Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Ace by Angela Chen

14 reviews

pandemonicbaby's review

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was a very interesting read on sexuality in general and how asexuality brings a new perspective to our understanding of society (and social expectations) and intimacy, both on a broader and on an individual level.
It presented and described many different ace experiences, which just goes to show how no one community is homogenous, and how people are able to find different ways of finding love and happiness in their own existence.
This book also helped me reevaluate my own relationship with sexuality, and reflect upon how much of it has been molded by societal expectations and fear. This read has made me maybe a little bit less scared of maybe not conforming to what society expects of me, and of looking for intimacy in relationships in the way *i* want to have intimacy in relationships; not in the way societal expectations have told me to. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Medical trauma

Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Dementia, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Murder, Rape, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship

celestepaed's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

The beginning of the book was a little hard to get through because it was a lot of information I already knew but I feel like I’m walking away from this book with a better understanding of myself. There’s a special kind of security that comes from validation and that’s exactly what this book gifted me. One of the better parts of this book is that it’s perfect for if you’re already ace identifying or someone who is looking to better understand their relationship to sex or to better understand the meaning of asexuality with no prior knowledge on the subject.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia

Minor: Rape, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Ableism, Sexism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

samchase112's review against another edition

hopeful informative fast-paced

4.5

Part cultural analysis, part introduction to asexuality and aromanticism, this is a well-written, well-researched exploration of sexuality in modern culture — mixed with experiences of people who identify as asexual. I knew this would be a fascinating, eye-opening read, and it lived up to those expectations. I hope this book continues to reach more people and educate, because this is an aspect of our culture that — as this book illustrates so clearly — needs to be understood on a wider scale.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Deportation, Sexism, Rape, Death, Murder, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Minor: Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Medical content, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Transphobia

cris_is_in_crisis's review

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.75

A book dealing with asexuality, its meaning and all that derives from it told from the perspective of actual ace people. An intriguing lense in a world that is too often forgotten in the vast ocean of civil and LGBTQ+ rights (so much so that the book states that some people in the LGBTQ+ community don't even recognise aces or aros as their own sexualities).

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Classism, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Racism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

All the trigger warnings are dealt in a way as to explain why they are wrong, if so, and minimise the impact that they could have on a reader.

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

angela chen's ace is an informative, revelatory book on asexuality and its implications for society, though it's not as earth-shattering as i thought it'd be.

while the book can be repetitive at times, it affirms many of my own previous conjectures, reiterates the existence and importance of a variety of identities, and definitively offers a new and ace perspective thru which to see and exist in a hetero- and amatonormative world, in turn offering possibilities and hope for a society that values non-sexual relationships more, though reality def has a lot to catch up to.

overall im glad to have come across and read this book - esp since it's very intersectional - learn from it, and hope to go back for another more thorough read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia, Toxic relationship, Ableism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, and Homophobia

linblythe_pub22's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

5.0

This book helped me so much to understand myself and others. Ace is a reassuring and eye opening read for aces but also anyone who has questions about the roles of sex and romance in our society. Everyone should read it.

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Xenophobia, Rape, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Infidelity, and Acephobia/Arophobia

questingnotcoasting's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

4.0

This was a fascinating read. I've read a lot of LGBTQ+ non-fiction but never a book specifically about asexuality. This was a great exploration of the topic and would be a very accessible introduction for those who need it. I like nonfiction which mixes personal narrative, interviews and research and Chen does that very successfully here. This affirmed what I thought about a lot of topics and gave me a new perspective on others, like the concept of compulsory sexuality. It left me with a lot to think about, particularly how awareness and discussion of asexuality can help with de-centering romantic relationships as the most important within our society. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia

Minor: Sexual assault and Toxic relationship

ruthlessreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

What a gorgeous book! I'm a huge fan of Roshani Chokshi and I've been looking forward to her first adult novel since she announced she was working on it. I love her writing style--lush & vibrant, sucking you in the way a cozy, overstuffed couch will & doesn't let you go. She's a master at creating a certain tone and then carrying that tone throughout the book. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is no exception!

This gothic mystery starts with a professor who studies fairy tales & mythology as he meets & falls in love with a magical but mysterious woman, Indigo. Indigo is mysterious indeed, and she has dark secrets, instructing her husband to never dig into her past. But the professor has secrets too and when the couple has to return to Indigo's childhood home, neither of their pasts can remain hidden. This is a story of love & betrayal, of friendship & jealousy, of the stories we must tell ourselves to keep us safe & sane. I loved the way the story ended and I thought the twist was excellently plotted. 

Beautiful & tragic, sumptuous & haunting, this dark romantic fantasy is perfect for anyone who enjoyed The Night Circus, The Starless Sea, or The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Death

Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Child abuse, Mental illness, and Classism

Minor: Pedophilia and Adult/minor relationship

This book deals with dark themes: child abuse, pedophilia, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, toxic friendships & relationships, and grief. Many of them are directly tied to the plot of the book and there are some graphic details specifically of domestic abuse, toxic friendships, and death.

zombiezami's review

emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book was very well done. The author masterfully explains basic concepts while avoiding getting stuck in the 101 area. She raises some great questions that don't all get answered but that are important for a wide range of people to ponder. I learned so much from this.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia and Sexual content

Moderate: Ableism, Transphobia, Rape, Gaslighting, Sexism, Racism, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, and Chronic illness

Minor: Dementia, Dysphoria, Cursing, and Infidelity

Forced sterilization

meetmeinthebookstore's review

informative reflective

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia and Sexual content

Moderate: Ableism, Racism, Rape, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Toxic relationship and Religious bigotry