Reviews with content warning for Physical abuse - Binding 13

Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh

476 reviews

sophielouisereads's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I loved this book initially I found it quite slow to get into but the last half seemed to fly by and I devoured it. I finished it needong to read the second straight away.

Content Warnings

abbysingh's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional funny sad tense 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

Content Warnings

cozyshelby's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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

Content Warnings

dakoroseh's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional sad slow-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

Content Warnings

lizwall212's review against another edition

3.75

emotional funny slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Content Warnings

jenmoe's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Content Warnings

juliaannem's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful lighthearted sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

the relationship building, character development really everything in this book is amazing!

Content Warnings

jessicabearbooks's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-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

"Come on, it's okay. I'll look after you."

This book was everything.

There aren't actually words to express how badly I fell in love with this story and these characters. I love them. I just curled up into a ball after finishing the final chapter, I can't contain my love for this series already. I don't usually LOVE books this much, but this... my heart can't do this. I loved that it felt like I was almost reading direct thoughts or diary entires from Johnny and Shannon, this definitely added to me feeling so connected to their characters and romance.
This story is for anyone who's ever started to fall so deeply in love with someone they know they shouldn't ever have been allowed to fall for.

As a note to start - this book is 789 pages but reads like it only has 300. There is no major plot twists, no major drama, and no major plot at all. But there is the most realistic and heartfelt and easy to read story in the world. I read this in about 5 sittings, I couldn't get enough of it. Maybe there's something to be said for wattpad style writing being traditionally published because this did not read like the amateur novel that was sold to me. Wow. 789 pages of pure soul.
... Embarrassingly I also read the entire thing in an Irish accent despite being from England so clearly I was invested lol.

What surprised me most about this story was how realistic everything is. I'm from England and although set in Ireland, everything just screams UK secondary school and teenage drama, and I loved it. I saw Tommen as my old school growing up, Johnny as my boyfriend (my very own #12) - the whole experience of reading felt like I was looking back and missing an experience that had never even happened to me, but it felt more real than some of my own memories. Maybe this is why I felt so connected to the story throughout. It just felt real.

'Even though loving you is going to break my heart.
I love you with everything I have.
And I probably always will.'

The friendships (hilarious bro moments and gorgeous girlhood) are beautifully frustrating and fun. Again, they're realistic and so perfect. Gibsie you absolute muppet and loyal friend. Claire... adore you. Joey... I'm looking forward to his books so much. They're idiots and hilarious and I respect that hugely. But for such young people they're also fearlessly loyal and REAL, and I can not tell you how much I adored that.

The romance was everything. It felt realistic of course - I had butterflies, was crying with frustration and happiness all at the same time. And although this is the definition of a slow burn, fk me. This book is almost 800 pages but I was invested the entire time because of the absolute love shown throughout. Johnny and Shannon are the story I will never forget about. I can't because they are everything a teenage relationship should always be, and always is. The angst, drama, lying, fear, falling, frustration, and pure love... I can't.

What was said about Chloe Walsh's writing style being "whatpaddy" - I don't know if this stands at all. This story was so clever. I ended up understanding completely the emotions felt by characters, because Walsh writes them so intricately. Maybe this book is 789 pages because you get to see every single scene, every thought, and every emotion - as much as I hated it sometimes aka every scene with Bella (BUT that's my point. I completely understood Johnny's frustration rather than telling him to get over it, because I was also bored and frustrated of seeing Bella. And that was the whole point!).

On a sad note - the scenes of abuse and bullying are terrible. Chloe has done a fantastic job because I was stressed, breathless, praying and in tears for Shannon throughout. This girl, none of them deserved any of this and it honestly broke my heart. I expected them to be bad, but they get worse the more you care about the characters. I just feel so bad for them, and so helpless man. Like what can I do just sat here reading all about this heartbreak? That's my only fault with this story. It isn't real and I can't help the bad moments or fall even deeper in love with the good ones. I just want them to be real - not the abuse or sadness, but the friendships and the pure love and loyalty shown by these people. I will never get over this series and I've only just started.