Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

32 reviews

happyhippielinds's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I was lied to, I saw things that weren’t even real, and I was forced to believe it was all a happy ending but, no. “It’s just a game” only applies to its actors, but its players suffer true consequences and Tella, the mastermind behind the troubles her sister and her new lover had faced, is no exception. I am literally SHOOK. I NEED to know what Tella bargained for, I need to know where their mother went, I need to know what this game really is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Rape and Toxic relationship

jessthemess8112's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious 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

3.5

I found this book to be enjoyable right from the beginning. It makes you excited for the main characters to get away from their own island and experience the excitement that Caraval holds. The writing was a little juvenile, and it felt like the author made it her personal mission to ensure every color was mentioned somewhere in the book. The ending also left something to be desired and kind of felt like a cop out.  I know there are 2 more books that hopefully wrap things up. However, if I hadn't known this,  I would've been extremely let down with the way this book ended.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Violence, Blood, and Death

mysterious_and_spooky's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

I feel like I can see what the vision was for this book, but it's pulled off in a very clunky sort of way. It was very much a story that was happening to the main character, not even that she had much say in what was happening. Which made for a frustrating read. Tbh it felt like published fan fiction for Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. But I did see what the vision was, but I don't think it was quite executed effectively. I'm not really interested in continuing. 3.5 stars DNF series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, and Suicide

Moderate: Murder, Violence, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping

heathyfox's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

laurenleigh's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Bummed I didn’t get into this more. I was hoping to pick up Once Upon a Broken Heart, but I heard I should read this trilogy first. Now I don’t know if I’ll continue with Garber. I really liked her writing on the sentence level, but I was having a hard time picturing the world as a whole. Part of that is because you’re constantly questioning what is real (alongside the MC), but it just didn’t quite grab my attention. Also the romance storyline did not land for me. I love Rebecca Soler as a narrator, but maybe a story like this wants to be read in print.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Suicide

bbmaan's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Child abuse

Minor: Child death, Drug use, Death of parent, and Sexual assault

shadikb's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-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? No

4.0

It was good but Scarlett annoyed me, and her seeing emotions in colour, was very confusing as well as annoying too... but a very enjoyable story overall.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Murder, Kidnapping, Suicide, Death, Self harm, Grief, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Gaslighting and Abandonment

rachrreads's review

adventurous challenging dark fast-paced

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

4.5

This is told from the perspective of Scarlett Dragna, a 17 year old girl who has wanted to see Caraval in action her whole life. The week before she is to be married (to a man she’s only ever written letters to) her sister Donatella, with the help of a sailor, drags her off their island to Caraval!

Unfortunately the two get separated and Donatella is abducted by the Master Legend. Scarlett has to find clues that will lead her to her sister before the 5 nights are over. Remember— Caraval is just a game, don’t believe everything you see…

I can’t believe it took me this long to read this one! I had so much fun reading it and while it was missing some very pertinent information— like how in the world does Caraval even work? I believe this will get answered in books 2&3 though!


The ending was a whirlwind of emotions and each character seems to have a ton of secrets that I cannot wait to uncover.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Abandonment

crgrace's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death, and Murder

Minor: Blood and Torture

melodyramirez's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

 The mystery and plot twists are pretty intriguing and fun but the writing is kindof cheesy and the author really over uses similes. The conclusion is also infodump-y.

personally I would never forgive them for any of that

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Suicide, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Sexism and Sexual harassment