Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

16 reviews

clarkg's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Overall, I found this book to be a pretty compelling thriller with a decent twist ending. It's explorations or race, class, gender, and the geography and topography of the land were unlike anything I have read before and I valued Erin Adams' unique creative vision. That said, some moments felt heavy-handed and trope-y, which took me out of it a bit. Even with that caveat, I would still recommend it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Violence, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Stalking, Child death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Confinement, Excrement, Sexual assault, Vomit, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Suicide, Grief, and Sexual content

sjbshannon's review

dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Racism, and Animal death

Minor: Rape and Toxic friendship

sjclay122's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Moderate: Rape, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Child death, Toxic relationship, Racism, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Death of parent, Violence, Murder, and Hate crime

markedwithanm's review

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Stalking, Racism, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, and Rape

svarney23's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.75

Really good mystery with strong character development that moves the plot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma

mlewis's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Child death, Gore, Racism, Alcohol, and Violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Vomit, Body shaming, and Rape

traa's review

dark mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Grief, Racism, Sexual content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pedophilia, Vomit, Rape, and Eating disorder

Minor: Slavery and Cannibalism

mfrisk's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. It touches on the history of the area, has a good build up of thriller elements, and a lot of social commentary around race and class. Where it gets a bit confusing is the more supernatural/horror elements that while interesting I’m not sure are weaved into the story enough early on for them to feel fully realized. That being said I really look forward to reading more from this author given that this was a debut. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Racism, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, Grief, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content

mollieweitzman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

This book was really good and the first two acts were amazing but by the third there just got to be so many plot twists and plot holes that it kind of just felt overwhelming. And little things too that got on my nerves like can a nine-year old really recite that many names from memory? A little unrealistic. Some of the magic didn’t really make sense, a lot left unexplained and not in a mysterious way like in an unfinished thought way with the ends not tied up. Overall a really good thrilling read with a supernatural element. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Murder, Violence, Racism, and Stalking

Moderate: Sexual violence

boba_n_books's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

This unique book takes elements of mystery and thriller and merges them with some science fiction. I enjoyed all the twists and turns throughout the search for Caroline and how Liz uncovers the past to help unravel the future. The shadow element is intriguing, and I wish it had been fleshed (lol) out more. 

Though the book had its slow moments, I really enjoyed the story and appreciated the deeper meaning and commentary about the advancement of the Black community and the suppression of Black stories. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Blood, Kidnapping, Racism, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Animal death, Death of parent, Child death, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse