Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Bully by Penelope Douglas

18 reviews

elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition

tense fast-paced

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

2.0

This book is objectively not good, and the romance is quite problematic. That being said, Bully is highly entertaining read. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Alcoholism and Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug abuse and Pedophilia

kengtwozero's review against another edition

medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

moodreadmoonchild's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

is this book all bad? no. but like… it’s really not good. first and foremost, i really think there should be a trigger warning page or at least be listed at the bottom of the online book description. Also, it’s a high school romance with detailed spice so that in-of-itself was kind of an ick for me and im an avid smut reader. 

so to problems with the actual characters/story. starting off with the petty: there are so many music references that really didn’t age well and just gave such hard cringe. the “not like other girls” vibes are soooo strong. meanwhile the FMC’s bestie is objectively a shitty friend. the redemption arc for both the MMC (and his best friend) are lacking to say the least. the MMC feels so entitled to forgiveness when he gives not even the barest of crumbs to earn it. i mean the bar is in hell and he still couldn’t reach it with a 20 ft ladder. it’s just really. it good. i’ve read books where the MMC straight up tortures the FMC and i still thought his redemption arc was more earned than this. just. i don’t recommend… like at all. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, Violence, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Addiction, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug abuse

mariekemarit's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

1.5

Just awefull. Why does it have to be so womenhating... when do we stop writing women as hating other women and calling them sluts when they are wearing skirts..

As well as the bulliing as 'flirting' or as a 'sweet' thing. I hated the sentence 'I'm so happy to hear that you're a virgin' when he was the one sleeping with EVERYONE. WHAT ARE THOSE? STANDARDS? AWEFULL...

Hated it. We need to stop normalising toxic relations like this. And the hassesments abd sexual assoults. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

jerda's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Sexual content

Moderate: Toxic relationship

casualspoons's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

2.0

The main guy is such an ass and it had me SCREAMING (in a bad way) how much the main girl beat herself up over shit that wasn’t her fault or she shouldn’t feel sorry for. Like this boy TORMENTED her for years. She fights back ONCE and suddenly she’s the worst person ever and she has to make it right with him. No thank you boo.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

michelleub's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

1.5

This book is the reason why i dont trust booktok, i also never trust anyone who recommends anything by penelope douglas. I get that when you read this book it isn't for the plot, but damn her writing style is really bad, it gives so much wattpad vibes, I don't even know how I finished the book. I also really hate the from bullies to lover type because it definitely isn't the same as enemies to lovers, it just reinstated the belief that when a man is mean to you it means that they like you, which is why so many women associate violence with romance. Just plain toxic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

our_bookish_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

1.5

Honestly, I wanted to read another "bully trope" by a different author this time because I enjoyed the last one quite a bit, but this wasn't a favorite. The only reason I gave a star rating was that it was written intelligibly. I will still give Penelope Douglas another try in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual harassment

summerspence's review against another edition

emotional tense fast-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Bullying, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Addiction

martamae77's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent and Alcoholism