Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins

8 reviews

hannanni41's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

1.0

Two girls who know nothing about the outdoors decide to go backpacking, fight the entire time, then get chased by stereotypical "evil hillbillies" who want to SA and kill them. This was an aggravating read and I wish I DNF-ed it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Stalking, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Rape

Moderate: Toxic friendship

yourstrulytay's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

This was cliche in the worst way, plus any mention or inclusion of SA felt unnecessary. Additionally, neither of the characters were really all that likeable, and they were almost caricatures of who they were supposed to be. It was a fine book but not one I'd recommend to anyone, especially for that stupid ending.

Spoiler

Seriously, wtf was with the bear? It was so unsatisfying, unrealistic, and entirely random.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

Moderate: Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Torture, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

Minor: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

wirewrappedlily's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Gore, Violence, Kidnapping, Body horror, Abandonment, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

phantomgecko's review

dark 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

2.25

The book goes quickly, at least.

Maybe I'm just jaded, but the lurid descriptive writing didn't fit. It felt forced and was jarringly opposed to the tone.

The characters were introduced to be unlikable. A lot of focus is given to their souring relationship, ostensibly to emphasize the true friendship that shines through in the end or whatever. However, I found the tone to be disjointed and the buildup to the horror ineffective. The book can be split into two totally different genres. A beginning teen drama with no tension or thrill, then suddenly a gory horror

Not impressed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Violence, Sexual violence, Murder, Gun violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Death of parent and Drug use

nicolinebl's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I've had such a reader's block for the last couple of months and picking up this book definitely solved the problem. It was a quick read because of how incredibly terrifyingly thrilling it was. It picks up a bit slow but has enough spookiness to make you anxious reading it at night and then the real scariness begins. Wonderful writing and very real characters. My only issue with the book is

Spoiler

the decision of them to keep going after their big fight and since they were very anxious about bears and murderers I would have definitely decided to return home. But yeah, that would be a boring horror book I guess. Plus the shared trauma has definitely helped forget the fight and strengthen their friendship. I do think they need at least a gap year for therapy before they do anything else though. Oh, and I wasn't a big fan of the serial killers, they felt a bit too much I guess. Not fully believable but definitely disturbing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Torture, Death, Excrement, Gore, and Gun violence

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Car accident, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Excrement, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, and Vomit

jessi_chelsea04's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

1.0

The actual friendship of the two constantly contradicts what we're told, and it is constantly tense from the first chapter, it didn't let up. It was just slow to read and I personally didn't enjoy it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gore, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Torture, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Vomit and Mental illness

bookishgoob's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Vomit

toadsandtales's review against another edition

dark tense slow-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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Toxic friendship