy to read & hard to put down.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️another gripping thriller by Hillier 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

allycat5498's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.75

I wish I could unread this book

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

thejulyrosereads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Absolutely brilliant, read in less than 24 hours! A great plot and it kept me gripped throughout, definitely one for thriller fans.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Child death, Death, Rape, and Sexual violence

Minor: Toxic relationship and Death of parent

shelfcare_with_ashley's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship, and Murder

baileyyxavier's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer and Emotional abuse

Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Blood, Abortion, and Alcohol

dclements19's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Rape, and Vomit

Moderate: Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Physical abuse

lollylauren1's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really liked this. I enjoyed the writing that isn’t all just about the tension but also we had other things along the way like her time in prison. It read like a movie I think. I’d read another book by this author again

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy