Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Places I've Cried in Public by Holly Bourne

68 reviews

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

awxhhlilla's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Rape, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Stalking

pau_line's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Wo soll ich anfangen?!
Das Buch zeigt den rückblick der protagonistin auf eine seeehr problematische&toxische Beziehung udn es gab sooo viele momente, an denen ich vor lauter wandelnden red flags gänsehaut hatte, sdas mädchen anschreien wollte, zu rennen oder das buch wegschmeißen wollte...aber da das die absicht des buchs war, well done an die autorin.

Leider bin ich mit Amelie lange nicht so wirklich warm geworden, weil der Anfang vom Buch ein wenig schleppend war. Gegen Mitte-Ende war es allerdings viel besser zu lesen udn ich war mehr gecatched von allem.
Ich mochte die Perspektive sehr, gerade dass gezeigt wurde, wie schwer es sogar im Nachhinein sein kann, sich von dieser toxischen Person zu lösen und wie viel von sich selbst das zerstören kann, wie viel Kraft es braucht, zu heilen.
Dazu ergänzend die Ausschnittr aus der Vergangenheit, wie sie damals Situationen wahrgenommen hat usw, war sehr interessant.
Ich mochte auch den Schreibstil eigentlich sehr gerne.
Wie gesagt, bin ich mit Amelie nicht sooo warm geworden. Ich hab zwar sehr mit ihr mitgefühlt und es ist sicherlich gewollt, dass man ihre Handlungen aus der Außenperspektive nicht so ganz nachvollziehen kann, aber ich glaube, dass sie auch noch jünger ist (16-17) muss man da einfach bedenken.

1 Punkt, der  sehr komisch war:
- WAS IST DAS MIT ALFIE GEWESEN?! (info: alfie ist amrlies exfreund, den sie zu beginn des buchs immer noch so sehr liebt und sie machen nur schluss, weil amrlie umzieht), gefühlt hat sie ihn nach einem Gespräch mit Reese (=die wandelnde Red Flag) vergessen, das fand ich einfach suoer unreasonable, WEIL JA, später war sie sehr reese addicted, aber bevor sie ihn so kennengelernt hat, hätte sie ja schon auf abstand gehen können...aber nur meine meinung, wollte ich nur loswerden

ABER es wurde wirklich so gut dargestellt (grade, wenn man vielleicht noch nicht so aufgeklärt ist über toxische beziehungen u.ä.), wie schnell man in sowas gefangen sein kann, wie manipulativ solche Menschen sind und wie viel ein einziger Mensch bei einem zerstören kann...

FAZIT: ich mochte es sehr gerne, nachdem ich so die ersten paar seiten überwunden hatte, aber kann mir vorstsellen, dass es für jüngere leser*innen( 14-16/17) eher geeignet ist

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Sexual content, Rape, and Toxic relationship

piscero's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Emotional abuse

Please, read with caution if you have history of any kind of abuse. Even without it, i had the hardest time going through pages where Reese was being a manipulative twat to Ams.

laurataylor's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Alcohol, Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

dramagirl2003's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was excellently written, even though it was talking about such a traumatic subject. 
I probably wouldn't recommend reading this until you're in your late teens. It's one of those books where you also need to be in a good place mentally, and personally, I don't think I could have coped with the dark subject matter in this book until I was at least 17-18yrs old. 
This book really gave me a good glimpse into how trauma bonds are formed in abusive relationships, and if I didn't already, I certainly now have a better idea of the signs to look out for. 
I cried along with Amelie as Reese sucked her even further into his web of lies and abuse. I hated how Reese silently manipulated her into destroying all her other relationships, including her besties from back home. It broke my heart when Amelie told Alfie about Reese.

Even more so when she later told Alfie that Reese had raped her that same night!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Cursing

Minor: Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Vomit, Blood, Body shaming, Infidelity, and Rape

nadinej127's review

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

whosfernn's review

challenging emotional hopeful 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

I just finished reading this book for the second time and annotating it and it's still a five star read for me. I've never related harder to a piece of media in my life, which really stings considering the context. This book has helped me come to terms with some really difficult stuff that's happened in my life and I'm so, so glad I read it. It's heart-breaking, but it's written incredibly well and I think you should give it a chance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual assault

matildegomes's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse

writingcaia's review

dark emotional sad 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? No

4.25

The beginning was the hardest to overcome. It’s very hard for me to relate to the main character in most of the book, but I recognise the validity and honesty of the story and her reactions/feelings.
Abuse comes in many forms, some harder than others, here we have an exploration of the most manipulative and insidious one, in my opinion, and it was hard to stomach.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence