Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Verity, by Colleen Hoover

388 reviews

taulkstoomuch's review

dark mysterious 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? Yes

1.0

This book had such potential to be an excellent novel on the struggles that women face, especially surrounding pregnancy. Not only were those problems not addressed, but the women were also villainised for resenting children that they did not want in the first place.

After seeing my visceral reaction to the awfulness of the book, my sister asked me if the book was actually good since it was able to get such a reaction out of me. I wondered about this for a while, maybe she had a point, but after thinking about it for a couple of days, I can say that she was wrong. It's not that the book was amazing bar one thing... it was awful bar one maybe. The plot was awful, as mentioned above; the ending felt like a cop-out.

Spoiler

All that disgusting description of all the things Verity can't be justified by it all being antagonistic writing. That doesn't make up for the fact that all that horrible stuff was written.

This was accompanied by not-so-good writing. How are 2 women so besotted by what seems like the most average man in the world, to the point where they are able and willing to commit actual crimes? There's no man in the world that is worth that, it has to be a joke.

I can't think for a second why someone would enjoy this book, let alone make it one of their favourites. If this is the case, I thoroughly recommend some sort of psychiatric help, even if it is for reassurance purposes. If you are considering reading this book, I suggest you heed the instructions written in Colleen Hoover's acknowledgements to her husband and 'don't' :)

Anything I have missed is more eloquently and passionately said by Cindy (withcindy) in her YouTube videos about this abomination people call a novel.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Body shaming, Ableism, Abortion, Car accident, Death, Gore, and Emotional abuse

carloscapy's review against another edition

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? No

4.0

Holy moly this book was so good, but so terrifying. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Child death, Cursing, and Domestic abuse

artistic_nightsky's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Body shaming, Child death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Torture, and Vomit

worldofv33's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, Gore, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Child abuse, Cursing, Violence, Mental illness, Abortion, Pregnancy, Blood, Car accident, Gaslighting, Grief, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer, Kidnapping, Drug use, and Rape

ankiaisreading's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Murder, Car accident, Gaslighting, Death, Child death, Sexual content, Self harm, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Moderate: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Blood, Abortion, and Domestic abuse

snowhite197's review

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? Yes

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Abortion, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Vomit

jannat3810's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

The ending was absolutely mind-boggling. The plot twist was incredibly shocking, but I’m team manuscript. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Child death

Moderate: Abandonment

teatunesandtales's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

2.0

The second most disturbing book I've ever read. 😳😳😳

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Child abuse, Murder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Pregnancy

eggfartz's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Vomit, Gore, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Cursing, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

haileyehughes's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Spoiler

  This book contains major triggers for child loss, infant loss, and domestic violence. However, this book is a whirlwind and didn't end at all how I thought it would. I never expected Verity to die, I more expected her to do the killing. I'm still not sure which side of Verity to believe; the manuscript or the letter. Lowen started out as a likeable character that was 'forced' into the situation. But, by the end of the book she seemed very much like a willing participant.

Also, I had Lowen on my list of future baby names and now I won't ever be able to look at a child and like that name... 

Spoiler

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Car accident, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, and Mental illness