Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

15 reviews

emmathereadingredhead's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship

princessdana36's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This book gave me a full blown anxiety attack. There were so many twists, turns, and unreliable narrators that I couldn't keep track (well, I could, but I just didn't want to! Whom can you trust in a book like this!) Gone Girl has nothing on this book. Sure, Gone Girl was better written, but this book elicited more visceral reactions than Gone Girl. I haven't even compared anything to that book since all psychological dramas/thrillers started comparing themselves to Gone Girl. I think the writing has to be improved. It needed some polish and another pass through with an editor, but the imagery was solid. Some of the phrasing was a little unprofessional, but it painted a vivid picture. All in all, not a pleasant book, but a readable one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Child abuse

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Confinement, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

rhyanreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I finished this book in two sittings. A really quick "who done it" style book. The writing is captivating and Freida McFadden always has the best twists and turns and unexpected things that just make sense. 

I would also love to live in the Winchester house, just not on the third floor 👀

Millie is a freaking G

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Torture, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Suicide

Minor: Infertility, Vomit, Murder, and Infidelity

kmwolff's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Confinement

Moderate: Death, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Torture

Minor: Infertility, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Violence, and Infidelity

saraperdue01's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Abandonment, Body shaming, Murder, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Mental illness, Rape, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Torture, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse

dilettala's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, and Body shaming

Minor: Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, and Mental illness

brittanylee0302's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book although a little slow in the first 30% was soooo good! & the slowness of the first 30% is very necessary to the outcome of the book. While I thought this book was going to be a clean cut who done it kind of thing, it was so much more intricate than that which made for a wild page turner. Can't wait to read the sequel! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent and Violence

Minor: Toxic friendship and Vomit

nrogers_1030's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Minor: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual content

pinkyoshi's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Body horror, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Torture, Blood, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

Minor: Child abuse

connorjdaley's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

3.0

I read this for a book club, and I enjoyed it. 

On the surface, I thought the way this was written was compulsively readable. It did some things I had never read before in a thriller, even though I have read that it is very similar to another. (I hadn’t read it). Personally the change in perspective, even with the novel being first person, was a real surprise for me. 

The plot itself is a little slow for me though, so when the climax finally came crashing in, it felt oddly short. The main character was also a bit unlikable, which comes to a head for me when the character does something I personally find despicable, then the novel has no one really likable in it at all. 

Why does the new housemaid’s bedroom have a lock on the outside of the door, not the inside? Read it and find out! Personally a 3/5*. 

“Those were my books, and you didn’t treat them very well, did you?” This is the best quote of the book, please enjoy it very out of context. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Confinement, Violence, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship