Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Broken Bonds by J. Bree

29 reviews

melissa_rueff's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This book is a good example of poly rep but filled with horrid misogyny. Every part of this book is just the main character shitting on women for being feminine or pretty or interested in men. The main character just is just screaming internalized misogyny all over the book. Honest to God I almost didn’t finish the book because it was so misogynistic. I finished it because I like the poly concept, but I really really think that the author  
 is a “not like other girls” girl and that’s really disappointing to me.  Like the concept that you can write about a poly relationship yet you can’t think that other women who are  feminine are not shitty for being so. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

The relationship depicted is severely abusive. I believe the author did that intentionally to create plot points, but the fact that the main character doesn’t recognize and then states the treatment as domestic abuse at the level it is really makes me question what this author thinks is okay. because everything that is happening here is domestic abuse and not even light abuse like horrid treatment is astounding to me. If you’ve experienced any form of like gaslighting, or like control, this might not be the novel for you, I say all of that is a warning because I don’t feel like I was warned getting into this book. I did enjoy this novel it has a lot of fun plot points is an interesting concept. There are redeeming characters, but the fact of the matter is, there’s not enough of a warning how severe the domestic abuse is, and it’s never really touched on even later on in the other novels and nobody really apologizes for the severe severe abuse outside of like “I’m sorry that happened but it had to happen because of the plot points that wr as the character expierenced so it’s excuse” which is a shit excuse and also abuse in itself. Understand me I like this novel but I am warring you it’s a bad time.

bangiebangs's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Oh this was a tricky one.

Things I liked:
- the writing (notwithstanding occasional typos)
- the mysterious setup... this feels like a pretty new take (maybe I just havent read the book series similar to this one?)
- Gryphon. Also Atlas. They seem like rounded people who think before they act. (The rest of the bonds are just insufferably childish, self-centered dudes)

Things I disliked
- he world-building. There is some info about what these bonds are and how they work, but why, when do you usually learn about your bonds, how do you find them (like, some people are "waiting to find" them? Also, seems like you can reject a bond, what happens then? How is power heightened or acquired when a bond is completed? So many questions, but not in a good "mystery we will uncover" way, but more a "causes confusion when reading" way. Also, what is the Resistance resisting against and why? No idea. But they seem to be the baddies for some reason?
- the FMC's naivité. Annoying as hell. I'm personally not a fan of mysteriously self-sacrificing characters, especially when it is then used to explain some shitty behavior without much context?
- description of FMC through the book. She seems to have a normal (or even hot) body in the beginning, enjoying her food, and as soon as she is forced to do more physical exercise the fact her clothes don't fit and are too big gets mentioned a lot. I find that annoying. 
- How old are the bonds? Like, all around same age, or some way older? Some are councilmen and uni professors, others students?

But overall... I read this quickly, and I was hooked. Spice is not happening here (0.5/5 for some drooling over hot bodies), but that's likely because this is setting up the series. Wished that I wasn't so confused half of the time when it comes to in-world politics, but hoping that things will clear up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, War

Minor: Gun violence, Abortion

sexual assault neglect (FMC is left without food for days on end, not being taken care of later in the book) FMC is violently implanted with a tracker (against her will)

doubletherazzle's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Solid audiobook read if you can get over the constant use of f bombs and pseudo f bombs. The plot wasn’t too complicated to track while listening and crafting/multitasking. The writing isn’t great and I agree with other reviews that say there’s a lot of whining, but I don’t think it’s an issue. She’s 19 and got a lot crap going on. I find the story interesting and dramatic and will definitely keep going. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship

Moderate: Confinement, Blood, Death of parent

Minor: Torture, Vomit, Car accident, Abortion, Alcohol

wellreadandhalfdead's review against another edition

5.0

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence

Moderate: Body horror, Torture, Abortion

jackieyvette's review against another edition

0.5

dark fast-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

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I would have said at least a 3.25 if it did not have an SA scene, so that is the only thing that let it get more than a 0. I was not expecting it it literally came out of nowhere and was the only explicit scene in the whole book. 


Crying score: no. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment

Minor: Vomit

briochebun's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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3 out of 5 ☆’s.

”I'm playing to win, Oli. This is one hand I refuse to lose.”

ੈ✩‧₊˚

I have heard many many things about ”Broken Bonds” within the past year & I am so excited to be beginning this journey! :)

I want to start off by saying that I adore the premise of this novel — it’s very original + interesting!

While the characters are also intriguing — I can’t wait to delve deeper into their personalities — there were times where they came across as being a bit juvenile? I wish there was better communication amongst all of the characters & not an absurd amount of mentions about things that Oli could never even think to share with her bonds (or the audience, for that matter).

ੈ✩‧₊˚

I am excited to continue the rest of the series & see how all of the relationships progress, though! ♡

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder

sleepy_bookworm's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Car accident

Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment

Minor: Death of parent

hannahs_library__'s review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 38%

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Writing is bad, main character is a pick me girl, and I didn't know it was why choose 😭🤚

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Forced institutionalization

emwith's review against another edition

4.25

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Sexual assault

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Infidelity, Rape, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment

cait_reads2024's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I've never been so quickly invested in a book in my entire LIFE. It consumed my thoughts all day every day and I was reading any chance I could get: on my phone while at work in between tasks, walking to my car, while eating, and laying in bed (and losing A LOT of sleep). There was so much hatred and mystery between the full cast of characters and I just wanted to keep going to get any morsel of interaction or answers that I could get. I loved every single second. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent

Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Torture, Blood, Alcohol

Minor: Mental illness, Kidnapping, Murder