Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

35 reviews

recycled_personalities's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I do recommend it. There’s one outdated term that used near the beginning of the book that stopped it from getting a higher score. But it’s a compelling mystery, with a side of tragic love.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Classism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Bullying, Drug abuse, Suicide, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Body horror, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Addiction, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, and Toxic friendship

badmom's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Murder, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Biphobia, Misogyny, Eating disorder, Infidelity, and Gaslighting

snowydaze's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

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

2.0

This book was pitched to me as a dark academia meets Shakespeare novel. Although it hits both of these points, I found the characters to be very one-dimensional and the women to be overly sexualized for most of the novel. The plot, was run of the mill, with relationships between characters that seemed to be lacking of any depth besides some weird love triangles. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Drug use, Grief, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Murder, and Physical abuse

t_swizzle's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence

itsheyfay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Biphobia, Body shaming, Blood, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Addiction, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Transphobia, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Mental illness, and Outing

luvsbagels's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

If We Were Villains is officially my second 5 star read of the year! As someone who doesn't have a particularly strong interest in Shakespeare, I was surprised by how entranced I was in this story. 

I've always been too impatient for Shakespeare and I was worried that I would feel the same way about this book. Fortunately, that was not the case. While Shakespeare's text and stories are heavily woven into the plot, it is done so in a way that is easy to consume. 

This book is poetic, tense, and a true Shakespearean Tragedy. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Blood, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Drug abuse, and Domestic abuse

jadegeddes's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Violence, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Eating disorder and Body shaming

julia1579e's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

although i found this book boring in some parts, the characters had a huge impact on me and i love all of them so much (except one and i think you can guess who). it will take me like a week to recover from the end of this book it was so good 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Eating disorder

musewithxara's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, and Physical abuse

mzarauza's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Sexism, and Murder

Moderate: Blood and Classism