Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith

20 reviews

linhinbooks's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault

tdhuck's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Cursing, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Body shaming, Gaslighting, and Adult/minor relationship

katycanum's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was the first book I finished in 24 hours in years. I am not sure if it was the writing style, or just the story. This is a book that needs to start being shared in schools, in communities. it captures it perfectly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Dysphoria, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

llalaluna's review

dark emotional reflective 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: Blood, Rape, Bullying, Child abuse, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Cursing, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Mental illness

bakedbeanss's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

This was a hard one to swallow due to the topic. It was a decent book however, I really didn’t care for how Eden was portrayed after her rape. She turned into this girl who sleeps around to forget her trauma and I feel like this adds to the bad stigma regarding rape culture and the survivors. She did do a good job portraying the other potential behaviors of trauma survivors, isolation, nightmares/night terrors, fear. It was okay but I probably wouldn’t read this again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

sierrabedwell's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Wow. What an emotional read. I read this in 3 days and couldn’t put it down. The main character truly takes you with her while she recovers from a traumatic incident throughout her years of highschool. She makes you feel her emotions. I would recommend to anyone but major trigger warning for SA. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Grief, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Violence, Body shaming, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Drug abuse, and Drug use

kayleejanes's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Drug use, Toxic friendship, and Sexual assault

erica_reads_things's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Wow wow wow. Incredible read. Amber's writing had me instantly connected with every character that she introduced. I haven't cried from reading a book in a good year and this did it for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Rape, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Drug use, and Grief

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content

Minor: Incest and Alcoholism

kotashomelibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Drug use, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, and Incest

laurenreads_2204's review

emotional sad 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

4.0

This book is so heavy. The main character made me want to pull my hair out of sometimes because of her trauma, and the lack of communication that she had with the other characters. But my heart also broke for her pain. this book really made me feel strong emotions about the trauma and the chaos and the toxicity of everything when she’s trying to cover it. It took us through four years of high school and show the traumas of the events that happened and how it changed her whole life in perspective it’s such a good read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Gaslighting, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, and Addiction