Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

163 reviews

katattack345's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book is by far one of the best books I have ever read. It is officially tied for my favourite book ever (a feat untouchable in over 10 years!) I want to devour every book M. L. Rio ever writes and I hope she never stops writing. 

This book is a masterpiece that had me on the edge of my seat never wanting to stop reading from start to finish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Minor: Biphobia and Homophobia

Spoiler

gay

haleymk's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Addiction, Blood, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, Sexism, and Suicide

Minor: Confinement

peonydancer's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.75

I was a little disappointed by the book, in that I had rather big expectations of it. I did, however, love the intertextuality of Shakespeare's works and the book. But I reckon it's a little far-fetched to call this a 'gay romance' - more than that, it's 'toxic entanglement'. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Death, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Blood

amhud1030's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective slow-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Toxic relationship, Blood, Drug abuse, Murder, Suicide, and Violence

auliarach's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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: Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use

juliesleseecke's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Death, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Drug use, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Eating disorder

st6rdust's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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: Alcohol, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, Drug use, and Death

Moderate: Cursing and Drug abuse

Minor: Blood

helenadominick's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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

5.0

Holy… haven’t loved a book like this since The Secret History

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Violence, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Grief, Mental illness, Alcohol, Body horror, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Homophobia

bergha1998's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

3.5

It is Oliver’s fourth and final year at Dellecher, a Shakespearean focused Art School. Only 7 theater majors remain for this final year, at this point they are more like family than friends. Except as the year progresses tensions start to rise. 

Murder Mystery/Thriller, Dark Academia, LGBTQIA+, Duo Timeline, 1 🔥

“I need language to live, like food—lexemes and morphemes and morsels of meaning nourish me with the knowledge that, yes, there is a word for this. Someone else has felt it before.”

“Anything can feel like punishment if it’s taught poorly.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Drug abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, and Eating disorder

katfrenn_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Amazing read. I flew through this book. The characters are so hatable and lovable and flawed and perfect. I'd love to reread this book. Just a side note that there are lots of potential triggers here. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Eating disorder, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Drug use, and Emotional abuse