Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth

11 reviews

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Bullying and Lesbophobia

dani794's review against another edition

4.75

“Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is ask for help. Admitting you need it doesn’t make you weak; it makes you strong.”

This was really good. All the interactions between the characters were really nice. My heart broke for Aideen in her nuanced feelings with her mother: love, betrayal and the paranoia brought on by the fear of losing her to alcohol again.

Maebh and Aideen were really cute! I liked that they were both girls who were already comfortable in their sexuality. I was surprised that with Maebh’s personality that she’d be so confident about it but regardless I liked it.

With Holly, I don’t think she was that bad of a friend. When Aideen was struggling, Holly told Aideen to come round hers straight away and comforted her. They had issues and Holly was acting up, particularly with Maebh, but I feel like they could create a healthy relationship out of it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Lesbophobia

nerdysread's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Merci Slalom et NetGalley pour le sp numérique. 
Ce livre a tout ce qu'il faut

• De l'humour 
• Des persos chaotiques 
• De l'émotion 
• Des persos plutôt réalistes 
• Hit to close to home sometimes 

FFranchement j'ai kiffe et bravo les lesbiennes 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, and Misogyny

Minor: Lesbophobia

meheehee's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Outing

readingqueerly's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective 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

3.25

While it's not my favourite book I've read this year, I do think it portrays a situation that I've not seen much in the books I read and a situation that I don't think is common at all in YA, namely the main character comes from a poor family. The way she carries the burden of making sure she and her mum get by is affecting. Aideen has to deal with her flaky dad and her alcoholic mother and school and friends and fixing everyone else's problems gave me second hand stress. But I do get her in a way. Asking for help, especially when you know that might have quite an effect on how your life has been functioning so far (in this case a social worker who might step in in a significant way) must be scary. It's not just about asking for help, it's also accepting that help and its possible consequences. But it's also realising there are people around you who care and want to help. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism and Toxic friendship

Minor: Infidelity and Injury/Injury detail

beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective 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

OK, before I start this review, I've got a small confession to make: Ms Devlin is a sarcastic badass of a woman and every kid should have a teacher like her.

Confession over. Actually, no it's not, because I have to confess something else - I really, really enjoyed reading Not My Problem.

It's about facing your fears. Realising people can be so much more than the first impressions you have of them if you just dig a little deeper. And finally - in my view - it's about realising the value of kindness and compassion.

Aideen Cleary is probably the most well-rounded, three-dimensional main character I have read for some time.  She leapt off the page. Even though I sometimes felt frustrated with the decisions she made and the way she treated others, I could understand why she did so.

All the other characters were well-drawn too - aside from the lovely Ms Devlin, we were also introduced to Aideen's friends Meabh, Kavi, Holly, and Aideen's mum - Lisa, I think her name was? I really appreciated how Ciara Smyth wrote about the relationship between mother and daughter, it was beautiful and felt realistic.

The one thing I felt could have been developed more was why

Aideen felt attracted to Meabh

. But it might have been because I had a very stop-start relationship with reading this book so maybe there was something I missed.

Overall, Not My Problem is a beautifully, intelligently written book and I'm looking forward to reading more from Ciara Smyth.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Medical content, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Fatphobia, Violence, Car accident, and Lesbophobia

More detail to come.

myreadingdream13's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad 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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Addiction, Infidelity, and Classism

Minor: Vomit

krhe's review against another edition

funny medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Quiero muchísimo a Kavi. 

Aparte de eso, el libro ha estado muy bien. Me ha hecho llorar porque hay algunas cosas que llegan de cerca (y que, en general, son bastante duras, pongo los TW donde corresponden).

La protagonista tiene una voz narrativa muy característica y es muy graciosa y también tiene, a su peor enemigo en su propia cabeza. 

Me ha gustado mucho la representación de amistades jodidas de la adolescencia porque been there done that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

berodatheelf's review against another edition

emotional funny tense fast-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

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Infidelity, Self harm, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Classism

evelyn_hughoe's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Minor: Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Lesbophobia