Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Good Luck with That by Kristan Higgins

3 reviews

zasou_reads's review against another edition

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Grief

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Mass/school shootings, Toxic relationship, Child death, and Child abuse

Minor: Pedophilia and Incest

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

4.0

This book is a all-too-acfurate deep dive into issues women face every day: body image, beauty standards, and self-worth. The story is about three friends who meet at fat camp the summer they turn 18 before jumping fifteen years into the future. All the women are struggling, but Emerson, we discover, is suffering the most. In the first chapter, we learn that Emerson has died due to extreme obesity. Her dying wish is that her friends, Marley and Georgia, complete a bucket list that they all wrote that one glorious summer.

The rest of the novel alternates between Marley and Georgia, and includes a few of Emerson's journal entries. The women go on a journey of self-acceptance and self-discovery. They learn how to cope with trauma and heart break. They learn how to take responsibility and when to realize that the blame isn't entirely on them. They seek balance, and, through trial and error, eventually find it.

The book is realistic, and often painful. You really feel for the characters, even when you don't agree with them. I knew I was hooked when I found myself talking back to the page and giving my advice as if they could hear me, as if they were my friends.

Though the book has some pretty heavy themes--pun not intended--it ultimately leaves the reader feeling hopeful and happy for the two women.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, and Incest

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Mass/school shootings

shelbyjo's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

I loved this book. The cover is a little deceiving...it gives me a light easy vibe.  However, a lot of it was actually pretty sad and heavy (I hate using that word in this situation, no pun intended at all... Just all of the other words I tried using didn't convey the correct feeling).

Spoiler

But so much of it was relatable in some ways, and I loved Marley & Georgia's journeys to true happiness and love (love from others and themselves). Emerson's storyline was heartbreaking, but I loved the good she did and how sweet and generous she was even after everything she had gone through.

It's so true that something so as small to you could be EVERYTHING to someone else.  You never know the impact you can truly make on a person. 
I listened to the audio and loved the narrators.  It was long (over 15 hours) but totally worth it.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, Medical content, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault