Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering

30 reviews

twisty's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

There’s this trend I’m noticing in these commercial “successes” where there’s a lot of build up and then it abruptly ends, like some editor said, well, it’s took long, let’s just end it. 

To have Lucy go through so much abuse then, op, I saw a psychiatrist for a few weeks years ago and now I’m just over the narcissist because I realize I’m worth it. Oh, and he killed this girl. La la, on with my life!

Blah. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Gaslighting

stephrand's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

4.0

What a roller coaster this book is. A bit different from the show but very hard to put down in the same way. Lucy and Stephen’s toxic romance is a wild ride full of lust and emotion. Also enjoyed all of the family dynamics/drama each of them also dealt with. Definitely recommend for a quick and somewhat spicy read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death and Eating disorder

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, and Vomit

emilyyyhillsss's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

3.75

"Stephen is just another guy who needs to shave and lose the beer belly, another corporate lawyer who gets his kicks on payday. Maybe he was magic to me once, but he isn't anymore"

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

grboph's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed reading this. Definitely not anything that's going to be a classic going forward, but it was very entertaining. I also feel like the characters were very well developed and it's a little scary how good the author is at writing from the perspective of a literal sociopath. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes romance novels or is looking for a good beach read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content

readwithdrb's review against another edition

emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

This book was toxic AF! Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco meet in college. Stephen is the modern-day equivalent of a f***boy, who cheats on every girl he's ever dated. He's also hiding a huge secret! Lucy is absolutely head-over-heels in love with Stephen and kept coming back to him despite all the lies. 

There were also some trigger warnings the reader should be aware, such as eating disorders, mental health diagnoses (depression), and significant drug use.

Overall, the writing read very much like a YA book to me and the characters were NOT loveable or even likeable at all. I just wanted this book to be over...

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Sexual content

Minor: Death

readbycarina's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Mental illness, Blood, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Medical content

feralandbookish's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

I'll start by saying, definitely look at trigger warnings for this book before reading. I should have. 

Aside from that, when I started this book, I wasn't sure what direction it was going to go in. It was giving me tale of caution vibes, and I was correct. 

I loved the ending to this book. It was very healing. The author is correct in that we all have a Stephen in our lives at some point or another. I know who mine is and I can't wait for the day I have the epiphany Lucy does at the end of this book. 🧡

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Sexual content, and Car accident

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

oliviamcclay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

this book was a whirlwind. and by that i mostly mean emotionally exhausting and fairly infuriating. the author quickly grabs the interest of the reader, and maintaining it. i read the book rather quickly; though, i never felt i was fully prepared for what was coming next. 

the book was a lot more sexual and a lot heavier than i thought i would be. so much so i wish there was a warning. the incessant sexual writing was not my favorite and felt like overkill. but also essential for the purpose of the story that i believe the author was trying to share. the mental health issues were numerous but the ones that were most prominent weren’t only the common ones, like depression and anxiety. in a way, i felt more educated about certain illnesses after reading the book. 

the hardest part of this book was hating one of the main characters for almost the entirety of the book. though, at times, you hate both of the main characters. 

what i did appreciate was the reconciliation, the realizations, and overall result of the book. i felt i got the closure i was seeking and the peace i was needing. 

i wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone though. only get into it if you want to read about sex every chapter, feel the weight and frustration of mental illness, and eventually get satisfying closure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Self harm, and Sexual content

jodiarie's review against another edition

emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder

Minor: Sexual content

tannerlauren's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting