Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Infamous by Lex Croucher

19 reviews

extrey_extrey's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

iamnotclara's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.25

Set in Regency England, Infamous follows Eddie and her relationships with a wildly unique and diverse group of friends. Eddie is a wonderful delight and oblivious main character. She's actively the picture of a young twenty-something trying to make herself in a world, where women aren't allowed to be writers or truly members of society.  Her best friend, Rose, decides she has to get married and this absolutely sends Eddie into a tizzy, for what appears to be no reason. Eddie goes on to meet the infamous and charming poet Nash Nicholson, and is persuaded by his charm that he will help Eddie break through in the publishing world. It's a tale of trust and failure, love and chosen families. In the end, there is only one infamous author and a queer love story. 

Lex Croucher has such a way of writing that the audiobook narrator is truly phenomenal. Croucher's ability to tell these stories keeps having me come back to read every one of their novels. Their delight and style is unique and honestly one of my favorite authors of the decade. I hope that one day Croucher is beyond infamous for their writing and is acknowledged and supported across the world. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Murder

katerina_l's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

aseel_reads's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted slow-paced

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

1.0

The mc was so clueless and dumb and annoying. The plot was so predictable and not enjoyable

the third act drama of him stealing her manuscript? Obviously going to happen. I can't believe she didn't properly fight back and why leave it for the last 5% of the story?

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Homophobia and Murder

quinn22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny reflective tense 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? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Slavery, Pregnancy, Dysphoria, and Classism

callidoralblack's review against another edition

adventurous funny

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

vaguely_pink's review against another edition

emotional funny 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? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Gaslighting and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Sexual content, Transphobia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

thebankofbooks's review against another edition

funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

readingqueerly's review against another edition

emotional funny slow-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

3.5

This fell right in my very niche love for queer, historical romances. Yet despite this, it took me a while to warm up to this one. While I do like historical romances, I'm much more used to them being written in a more contemporary language. This one very much had that classic vibe going on which I needed to get used to before I could enjoy. 
Once I did though it was smooth sailing and I enjoyed reading this book a lot. It didn't surprise me really, but it did make me feel the right things at the right moment about shitty men and yearning for a love that is taboo and wanting to make art and get credit for it.
I do wish the romance bit was a somewhat more emphasised and we had more happy couple moments, but I also understand why it would be redundant. 
All in all pretty fun if you're looking for sapphic Jane Austen vibes.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault and Toxic friendship

evakonic's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense medium-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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Slavery, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Minor: Cursing, Death, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail