Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden

17 reviews

bookedandbusy's review

dark tense fast-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

This was an incredible thriller! I didn’t know who to trust or what to think!! It kept me guessing until the end! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

aahrobot's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

The entire time I was listening I thought, “Oh it’s clearly this person.” But then, right towards the end, it wasn’t. But then at the actual end, it was. The Red Herring was a nice change of pace from all the other Frieda books I have read so far. Not bad; again, I found some of the characters annoying, but I at least liked Victoria. Good, easy read with a nice twist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

paperkindle's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Medical content

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Car accident and Murder

spocksgotfeelings's review against another edition

the most heinous crime was the writing of this book. i regret reading it. thematic assertions included:
-crazy people are dangerous and want to hurt you no matter how much medication you sedate them with
-you should not believe women claiming to be abused by theor husbands, especially if the husband is nice to you
-fat people are ugly and being fat is an indicator of a character flaw, and is disrespectful to your romantic partner. 
worst read of the year. sorry to be blunt. I usually don't even write whole reviews but this book actually dealt me psychic damage to read and I feel the need to warn people away. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

maggieparedesauthor's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

jenniferbowman's review

dark mysterious tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

ericanoll11's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

rockyc5'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Fun! Frieda McFadden's books aren't the most original, but they are a good time!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Medical content, and Murder

Minor: Gun violence, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

amyrobins's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

greatexpectations77's review

dark mysterious tense medium-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

This was a solid time. It was very twisty, which Ms. McFadden is particularly good at. I must say, though, if you're trying to figure out what a non-verbal person needs, maybe the MC could have tried like blinking or pointing at letters? It feels weird that she was with the wife for months and didn't get a little more creative.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content and Classism