Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

14 reviews

directorpurry's review

adventurous challenging emotional fast-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Incest and Toxic friendship

ehmannky's review

dark emotional reflective tense fast-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

3.0

 I think that if this book had been like 60 or 70 pages longer, it would be one of the best YA horror books I've read. The ghost stuff is genuinely chilling, and Douglass has a talent for writing some very creepy scenes with great social commentary. I felt like I needed more of Jake with the two friends he gets over the course of the book. It felt like Douglass just speed-ran them into being best friends (I think if maybe the book started off with them all being friends I would have bought it more). Again, the paranormal stuff is excellent, it's just the connection between the main and supporting characters that felt a bit lacking. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Toxic friendship and Abandonment

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

brookey8888's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This was fine. There was a lot I liked about it but a lot fell flat for me. I liked the discussion about racism, bullying, sexual assault, coming out, and family trauma/heritage. I liked how slowly Jake started to accept himself and the friendships and relationships that formed as well as the strengthening of the family. I just felt the the plot and the horror aspect was boring and it didn’t keep my attention sadly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

bryelle's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.0

Jake is such a lovable character. He is a medium who is dealing with high school and seeing ghosts. He starts to see the ghost of a teenage boy who is  torturing him. He has to solve some troubles from his past to defeat this ghost and banish him. 

Along the way Jake meets some friends who are in it for the long run. And also falls in love. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Slavery and Outing

ecn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

jo_lzr's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Pedophilia and Rape

cr_valentine's review

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Car accident and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Body horror, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, and Toxic friendship

theasbookworld's review

dark

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

marabdelmageed's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I listened to the whole audiobook in one sitting. This book was gripping from start to finish, and elicited a wide range of emotions. Such a magnificent piece of work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Car accident, and Alcohol