Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain

13 reviews

powellki's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.5

I enjoyed the premise of this book, I enjoyed the beginning mystery. I wanted to know what had happened to Elora as badly as Grey did. There were a few twists and turns in the book I didn't see coming, especially the last hour of the audiobook. I am very disappointed with the ending because it turned into a very twisted love triangle (that had been hinted at throughout the book), and ends with the unnecessary death of multiple characters. I was also unhappy with the epilogue because it ends ambiguously. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Blood and Alcohol

ecravens's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Murder, and Toxic friendship

ladylivs's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

’m not sure what’s spookier; the unexplainable circumstances around our main character’s best friend Elora’s disappearance, the obtuse comments from all the dozens of psychics in this Louisiana bayou, or the literal storm on the horizon. (Or maybe I’m pushing up the creepiness of the storm because of Hurricane Ida’s monstrous damage to the homes and livelihoods of so many people.) 

Grey spends her summers on a tourist island off the coast of Louisiana, a “self-proclaimed Psychic Capital of the World.” But this summer is different because 6 months ago her best friend disappeared, and no one knows exactly what happened to her. Grey starts searching for answers and only gets more questions, although as she begins to discover secrets and acknowledge hard truths, they may be more horrifying than she’s ready for. The biggest question and truth of all: is Elora dead and gone for good, and did someone kill her?

This gothic horror started almost too slow for me, but about a quarter of the way through it really snagged my attention and didn’t let go. It’s dark, suspenseful, emotional, and absolutely enthralling. The writing really makes you feel sweaty and hot, like you too are in a swamp dying of heatstroke and swatting mosquitos away while monsters prowl around you in the dead of night. For those of you who bemoan them, you should know there is technically a classic YA love triangle, but since there’s a whodunnit quality around whether we like the potential love interests, I personally forgave the author for the inclusion. 

If you read it and especially if you like or love it, I’d recommend looking up mutual aids for the Louisiana bayou since their Hurricane Ida recovery will be a long and hard process.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail