Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan

49 reviews

kelseyreads94's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

When I started reading this I was confused, having been a Jodi Picoult fan for years, because it seemed to so closely parallel The Pact. I actually thought she wrote a book piggy backing an already successful novel. Anyway- it grew on me and has pieces so unexpected I couldn’t stop reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Hate crime

Minor: Abortion and Sexual harassment

lvosler21's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

birdiebrew's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

skyeeh523's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

thatsssorachael's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Transphobia, and Murder

Moderate: Deadnaming and Toxic friendship

mollz12's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I was actually surprised to love this book. I decided to listen to it for some of my road trips and it was worth it. I could hear the parts I would have put it down and had a hard time coming back. 
I was confused a lot why they would back track with Lily’s memories. I kept thinking I went backwards but I think they did it on purpose. 
It was very intense and very sad. The hopeful parts were of the mothers saving their children. 

The parts of Lily recounting Ash being mean; yelling , grabbing her, speeding, etc. were interesting to add especially because Lily never shared them out loud, and the court scenes were of him being nice and calm. 
I thought that these pieces were silly to add because I wanted justice for Lily that Ash wasn’t the greatest. Or I wish it was more smaller anger emotions that he apologized later because of his trauma. I think I was disappointed that Lily never got to share it. The true character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, and Toxic friendship

goodin10tions's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Mad Honey is it's own story but I feel like if you are a fan of Saving Jacob, Middlesex,  or The Lovely Bones you will love it. The journey of all the characters is haunting and melancholy. Sensitive readers should research the content because there are many possible triggers.
This is a long story (15 hrs) but it goes by really fast. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

musicalpopcorn's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

When her son’s girlfriend is found dead, Olivia becomes the mother of an accused murderer and she begins to question how she got to where she is.

This book was written in captivating language. It talked about difficult topics in a way that was easy to understand and not too preachy.

I did figure out the ending almost immediately though, which is why I’m not giving it four stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Transphobia, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

amesnotamy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

cwalden's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This was incredibly emotional, and covers a lot of important insights into the trans experience. Rating is just for the ending and parallel murder mystery storyline. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Self harm, Toxic relationship, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment