Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

98 reviews

jla's review

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

3.75

This book was unexpectedly depressing. It had the feel of a domestic thriller. I'm realizing that I struggle with books where people don't get what they deserve, and I struggle with infidelity and toxic relationships. I enjoyed the setting of the book. The end, though, this lady is a terrible historian.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Murder, Child death, and Toxic relationship

gottbooks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I really enjoyed this book. This story gave me Eat, Pray, Love vibes with the current day main character taking some time away after a fight with her husband. Additionally, there are mystery thriller vibes from the events in the late 1700s. Kept me engaged and interested through its entirety. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Vomit, Pregnancy, Death, Infidelity, Infertility, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

brickwall27's review

It was slow and not intriguing I put it down and never thought of it again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Misogyny, Death, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Blood, Sexual harassment, Fatphobia, and Pedophilia

enlamont's review

hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Grief, Pregnancy, and Murder

Moderate: Medical content, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Vomit, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Terminal illness, and Suicide

rblack1515's review

slow-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? Yes

2.75

Unfortunately this book takes about 200 pages to truly get interesting. Caroline's story is equally predictable and infuriating. Nella and Eliza could have carried the story on their own, though the three perspectives read very similar in tone and personality. 
Far too much mention of fertility, pregnancy and "the womb" for my personal taste 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Miscarriage

ballousclues's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - phenomenal. highly recommend to all 

My friend recommended this book to me recently since she read it and loved it. I didn't expect to fall in love with the story like I did. This book does an excellent job of reminding us that sitting in our own discontent doesn't do anything to aid us and that sometimes a leap of faith is necessary. The book follows the parallel lives of women in two different time periods and draws light to the similar stories they are writing. The story heavily focuses on character development and has a clear plot. The book was an easy read for me and the writing was well done. I could see there being a second book! It would be fun to get a bit of a follow up on Caroline through a bonus chapter or something.
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SPOILER

Like I said, I didn't expect to love this story as much as I did. It made my heart very happy that Eliza's potion worked as she had intended for it too and that she was able to share her success with Mr. Pepper. I like that the book leaned heavily into "we are all writing our own story" and that if we settle into our own discontent, we can't be surprised when it comes around to bite us. I love that the book allowed for Eliza, and maybe Nella, to continue on with their lives and gain a better hand in life from their run in with the law. I also really liked how the book talked about Caroline's toxic relationship. I think many folks have had a partner that has threatened, or attempted, suicide as a way to gain control in the relationship. I appreciated the message that you are more than what you may give yourself credit for and it's never too late to pursue your passions.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, Abortion, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Chronic illness, Infertility, Cancer, Vomit, and Grief

This book heavily talks about the inability to conceive, or successfully carry a child to full term. The book also talks about infidelity and the fallout from cheating in a relationship. I would pass a word of caution to anyone who has strong grief around children or the concept of pregnancy.

shugentobler's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative mysterious medium-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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault

moon_peach's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious tense 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

You follow 3 women (1 being a girl) and their stories. They have all been hurt by men in some way. 
Nella being betrayed by her lover begins creating poisons for any woman that is betrayed. 
Eliza is a 12 year old sent by her employer to obtain a poison for her husband. We pretty quickly discover he'd been lusting over her.
 Finally Caroline discovers her husband's infidelity just days before their 10 yr anniversary. She takes what should have been an couple's vacation to London where she starts to unravel the mysteries behind a vial she finds that leads her to the "lost apothecary"
There's a couple twists in the book that are shocking and satisfying.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Vomit, and Death

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

julbel's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Murder, Suicide, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Infidelity, and Infertility

Moderate: Pedophilia

paigecrichards's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Suicide attempt