Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing: Essays by Lauren Hough

8 reviews

angelinerenner0521's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Outing, Sexual harassment, Hate crime, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Lesbophobia, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry

1oddkatreads's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Really beautifully written by an author you just want to wrap in a massive hug until they break down and let it all out. The author's experiences and the worldview that has developed around them are painful and bleak. I think there was a glimpse of hopefulness sort of woven in there, but it's safely concealed beneath heavy, protective layers of stoic endurance, perseverance, and carefully managed expectations. I loved learning Lauren's story and the engaging way she told it. I wish her heart peace.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Rape, Self harm, Abortion, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Blood, Outing, Cursing, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Misogyny

spookyfaith's review

dark funny reflective medium-paced

2.75

I hate giving half ratings or quarter ratings but I was truly on the fence with this one. Some parts I was rolling my eyes over and other times I was highlighting the entire page. 
The stories are all captivating and interesting but I wasn’t a fan of her writing style and voice. 
I really wanted to like this more than I did tbh 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Rape, Confinement, Sexual content, Incest, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse

elwh's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

An excellent read about someone who’s lived so many lives. Shocking, funny, beautiful, and sad, often at the same time. It’s a good read, and worth it, but it’s hard. It took me a long while to get through because of that. The essays categorize sections of Hough’s life nicely, if a bit messily, which can make it hard to follow at points. But I liked the deep tangents-within-tangents, and the way things were connected.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Cursing

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Hate crime, Sexism, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Rape

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Abortion, and Pandemic/Epidemic

lizzym126's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Racism, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Confinement, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

kelsie4's review

dark sad tense medium-paced

2.75

I typically like books about hardships. For some reason the tone felt off. Despite the way she handles not getting a perfect review and really any criticism aside, I thought this book was fine. It’s an interesting perspective to read from as I’m sure most people might not have any experiences like these given the time all of this was happening. Learning how tough it really was for the LGBTQIA’s+ community breaks my heart and I’m proud of the somewhat progress we’ve made (though in this time that could all be reversed). I thought the stories were interesting but just came off with a tone of just straight up complaining and totally against having an optimistic out look in life. Book feels like a total bummer the entire timeline.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Ableism, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

avisreadsandreads's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Gaslighting, Homophobia, and Mental illness

Moderate: Abortion, Child abuse, Police brutality, and Sexual assault

quassibly's review

challenging emotional fast-paced

5.0

Lauren Hough and I share almost nothing in background or experience, but her circular thought process with it's frequent digressions that seem unrelated until she brings it all back around to connect in a way that feels entirely organic.

Separately, her essays each impart in insight into the world at large, seen through the lens of Hough's experiences -- being told that she can only be good if she conforms to a standard, being hurt by people who tell her it's for her own good, and finding herself powerless in a world where poverty is the ultimate shame.  Taken together, they tell the story of a woman who fighting to figure out how to create her own standards with only her anger and her wit to arm her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence