Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Places I've Cried in Public by Holly Bourne

67 reviews

alexbrown's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Rape

nikmahie's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed it, but it dragged on for a bit too long. I don’t even want to know how many times the word “cried” was used in this book, but it’s definitely too many times. 

It was an easy and fun read that made me laugh and cry. I couldn’t lay it down, even though most of the story was pretty predictable. I felt engaged and really wanted to know how Amelie would end up at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Sexual assault, Rape, and Emotional abuse

vjlp22_reader's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Grief, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Cursing

Minor: Stalking, Vomit, and Alcohol

feliciaheilgendorff's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Grief and Rape

dinipandareads's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-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

3.75

TL;DR: This was such a painful read to get through. It leaves you feeling a bit helpless as you get a front-row seat to Amelie losing herself to something toxic and retracing her steps to find herself again. This is such an important story and I'm so glad that it exists, especially for young readers, as Bourne does a great job exploring what it means to be in healthy and unhealthy relationships and how to care for yourself in the aftermath. This tackles dark and heavy events that can be triggering so please do check content warnings before reading.

I've had this book on my TBR for a very long time because I always knew that I would need to gear myself up emotionally to read it. From the title alone you know you're being set up for a sad-time read but I don't think I expected just how full of anguish it would be. Bourne captures the essence of teenhood perfectly through Amelie. Her turbulent emotions were so distinct and it was easy to get swept up in the extremes of all her feelings. As someone who moved many times during my schooling years, I know how hard it is to say goodbye to friends and to be the "new kid" (yet again). As a reader, you're excited for Amelie as she gets excited about making new friends and then, there he is, and once Reese enters the picture nothing will ever be the same as it was.

I don't think I have the words to describe how painfully uncomfortable and angering it was to read this book. It was so difficult to see Amelie constantly ignore red flags because of how amazing it feels to be cherished and "loved" by someone like Reese. Despite not being the targeted audience of this book, it's no less impactful or important because sadly, this is probably something a lot of people—both men, women, young, and old—may experience, have experienced or know someone who has been through it. In ways, it's terrifyingly relatable and I think that's what also makes this story more devastating. Bourne handles sensitive topics very well and writes in a way that's easy for readers of any age to grasp.

That being said, perhaps it was also this simplicity of the writing that made it difficult for me to fully connect to the story. I expected to be overwhelmed by emotions reading this and although I was moved by it and hurt for Amelie, it didn't quite connect with me in the way I thought it would. Whether my brain numbed itself the more I read or I'd built my expectations up too high over the years, I think this is more of a "me thing" and not the fault of the book. Towards the end, I found the endless crying and constant breaking down into tears to be very emotionally taxing.

Overall, I'm glad to have finally read this. I see why everyone talked about it when it came out and I appreciate how well Bourne wrote this story. I know if my younger self read this, it would've turned me into a total emotional wreck! As difficult as these topics and events are, I do think it's an important read for young readers because it's so easy to get overwhelmed and caught up in the butterflies, attention and the highs of what you think love is, only for it to blind you from someone's ugly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual assault

annabelreadsandwrites's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Grief, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Bullying, Gaslighting, and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Vomit, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Cursing, Rape, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Fatphobia, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Medical content, Gore, and Body shaming

fearlesspkjimin's review

dark emotional hopeful informative 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

5.0

This was simply such an amazing experience. And I committed the mistake of reading it mostly towards the end while going or coming back from class, and I became the one crying in public. 
This is such a beautifully written book, truly truly beautiful. I don't have many words to describe it besides being one of my favourite books this year. 

Everyone should read it and no one should experience any of this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault

lucebyers's review

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

This book slightly broke me but only in the way it made me see the problems in my own previous relationship and how what i went through wasn’t normal. 
It’s written in such a way that you understand the pain of the main character and your empathy grows as you learn more of her story. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual assault

kayleejanes's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Toxic relationship

babygotbeef's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Gaslighting, Rape, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship