Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Broken Bonds by J. Bree

96 reviews

haybay's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful slow-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

Wish they all of them groveled more. Loved the academy setting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Car accident, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, and Cursing

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

adrianaslibrary's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Death

lag1995's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

1.75

This book is awful but addictive. None of the characters are likeable but it’s like a trainwreck you have to finish the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Classism, and Murder

thirdeyeangel23's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

I can’t remember the last time I picked up a book and couldn’t put it down until it was over. This is a dark fantasy why choose with a bully romance element. Oli has been on the run for five years until her bonded mates finally catch up with her. They think she’s just a magic-less high school drop out, but they couldn’t imagine the truth behind her rejection. This story is fast paced and emotional with a magic system I’m dying to know more about. I can’t wait to see how things unfold with Oli and her bonds.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Bullying

carsons1996's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.0

It felt like the story really only started in the last 10 pages, but it definitely made me want to continue the series. The complexities of this society of magic users and their connections to each other was interesting to read and I'm left definitely wanting more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Bullying, and Car accident

Moderate: Vomit, Rape, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, Confinement, Murder, Death of parent, Death, and Classism

Minor: Alcohol

emmareads__'s review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

It was somehow exactly what I thought it would be and at the same time, it wasn’t. I enjoyed myself though!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Bullying, and Domestic abuse

antidietleah's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Bullying

witcheep's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

2.5

The main character is wrapped in a mystery that just keeps growing the more we learn about her. She is put in a situation where the control of her own life is taken away from her (and it is very distressing to read about it), but she hints that she can manage it and will take her freedom the first chance she gets. I'm interested in finding out what the mystery of her will unfurl into in the sequel(s).

The book left me quite disappointed, though. Mostly I just wish we would have learned more about the FMC's mysterious past and gift in this first book already. Her Bonds are acting very toxic towards her, mist of them restricting her freedom and choises to the extent of kidnapping and treating her in a nearly hostile way even when thwy allow her a little freedom. There is also some university life material that feels unnecessary filler to me: I just want to learn about the mystery, not dwell in the FMC:s crave for normalcy when she clearly is something extraordinary.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Kidnapping

Moderate: Grief, Physical abuse, Bullying, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Death of parent, and Vomit

mj_86's review

adventurous mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Bullying

Moderate: Death of parent and Kidnapping

Minor: Confinement

simplicity1511's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.25

Every book but the last one ends in a cliffhanger. However, it feels like 1 book just divided into 6 parts which means no unnecessary summarizing of the previous books in the story.  I devoured each book within a week, which is why I recommend getting all the books at once if you hate cliffhangers.

The first two books are mainly told from Oli's perspective except in the second where we get a North Prologue. Every other book that follows is told from the various characters in the bonded group.

I found I wanted to know what the other characters were thinking a lot more than just hearing Oli's perspective since I'm so used to reading at least dual points of view or from the past and present within a story.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CHECKING OUT THE TRIGGER WARNINGS I POSTED BECAUSE THEY WILL GIVE YOU A BETTER IDEA IF THIS BOOK SERIES IS FOR YOU. I RECOMMENDED A SIMILAR BOOK THAT'S YA (YOUNG ADULT) BUT STILL HAS ALL THE GREAT PLOTS THAT I ENJOYED IN THE BONDS THAT TIE WITHOUT ALL THE SUPER DARK INTENSE THEMES.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment and Bullying

Minor: Torture and Death of parent

I think if you're going to start this series you should know all the trigger warnings ahead of time before you become invested. Some of these content warnings are spoilers.

explicit sexual content, threesomes, orgies, war, murder, violence, explicit depiction of torture, incest/pedophilia, rapes and attempted rape (mentioned but not explicit), cult brainwashing, domestic & child abuse

The first two books make it seem like this story is like Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead where the main character leaves for a year and then is forced to come back, even though she and her best friend are being targetted making their school unsafe for them. Add some supernatural elements, hot guys and complicated family relationships and BAM a young adult version of "The BONDS THAT TIE' which is a dark ADULT romance series. If these trigger warnings scare you then I suggest reading Vampire Academy as the content in this series gets darker as you read.