Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Stora vackra liv by Emily Henry

7 reviews

emotional reflective 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

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

               This book felt like it was trying to be two books at once. It was trying to be a bit of both a literary mystery and a contemporary romance book. The two didn’t weave that well together, however. 

              I hated all the edging the author did with the MC’s sexual relationship. I think she was trying to keep it from being “too spicy” for her readers, but still spicy enough. However, it just got frustrating. I get the building anticipation of them having intercourse, but it just took too long! 

              I liked most of the characters, all the townspeople, Cecil and Margaret especially, though others not as much, looking at you, Alice, and especially her mom, and Theo. 

              Overall, it was a decent book. Mostly, the structure just didn’t work for me. As well as the drawn-out nature of the MCs’ relationship, and their admitting their feelings and desires. 


  
​Narrator Rating:​ 4.75 stars
             I wish they’d gotten someone else to narrate the section of the book that was supposed to be part of the biography. Julia Whelan is wonderful and did an amazing job, however, I feel like having dual narration would have been better for the two intertwined sections of the book. 



Elements 
Heartfelt-💔💔💔 
Horror- N/A
Love aka Romance- 💋 💋 💋 💋 & 1/2
Predictability-🔮 🔮 🔮 
Spice-  🌶  🌶  🌶 
Tear- 😭 & 1/2
Thrill- N/A
Humor- 😜 😜 & 1/2

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional reflective 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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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adventurous dark emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-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

This is absolutely not a thriller, despite what it’s being marketed as

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny hopeful reflective tense 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

What a great, big, beautiful ride Great Big Beautiful Life is. I have shed tears and laughed out loud, kicked my feet in ecstasy and ground my teeth in anticipation. I am floored by Emily Henry again.

I have so many notes to go through, but, for now I will say: this is some of Emily’s most beautiful writing. It is heartfelt and poignant. It is reflective and brutal and honest. It is tragedy and love, humour and regret.

I related to so many of these characters in different ways, from Alice’s insecurity around her mother’s feelings towards her to Hayden’s perfectionism and fear of being himself. Very real fears of me were reflected in this book, the anxiety around bringing children into this world which is cruel and dangerous and difficult. 

There are things I’d love to know more about, particularly surrounding the outcome of the
trial for Dr David
, and Jodi and
her father, including how he came to be the kooky character he is and how much he knows of Hayden and Alice
. I suppose much of that I may only know from the book, if only it were real!

I’m already raring for a reread, and I obviously need to listen to the audiobook but, for now, I leave you with some of my favourite quotes presented with absolutely no context:

“If that’s what I meant, then that’s what I would’ve said.”

“Stone-cold sober and he looks almost as drunk as I feel.”

“What if they have to care for me, for years, after I’ve stopped calling them by their nicknames or telling them I love them?”

“I don’t do this.”
“I do.”
“Fine. I do too.”

“This doesn’t have to be the greatest tragedy to ever befall anyone. It doesn’t even have to be the worst thing that’s ever happened to you.”

“Like I swallowed the sun. Like it’s breaking up every bit of darkness inside me.”

“Maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful.”

Also, huge shout out to the Pole of Inaccessibility, which is where my heart resides most of the time.

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix

no one talk to me for 3-5 work days I'm processing (also recovering from crying) (a lot)

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