Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Sadie by Courtney Summers

21 reviews

danicampbell0506's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Rape, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Child abuse, Ableism, Child death, and Violence

kblum15's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death, Child death, Murder, and Addiction

tahmida's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

 I listened to this as an audiobook because many people were recommending to do so and my god, it was absolutely brilliant. There's a whole cast, a different voice for different characters, which is one of the things I loved. I haven't read many thriller/mystery novels, and this definitely was a break from what I usually read. Regardless, I think I have found one of my new favourite books of all time. I adored the main protagonist, Sadie. The way the story is unravelled and told has such a strong grasp on me. The dual POV of the podcast and Sadie was very well-established through the audiobook; if you want to read this book, I highly recommend listening to it as an audiobook. Please do check the content and trigger warnings before you read this book.

The ending left me absolutely numb. I was so invested in Sadie's story. When I realised there were no more Sadie POVs left and that the book was slowly coming to the end, I was dreading what would happen to her. After the audiobook was done, I sat there for a good 15 minutes trying to process everything and then I immediately jumped on the internet to see the theories and if there was a proper ending. I ranted to my clueless friend for another 10 minutes about the ending and the book as a whole. I needed the closure so bad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Child death, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Vomit

radiocryptid's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

3.0

Listening to this on audio book made the story far better with the podcast segments. It was enjoyable and easy to digest with the fast pace. Check the content warnings before reading as it does get intense. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Rape

the_books_music_life's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I almost cried at the end of this book. This book hits so hard and hits with so many different emotions I can't even really describe the feelings I had when I was reading this. I would 100% recommend the audiobook, it's full cast with sound effects and it's like listening to a true crime podcast.

The book follows the main mystery of what happened to Mattie Southern and her sister Sadie, who is on her own search for answers and justice, and goes missing along the way. The book is in dual perspective and follows that of Sadie and West McCray a radio personality who does a podcast investigating Mattie’s murder and Sadie’s disappearance. 

I got three paragraphs in and I already love it. The format is something I’ve never seen done before, it’s set in a podcast series format and it bounces between the podcast narrator and Sadie. I can get lost in the story and forget it’s not a real life true crime case I’m listening to but a fictional story

I think this book is something everyone should read but I recognize not everyone can because of the subject matter. While nothing is explained in gory details or shown physically happening the book deals with the murder of a child, child molestation, drug abuse, child abuse and parental abandonment. So be sure to read the content warnings before going into this book. 

Sadie has a stutter that is prevalent in her narration and it adds to the characterization of Sadie and helps the reader relate to her. All the characters are fleshed out and feel like real people, down to the choices they make.

The way we, as readers or listeners, are brought into the flashbacks Sadie experiences of her trauma so well done, you almost think it’s actually happening instead of it being a flashback. Which is true if you have ever experienced a flashback. The more I read I can’t help but be angry at Mattie and how hurtful and mean and how she never seemed to appreciate all that Sadie had done for her. 

The ending had me so worried, I was so scared that what I thought was going to happen would but thank god it went a different way. I feel like the ending will be hit or miss; some will love it, some will hate it. I felt it was a good, realistic and felt right for the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Grief

talk of drug abuse, talk of prostitution, flashback of trauma, talk of trophies

ana_grbes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship

gbyd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Death of parent, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

ashleyjo817's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Minor: Pedophilia

harpy_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

The book was interesting enough to keep my attention, but it does end in a major cliff hanger and the author has said she does not plan on writing a sequel. This always irritates me, so that's part of the reasoning for such a low rating. I likely won't recommend it to others, and I wouldn't read it again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Violence

There is talk of minors experiencing sexual abuse at the hands of an adult - but it is not graphic. There is also brief mentions of violence perpetrated by the main character.

thebookishlifeofbecks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Rape