Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Bully by Penelope Douglas

20 reviews

maria8w4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Grief, Bullying, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition

tense fast-paced

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

2.0

This book is objectively not good, and the romance is quite problematic. That being said, Bully is highly entertaining read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism and Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug abuse and Pedophilia

antidietleah's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Violence, Bullying, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Cancer, Infidelity, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Grief

moodreadmoonchild's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

is this book all bad? no. but like… it’s really not good. first and foremost, i really think there should be a trigger warning page or at least be listed at the bottom of the online book description. Also, it’s a high school romance with detailed spice so that in-of-itself was kind of an ick for me and im an avid smut reader. 

so to problems with the actual characters/story. starting off with the petty: there are so many music references that really didn’t age well and just gave such hard cringe. the “not like other girls” vibes are soooo strong. meanwhile the FMC’s bestie is objectively a shitty friend. the redemption arc for both the MMC (and his best friend) are lacking to say the least. the MMC feels so entitled to forgiveness when he gives not even the barest of crumbs to earn it. i mean the bar is in hell and he still couldn’t reach it with a 20 ft ladder. it’s just really. it good. i’ve read books where the MMC straight up tortures the FMC and i still thought his redemption arc was more earned than this. just. i don’t recommend… like at all. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, Violence, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Addiction, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug abuse

mariekemarit's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

1.5

Just awefull. Why does it have to be so womenhating... when do we stop writing women as hating other women and calling them sluts when they are wearing skirts..

As well as the bulliing as 'flirting' or as a 'sweet' thing. I hated the sentence 'I'm so happy to hear that you're a virgin' when he was the one sleeping with EVERYONE. WHAT ARE THOSE? STANDARDS? AWEFULL...

Hated it. We need to stop normalising toxic relations like this. And the hassesments abd sexual assoults. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

rumaisairfan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Bullying, and Cursing

cassiereadsbooks_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Body shaming, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

summerspence's review against another edition

emotional tense fast-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Bullying, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Addiction

martamae77's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

1.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent and Alcoholism

dalmak's review against another edition

1.0

this was actually so bad like i was waiting for it to get better but it didn’t.  it was embarrassing at best. oh and the smut wasn’t that good either

jared is a stupid fucking name and he was absolutely terrible. like boohoo you got traumatised but that doesn’t excuse the fucking abuse you put tate through. and then with a snap of a finger you’re suddenly in love w her and telling her how much you love her and shit. jared had no personality besides being a douchebag and having mood swings. tate wasn’t any better, she took him back so fucking fast. and then she had the audacity to say that if the whole cheating thing w liam and kc jhappened to her she’d never take the guy back like who are you lying to. also kc was absolutely terrible and tate took her back too. pls tate have some respect for urself. oh and don’t even make me mention madoc. he sexually assaulted her and humiliated her in the beginning of the book and now they’re besties?????

in conclusion this book sucks ass and the only book i’ve ever read that was worse than this was credence. don’t read it bc it’s a completely waste of time. i could have gotten a good night’s sleep in if not for this sorry excuse of a story.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Emotional abuse