Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

169 reviews

jhuang's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

Phenomenal, thought provoking, and relevant

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse

kelsnevi's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Death, Murder, and Drug use

Moderate: Excrement

aisling214's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, Violence, Death, Classism, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Gaslighting, Sexism, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Body horror, and Mental illness

emilywemily6's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

I’ve never read a book like this before, and it’s so refreshingly different than Bardugo’s YA novels (which I also loved!). I loved the sinister magic/dark academia vibes and how the multiple storylines unfold throughout the book. Lots of great plot twists I didn’t see coming and made me gasp out loud. I wish I understood more about the history of the houses/general world-building, but I think the book is written intentionally vague with a trickle of information as you are thrust into this world within our world, which adds to the mysterious, sinister feel. It kept me hooked and I can’t wait to read the next book. Apparently, lots of this book (not the magic lol) is true too, and now I want to go to New Haven.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexism, Classism, Terminal illness, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Medical content, Gore, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Body horror, Grief, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Rape, Vomit, Racism, Addiction, Misogyny, Police brutality, Sexual violence, and Stalking

adrienreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Self harm, Gore, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Rape, Addiction, Death, Child abuse, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, and Toxic relationship

bristleconebby's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.25

I don't get the hype around this book - it was pretty slow and the worldbuilding was surprisingly surface-level given her previous work. I wish we got to know the societies more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual violence, and Self harm

lotusmoon's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Pedophilia, Rape, Blood, Grief, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, and Domestic abuse

deanchaudhri's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

I have never rly read fantasy before so this was a first and i was really pleasantly surprised - it still had the darkness and grit that I like in thriller/horrors in addition to the magic and world building which was really cool. Also it had one of my fave atmospheres: ‘dark academia university’ vibes which really made it that more immersive & I kept wanting to enter this world. Was slow at first and a little convoluted but the last 1/3 or so was very action packed and thriller-esque with some nice twists. Very unique story and I really was rooting for the characters - they were very well crafted. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Gore, Grief, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Medical content, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, and Emotional abuse

stephliljazz's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This is a great book. I feel like the first chapter starts off a little slow but still good and then it just keeps picking up from there. Inside this world of dark magic controlled by students a lot can and will go sideways quick. The characters are built up perfectly and the plot was twisty just how I like it. To wrap up im really glad this is a series. Now on to book two!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Violence, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Gun violence, Self harm, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

rainyghost's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Death, Murder, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Drug use, Drug abuse, Stalking, Gaslighting, Excrement, Emotional abuse, and Bullying