Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Pawn and The Puppet by Brandi Elise Szeker

6 reviews

moendchen's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Please read the trigger warnings for this one!! Theres a heavy main theme that overshadows this whole book and it’s definitely not for everyone. Please be cautious. 

But omg I had such a good time! My only critique is, that sky truly never saves herself. Never. Even when she does, she uses the advice/the words that were given to her to protect/save herself.  Plus worldbuilding could be better tbh. Still would read it again! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

mlouise2974's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

quietmarki's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

DNF at 75%
I really don't trust recommendations from tiktok/insta, and this book is a reason why you shouldn't trust them. This book is just horrible:
1. FL is transphobic and just a big no no for me 
2. The storyline is awful. I really don't understand what is happening. FL shows some empathy and now everyone wants to talk with her about there situations. Also I don't get it why a 'very very' dangerous patient would fall for her. There isn't anything to like only her 'empathy'.... 
3. The trigger warnings list isn't complete. Add transphobia and relationship with minor also incest.... If i know this before I wouldn't read this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

isabelleroyall's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

delli06's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Cultural appropriation, and Sexual harassment

violentai's review

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

This was a hard book to swallow. Very slow burn for me. Very hard  debilitating abuse occurs within these pages. Some of which seemed over the top and unnecessary. Like one would use it to hit a word threshold instead of for plot or character development. 
This is definitely 100% not a book for a LOT of people. It is not for the feint at heart and it is not for those who find themselves upset with darker themes. Because the abuse makes it pretty damn dark. I went into this knowing how bad it would it could be and some of it as said previously seemed unnecessary or as if it was not researched properly. I am going to now have a rant.

A person would die if they were locked in a closet for weeks at a time without food. They will die if they consume drywall to survive. A person would die if they’re locked for weeks in a basement if not going insane themselves from the pitch blackness. A person would go insane from numerous years of torture as a child. He started being tortured at 6. He would not come away from that with ONLY split personalities. If a person gets their clothes torn, cut up or bloodied from a battle or a knife cutting them or a person ripping their clothes for nefarious reasons they should not suddenly seem okay in the next scene! Their clothes dried with blood on them. Are you seriously telling me she didn’t feel it crusting on her or between her cleavage when he grazed his finger there???

End rant.

The romance between the characters and the mystery were interesting if not fun. I enjoyed the romance just not the seemingly unnecessary volume of abuse. 

Thank you for reading. I hope this helps others see if this book is right for them or not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment

Minor: Eating disorder, Incest, Sexism, and Sexual harassment