Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin

34 reviews

gduds98's review against another edition

emotional sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Self harm

emnah10's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.0

Personally this book wasn't my taste, it felt rushed in the end and overall very convenient. The ending wasn't good at all, I had a little more expectations. I liked the beginning of the book, because it explained very easily the feelings and relationships a young girl goes through, something a lot of us can relate to.

But the ending kinda ruined it all for me. I had higher expectations because of the way everyone had hyped it up and when that wasn't met. 

I still liked this book for the most part and this could probably be a good book for people who like endings like that. And when I say the ending disappointed me, I'm not talking about the fact that the thing everyone knew was going to happen did. But at how weak and defeated autumn was represented in the ending. It felt as if all her progress to becoming someone else had simply vanished. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Chronic illness, and Mental illness

reemoony's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-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

4.5

im clawing at my hair and biting my pillow please read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Alcohol, and Car accident

funkaroo12's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

2.75

*she's not like the other girls* This book is just the most woah-is-me and predictable storyline. Autumn being so different, beautiful, and weird is constantly stressed as the driving force behind the plot. Yet she's so thick-headed 🤦🏼‍♀️ "What, me????" Is the vibe I get from her. Maybe I'm just not the audience for YA anymore. I would not want my daughter to read this book before she is 18. Even then, I'd encourage her not to waste the time or brain space.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Car accident, Toxic friendship, and Death

juliedenn4's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

It’s the only book I’ve ever read that’s made me cry. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Child death

Moderate: Mental illness and Pregnancy

Minor: Abandonment and Toxic friendship

akusushi's review

dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.25

Made me sob so hard i snorted. Would never read again. Ending was rushed. Main character reminded me of me in high school. Made me reflect a lot on my own situations and relate them to the book (in a good and bad way). To everyone saying it’s cheesy/cringe: this is a high school romance. The characters are teenagers. Of course it will be cringe and cheesy, weren’t we all at some point in our youth? Anyways. The ending was predictable, what hurts is the lead up to it. #teamfinny 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Suicide attempt, Grief, Mental illness, and Death

Moderate: Sexual content, Alcoholism, and Pregnancy

Minor: Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

hufwulf's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

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

3.5

finished this book in the course of two days, the plot is rather slow
seemed to be worth it to stick to the end, cried like a baby 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship

readyforit's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

3.75 ⭐️ 0.5 🌶️ (non-descriptive)
The style of writing is unique in that there’s not a lot of dialogue, but more like how a teenager would tell their diary what happened today. Takes you right back to hs🥲 a personally hard read because of this. -1 ⭐️ because it’s a sad beginning, first 2/3, and end, and bc of a trope I don’t like that popped up at the end. I would catch myself feeling hopeful for FMC and have to keep reminding myself she doesn’t get a HEA. Would reread, ready to get wrecked by the sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death

pregnancy trope at the very end, and I’m not a huge fan of how it’s thrown in there as a reason to keep living

kyrstin_p1989's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This book is told in chapters that feel like snapshots into the world of two teenagers, Finny and Autumn. They are in love with each other but are unwilling or unable to admit it to themselves or the other. They are fated to love one another — their mothers have been best friends for their entire lives. The last third of this book I just knew it was building toward something bad, the book just gave off a vibe. While the last third also gives you a lot of good, it’s a bittersweet ending. For some reason, I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I thought I would. But I still liked them. The ending made me sad, but I didn’t cry. I’m not sure what to make of that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Child death, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Car accident, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

k1m100_'s review

emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

Ending shocked the life out of me fr

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship and Blood