Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Wicked King, by Holly Black

9 reviews

tabbycattwrites's review

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-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

4.5

The first book was hard to get through (my issue, not the story's). The second was much easier.  Never a dull moment. Literally. I feel like I need a flowchart for the betrayals and double crosses, but I loved that even though the ultimate betrayal was predictable the motive is unclear!  Totally hooked me in for the third book.  Too many dangling threads.  I must have a resolution!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Toxic friendship, Blood, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, and Murder

Spoiler

Jude is singled out for some vicious, dangerous bullying/hazing because she's human. She kills in self-defense. And her relationship with Cardan is emotionally unhealthy.

vaguely_pink's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Blood, Death, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, War, Violence, Body horror, Confinement, Bullying, Alcoholism, and Death of parent

Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Vomit, Torture, Classism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping

lilyane's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Violence, Kidnapping, Torture, Animal cruelty, Murder, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Injury/injury detail, Animal death, Toxic friendship, and Blood

Moderate: War

Minor: Vomit

shelbyrodger's review

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, Death, Toxic friendship, and Physical abuse

ilove_books16's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

This book was amazing and I was left with an amazing cliffhanger at the end making me want to read the next one!!!! Would 100% recommend 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Torture

egurgens's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

To be honest, I don’t like this book as much as I did the first one. Although Jude is just as much of a badass as she was in the first one, there is a lot more at play in this book, and she doesn’t get to show it off as much as in the first book.  This book was also a little slower than the first one, although the ending was still super dramatic. The first book seemed to maybe be driven equally by both plot and character development, but this one seems to favor plot over character. Let’s just say, I’m pissed at the ending, and I’m mad at a great many characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Bullying, Confinement, Body horror, Death, Gaslighting, Blood, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Medical content, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexism, Alcohol, Animal death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Drug use

aidamaria_reads's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

Just when you think you’ve seen it all when it comes to cunningly deceiving, secretively scheming and shamelessly betraying in The Cruel Prince … The Wicked King is a very worthy second instalment. I’m usually weary of sequels, but this one exceeded my expectations. And Jude does. Not. Back. Down! She might be my favourite heroine I’ve come across in a fantasy book. She is relentless, she is resilient, she will have the world torn to pieces before she gives up on reaching her goals. Another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 out of 5 stars) from me! 🧚🏻‍♀️

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, and War

level1055's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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

3.5

It has been 10 years since I actually finished a book in a day...
What poison should I dose myself everyday to not be this embarrassing! 
🙏 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

katreadswaytoomuch's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Murder, Kidnapping, Gore, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, and Blood

Minor: Animal death, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts