Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith

6 reviews

booksylamb's review

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

5.0

What's stellar is the immediate sense of living in the moment of each protagonist's story. Both leave a visceral mark on the reader's investment of how they came together and what that leaves behind. This is a book one might take delight in devouring over a slow weekend, unpacking the complexities of the human mind and spirit. Leesa Cross-Smith has the ability to place you into the world she's created, as if you are a neighboring character witnessing the development of the story as it unfolds. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Death, and Child death

kyrstin_p1989's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

This book is so beautifully written. It is a story of salvation and redemption. A story of true love and saving grace. Tallie and Bridge are complex, beautiful characters who have both endured tragedies and help one another learn to live with those hurts. The end was beautiful although the outcomes were not what I had hoped in some ways. I loved that this book is set in my hometown. I will read anything else this author puts on paper. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Suicide, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Infertility, and Panic attacks/disorders

venetiana's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

This started out really interesting, then became flat, then some plot twists, and a really bad solution. 

The ending was absolutely not satisfying - not for the most obvious reason (I can definitely respect and appreciate that), but because it really didn't fit the rest of the plot. The story simply gets interrupted and yanked back into "real life", I guess.

I wanted to like this book so much and now I'm just sad and disappointed, like I've fallen for a ruse.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

Moderate: Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, and Confinement

Minor: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Infertility, Drug use, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Racism, and Vomit

caitlyn_baldwin's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

This novel was beautiful and poignant. It was cathartic to watch the characters work through their struggles and finally address the things they've been running from. There were some not completely expected twists that really built this piece up, my only personal preference would be to have a little bit stronger of an ending. I like seeing things wrapped up with a bow and while this did not necessarily scratch that itch, I did appreciate the possibility that was left open.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

leighannebfd3b's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Racism and Sexual content

findingcassandra's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Medical trauma and Racial slurs

Minor: Alcoholism