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Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'
I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea
4 reviews
katyakat'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
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The story takes a bit of time to really get going, and it requires some knowledge of ballet to fully appreciate the nuances. Jamison Shea clearly did extensive research for this book, and it shows. She’s not afraid to delve into the darker sides of friendship, exploring themes like jealousy and toxic traits.
One aspect I particularly enjoyed, and something I always appreciate in books, is how Laure accepts that she has a darker, not always kind personality. It’s refreshing to see a character who acknowledges their flaws and struggles with the societal pressures to fit into a box of what others think they should be. This adds a layer of depth and realism to her character, making her journey all the more compelling.
The second half of the book truly shines. However, the first 150 pages felt a bit slow, lacking the pace that would make it more gripping. While this slower start does provide a clear insight into Laure’s character and mindset, it could have benefited from more action to keep readers engaged.
Despite this, Shea crafts a fascinating world that kept me intrigued, and I’m definitely looking forward to the sequel. She has a talent for creating compelling settings and complex characters, and I’m excited to see where she takes the story next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Classism
juan_adhd_reading's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0
So what if she’s the Devil? At least the Devil has a JOB. At least she’s ACTIVE in the COMMUNITY!
Seriously, this book had me stressed since before the supernatural things even started happening. This book was an excellent insight at the elitist and cutthroat world that is ballet. This book was filled with terrible characters and I LOVED IT!!! This was a villain origin story in which ambition may have gotten the best of Laure, desperate to climb to the top, to the point where she was willing to sacrifice her own soul (and even worse, her ability to dance!). I loved seeing everyone who was horrible to Laure get what they deserved, and watching Laure slowly become corrupted by her newfound powers. My only complaint would be the pacing, which was slow at times, but I’m really excited to see how the story escalates in the next book!
Seriously, this book had me stressed since before the supernatural things even started happening. This book was an excellent insight at the elitist and cutthroat world that is ballet. This book was filled with terrible characters and I LOVED IT!!! This was a villain origin story in which ambition may have gotten the best of Laure, desperate to climb to the top, to the point where she was willing to sacrifice her own soul (and even worse, her ability to dance!). I loved seeing everyone who was horrible to Laure get what they deserved, and watching Laure slowly become corrupted by her newfound powers. My only complaint would be the pacing, which was slow at times, but I’m really excited to see how the story escalates in the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Self harm, and Blood
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
elle_e_d_light's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Writing-wise, it's a strong debut.
Material-wise, it could have been stronger.
It's a villain origin story, but I went from finding Laure grating but sympathetic to just plain grating really quickly.
Maybe she was too naïve—or maybe I'm just too jaded—but there were so many times when I just said, "Yeah, welcome to how the world works. Especially in a capitalist society. The bottom line is profit/what is projected to bring in profit first, art and integrity second. And profit and connections trump merit." I just had trouble believin that after everything she'd been through, she hadn't really grasped that yet.
Also, this is a YA, but content-wise, this doesn't seem aimed at actual young adults. It feels more like it was made for either the New Adult age range or adults who like YA.
Material-wise, it could have been stronger.
It's a villain origin story, but I went from finding Laure grating but sympathetic to just plain grating really quickly.
Maybe she was too naïve—or maybe I'm just too jaded—but there were so many times when I just said, "Yeah, welcome to how the world works. Especially in a capitalist society. The bottom line is profit/what is projected to bring in profit first, art and integrity second. And profit and connections trump merit." I just had trouble believin that after everything she'd been through, she hadn't really grasped that yet.
Also, this is a YA, but content-wise, this doesn't seem aimed at actual young adults. It feels more like it was made for either the New Adult age range or adults who like YA.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Classism
poodily's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Toxic relationship, and Blood
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Gore, Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
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