Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

8 reviews

saskiajva's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Before you start this book, definitely read the trigger warnings. Based on the summary and the tagline “the most charming and uplifting novel of 2023”, i was expecting a cozy story about a magic bookshop that filled you with warmth, hope, and childlike wonder. This book was nothing like that. Instead, it is 431 pages of three different people experiencing and processing horrific and very real-world traumas. The actual bookshop is much more the background setting of their lives, and not at all integral to the plot in my opinion, which i thought was a bummer. this book could’ve easily been set in a realistic world without the bookshop and it would change very little. 

Ultimately the book was fairly captivating and i did read it to the end, but i don’t think i would’ve chosen this had i known what it was actually about. Or at  the very least i definitely would have been more mindful about reading this while in a good headspace. The history was pretty cool, it’s clear the author did a ton of research and there are so many historical Easter eggs interwoven 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Grief, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child death and War

Minor: Suicide and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

katievallin's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Death, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, and Alcoholism

Minor: Infidelity, War, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Medical content, Cursing, Death of parent, and Suicide

ash_bees's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

A single story told from two points in time about 100 years apart.  Very well written, I could feel the heart ache.

Not to distract from the rest of the story line, but so much of this is about the actions of a psychopath, the fall out from those actions, and the victims who are trying to heal.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Violence, Mental illness, Torture, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and War

lpantoja0295's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.75

This was an absolutely enchanting read. I sort of saw where the book was going but was still delightfully surprised when I finished. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, and Domestic abuse

hannahcstocks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, War, Death of parent, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Dysphoria, and Emotional abuse

sea_tea_books's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense

4.0

"A good story always begins with tea."

This story was more complicated than I had been expecting. There were cozy, hygge moments mingled with a darker, more emotionally heavy undercurrent throughout the story. The consequences of generational trauma are far-reaching.

Henry was funny in an unintentional yet realistic way, which made him charming. His humor helped to lighten some of the darkness in this book. 

Side note: Why did Madame Bowden say a curious incident occurred "in the eighties" but Martha says "in the sixties" when she retells the story?

4 ⭐

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Violence, Pregnancy, War, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Minor: Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Stalking, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, and Suicidal thoughts

talyahonor23's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

A sweet easy read. The writing was a little jarring at times and there were way too many characters and love interests that storylines just fell to the way side. Didn't like Henry at all and the some the reveals were very underwhelming. Cute read though.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Murder, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Grief, and Toxic relationship

adventuresinfictionland's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was about everything I love about a book—the magical power to take you somewhere else. It was beautiful and a book that I will recommend over and over again and give out as gifts. 

If I could give more than 5⭐️ I would. This one is tied with one other as my favorite book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Stalking, Emotional abuse, War, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Death of parent, and Alcoholism