Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington

12 reviews

heathere19's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

It was interesting and a fast read but not particularly shocking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Toxic friendship, Classism, and Murder

Moderate: Racism, Blood, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexism

boba_n_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Squid Games meets The Bachelor? Sign me up! ... To read about. Not to compete in. This fast-paced young adult thriller takes "eat the rich" to a whole new level. 

Adina is a Black teenager who was about to secure her future through her scholarship to Yale. Her plans are ruined once an incident at school causes her to lose that well-earned scholarship. The only way to get it back is to enter the Finish--a competition where young women prove themselves worthy of being a part of the wealthy Remington family through three different events. It is not long before Adina and the other girls in the Finish realize that the stakes are higher than money and power. It's life or death. The younger Remington boys say they're trying to change the system, but are they? Being one of the only girls who didn't grow up in the rich world the Remingtons live in, Adina realizes she has to either change herself or change the Finish to survive. 

Though the characters may seem superficial at first, each one has their own motivations and moments of reckoning. Wellington's commentary on race and class and what people will do to achieve and maintain power is fascinating. She certainly doesn't attempt to make the reader comfortable, and there are many times I had to remind myself that I wanted Adina to get out and not to conform to the Remington way. 

This novel challenges social structures and typical tropes, and it was just a damn good book with a satisfying ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Sexism, Misogyny, Classism, Gaslighting, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Racism, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol and Vomit

mrsmoger's review

challenging dark emotional 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Violence, and Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Sexism

lindsayerin's review

dark mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Bullying, Violence, Classism, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism, Emotional abuse, and Sexism

bella_cavicchi's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This was delightfully twisty, thrilling in both its shock and its dark satire.

And I feel I should note somewhere that I couldn't help but visualise Leighton as Gwyneth Paltrow and I now can't shake that casting (for the inevitable film adaptation) from my head!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death, Classism, Bullying, and Blood

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Racism, Medical content, Grief, and Gaslighting

Minor: Infidelity and Vomit

therealjessicaaustin_2002's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Violence, and Sexism

honestlyyours77's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was a great read! It took a bit to get into the story as the beginning was a bit unpolished and repetitive. However, about 1/8th into the book it picked up a bit and swelled to where you didn’t want to put it down.

I love the twists as the story played out and the strength of the protagonist. Giving anything more would give spoilers which I do not care to do. 

While this is YA fiction it is definitely fit for any reader who enjoys suspense.


*a note on diversity. While the book isn’t filled with diverse characters with the exception of the protagonist and a few others, it is intentional. It is a glimpse of the real world impacts on people of color. So while the story is thankfully fictional, the real world
Message and impact is not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Racism, Sexism, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Violence, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny

sophiamckinleyy's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Murder, Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Classism, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

sharib's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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: Gun violence, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Racism, Classism, and Sexism

Minor: Misogyny, Drug use, Trafficking, and Sexual violence

imstephtacular's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, Bullying, Gaslighting, Death, Violence, Racism, Classism, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Sexism, Alcohol, and Blood

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Xenophobia

Minor: Sexual content and Infidelity