Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

48 reviews

annaonthepage's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Classism

okiecozyreader's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.5

I liked the book within a book in this story. Most of it is a strange friendship story, until the end. 

Emily and Chess have been best friends, in some ways, but resentful of each other in others - maybe like high school friends can be. Emily is getting divorced and her husband is being nasty, so she takes the opportunity to go to an Italian villa with Chess to work on a book. This villa was the scene of a murder in 1974, so we get that timeline also. The 1974 storyline is about a group of music guys and their illicit romances, women who end up with famous stories of their own after the stay.

The audio is great (thank you Libra.fm for providing copies to libraries) with Julia Whelan as Emily and two other narrators for the 1974 timeline.

“People are never just gone, after all. There are always marks, always signs.” Chapter 8

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Murder, and Pregnancy

cassiereadsbooks_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

charlotte_37's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Bullying, Miscarriage, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

tdawgg07's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

A brilliant blend of a fun summer read about friendship with a dark and winding mystery, this book seamlessly combines themes of art and history with a twisty mystery in an idyllic, summery setting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship, and Blood

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

lialovesreading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

stephaniezd'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? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Overall a solidly okay book. Some loose ends tied up too nicely and some just drifted away weirdly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

novelideea's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Toxic friendship

audaroundtheworld's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Miscarriage and Suicide

katlynnnxo's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship