Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Yes, Daddy by Jonathan Parks-Ramage

46 reviews

arlingtonchamberofgay's review

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.75

In Yes, Daddy, Jonah dances the line between rags and riches, climbing the ladder of wealth the only way that many of us working class queers can: through our bodies. Parks-Ramage does a brilliant job conveying just how quickly survivors start reasoning away the abuse in an effort to stay sane and hold on to their life. The constant internal dialogue of “i’m doing this to survive” and “this isn’t fucking normal”, back and forth, over and over again, that damaging spiral of mental turmoil that just chips away at your mental health. He also explores the way that evangelical christianity is woven into our culture and often follows us long after we’ve left, even sometimes calling us back before falling out again. 
As a trans, queer, sexual assault survivor with religious trauma and a plethora of daddy issues, this book got to me in a way I wasn’t fully expecting. But it brought words to the things that I’ve only ever kept to myself or told few friends. So thank you. Here’s to my fellow survivors. Let’s knock ‘em dead.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Homophobia, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Child abuse

miranda_graham's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Drug use

Moderate: Drug abuse

lucajgrainger's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Rape, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Violence

bmcdaniel1993's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Grief, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

vexatiousbird's review

dark sad tense fast-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

3.25

It does well at depicting escalating abuse and makes it clear why the protagonist doesn’t leave after the early warning signs, and it’s written in a conversational style that makes it a quick read. The protagonist is intentionally unsympathetic to highlight how even unsympathetic people can be victims, but that presents a challenge for the reader. At least for me, the basic sympathy for his suffering and desire for him to escape terrible abusive circumstances didn’t extend to much longer term emotional investment in him as a character in the extended aftermath. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Drug use, Rape, Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Suicide and Violence

Minor: Incest

mgann1's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.0

SPOILERS** 

This book felt like trauma-porn and a Frankenstein’s monster of genres that went every which way. The main plot ended about 60% through and the rest was just insufferable. 

I would have enjoyed this book more if the author had expanded on the relationship between Jonah and Richard for a few more chapters. Building up some sort of emotional connection between the reading and the MC before devolving into the madness and abuse. Instead, the relationship was expedited and shallow, and the abuse began immediately before the MC could really believably become drawn to the abuser. In turn, there was no stakes and instead the reader watched as the MC knowingly put himself in harmful situations.

It easily could have ended after Jonah and Mace escaped and it would have been a satisfying ending to a thriller. Instead, the capture and escape happened within chapters of each other, and then the book continued for another 100 pages of internal dialogue, MORE trauma, and weird church propaganda. 

I really wanted to like this book, but between the unlikeable MC and the copious amounts of rape, I really disliked it through and through.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

axelgrcia's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

i was absolutely ENTHRALLED with this debut novel! jonah as our MC made me want to cry and fight for him (super obvious red flags aside!), especially since it gets pretty dark and each chapter im just waiting for the next sucker punch. just go in with an open mind, especially since this novel really does a good job at providing a dark lens into how predatory some relationships can be, and how especially vulnerable queer youth can be. on that note i can’t wait to see what other stories this author comes out with!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Minor: Homophobia

aely's review

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

4.0

This book was extremely depressing. Jonah simply wanted to have a roof over his hand, and what happened to him was truly awful to read.

Parks-Ramage managed to write realistic characters who go through SO much trauma, with a bittersweet ending that left me feeling… complicated.

My only critique would be that the book felt so depressing and hopeless that at times it was very hard to return to the story.

Other than that, the book is a grim cautionary tale about abusive relationships and sexual assault. It was very emotional and well written. I hope that Jonah is able to live happily after the books ends. That is all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child abuse, Cursing, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Classism, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Death, Murder, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Stalking, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Blood, Trafficking, Dementia, and Abortion

pierrereads's review

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Rape, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Violence

roughdraftofmylife's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Trafficking, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Sexual violence, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Suicide attempt