Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

American Royals, by Katharine McGee

14 reviews

colorful_lulu's review against another edition

emotional medium-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? Yes

4.25

How relatable and painful Beatrice and Sam are. I didn’t find Nina too relatable but Bea and Sam was so relatable it fuckin hurts. <spoilers> King George IV’a death was so painful tho

Can I kick Daphne in the nose? No? But I though everyone hated her!!!

Spoiler

Like she LITERALLY thinks about how she slept with her pray ex-boyfriends best friend while trying to get back to the ex, while the ex’s father who also happens to be HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS is literally dying of lung cancer.

Please, please, please fuck off. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Cancer, Classism, Death of parent, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Alcohol, Stalking, Bullying, and Drug abuse

Minor: Homophobia and Racism

ashlikes's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Classism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Infidelity

Moderate: Stalking, Body shaming, Bullying, Grief, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Sexism

Minor: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Drug use, Pregnancy, Racism, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders

rhythmofryn's review

emotional reflective 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

2.5

This was a rough book for me because of the heart-wrenching decisions required by the characters. The more I learn about royalty, the more I’m convinced I would never ever want a crown. I get too emotional over characters and I aches for every character who had to choose between what they truly wanted and what was expected of them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol and Toxic friendship

Minor: Misogyny

reddeddy's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective 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? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Bullying, Classism, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Drug abuse, Body shaming, Colonisation, Sexism, Dysphoria, Grief, Misogyny, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Child death, Xenophobia, Injury/injury detail, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Blood, and Slavery

bendersreads's review

Way too big for a whole lot of nothing to happen. The writing style was okay, but I felt like the characters were stale.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic relationship

zoecardigan's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense 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

3.0

Spoilers!......kinda.....in an abstract way 

Loved the premise though wasn't blown away by the book itself. I liked it, it was interesting and for the most part I liked the characters (though the princes ex's perspective did get annoying in parts). Will read the second mostly out of curiosity as to how it all ends, as I am quite invested in the relationships. The standout moment of this book is easily the ending! The VISUALS of the bowing and the church bells! I loved it! Stand out character: Teddy, the grace that he handles the Beatrice situation is something to be admired. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Medical trauma and Toxic relationship

alexbowie03's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

3.75

this book was really good; I did have alot of trouble getting into it in the beginning though. I found the beginning really slow but once things started to pick up it was really enjoyable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Grief, Sexism, Stalking, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Blood

Minor: Blood, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

claudiamacpherson's review

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

Basically, if Gossip Girl were about royalty. Drama, politics, backstabbing, and trading partners… <i>American Royals</i> has it all. Pretty much everyone is obnoxious and spoiled...but you can’t help but like them anyway (except you, Daphne. You suck). Maybe it’s the eldest daughter in me, but Beatrice was my favorite character by far. This was a super quick read, and had so many tropes that, while slightly overused, are still fun to see.

Spoiler

I kind of hated the sisters-fighting-over-a-guy storyline. It makes me uncomfortable and feels very unrealistic—what kind of sister would do that??

Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the general vibe of the ending):

Spoiler

Cliffhanger-y! I hadn’t realized that there was a sequel, so I was expecting more resolution...good thing I got the next one from the library super quick!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Cancer, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship

mostlypoptarts's review against another edition

lighthearted 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? No

3.5

if i could rate on enjoyment alone… this score would be way different. it’s trash, but it’s MY trash.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Bullying, Cursing, and Medical trauma

Minor: Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Colonisation, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, and Slavery

emilysreadingbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Cancer, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Colonisation, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, and Medical content