Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

9 reviews

grayb14's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness

Moderate: Homophobia and Biphobia

Minor: Religious bigotry, Acephobia/Arophobia, Addiction, and Vomit

shoohoob's review

emotional funny hopeful 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

4.75

I so desperately needed this book and I’m so glad I read it! I literally ate this book up in like 6 hours and I don’t regret it at all. 

I always cry at aspec rep, no matter what it’s in. Getting to see a part of me in a book like this is indescribable. 

The discussions of mental health in this book were so unexpected but so welcome! I loved seeing both sides of the coin with Dev and how it had affected his relationship with Ryan. I also love seeing the care and understanding with Charlie and Dev :’)

also I wanna say that I was screaming “HIS MIC IS ON” the whole time and I was so scared they were going to be outed!!! but i’m so happy this book subverted that and that Charlie got to come out on his own terms :’) AND ALSO that the footage of Dev and Charlie was used to change the season!!

Love love love this book and I can’t wait to read Alison Cochrun’s other book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Biphobia, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual content

Minor: Religious bigotry

headachesince03's review

emotional relaxing 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? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Alcohol, Biphobia, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcoholism, Classism, Racism, Abandonment, Child abuse, Cursing, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexism

readingqueerly's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.5

The famous/non famous trope is one of my favourites and this book really delivered. The whole idea of a reality dating show turned upside down BC the talent falls in love with a crew member and it's QUEER, I mean, that's everything I could want from a romcom. On top of this I think the writing was so funny. I laughed a lot. I already got emotional at certain points. The relationship was really built up well and I loved the characters, not just the main couple, but the B characters were so fun. I was rooting for everyone in this book (well except one person iykyk).
Besides the cute romcom plot, I also think it managed to talk about some heavier topics in a relatively light manner. Topics such as depression, anxiety, OCD, panic attacks, sexuality crises, asexuality, etc were all brought up and I never felt that it was dismissed by the author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Alcohol, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment

charleshasalibrary's review

emotional funny hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia, Biphobia, Bullying, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Cursing

Moderate: Addiction, Vomit, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Homophobia

Minor: Alcohol, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Outing, and Misogyny

emfass's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Perhaps I will come back later to leave a longer review, but for now: this book made me cry multiple times, more than any other romance has, but in the best way: for mental health rep, for aspec + queer rep, for allowing people to be with us in our darkest and messiest moments and helping us realize we deserve love then too, for the idea that every kind of love/orientation deserves to be recognized as valid and is worthy of being represented widely. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcohol, Biphobia, Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Minor: Religious bigotry

rey_therese07's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexism, Misogyny, and Homophobia

Moderate: Biphobia, Vomit, and Blood

Minor: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, and Religious bigotry

lauren_e_d's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

5.0

This book was AMAZING. it was adorable, queer, hysterical, emotional, and made me squeal with joy. Charlie and Dev were AMAZING characters and they were built out so beautifully. I loved the story of discovery for Charlie and the acceptance for Dev and the path towards helping themselves and their mental health for both of them. All the other characters, Jules, Paris’s, and even Ryan, were logeable, hysterical, and beautifully developed. I absolutely LOVED the concept of this story and it was written BEAUTIFULLY. Allison Cochrun took immense care in making this story beautiful but also delicate and handling all the possibly sensitive topics so well. The entire book was amazing and the end was STUNNING. It was everything I hoped and dreamed and more. Overall, an AMAZING book that fulfilled all of my dreams and I hope there are always more stories like this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Outing

Minor: Lesbophobia, Vomit, and Religious bigotry

caseythereader's review

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Thanks to Atria Books for the free advance copy of this book.

- QUEER SCREAMING HELP I LOVE IT SO MUCH!
- Like, I cannot even cram all the things I loved about this book into an Instagram caption. A Bachelor-type show! A hopeless romantic! Queer love! Discussions of asexuality as a spectrum! Depictions of anxiety, depression, panic disorders and OCD that feel real! Pansexual, bisexual, lesbian, and nonbinary secondary characters! Banter! Two leads falling in love with each other through actually talking and getting to know and support each other! Repeated emphasis on the idea that you deserve to be loved for your whole self and not in spite of your mental illnesses!
- On a personal level, THE CHARM OFFENSIVE is the only book I've ever read where I saw my own queer experience written on the page. Confusion about why no sexual orientation label ever seemed correct to you? Check. Someone else pointing out that you might be asexual? Check. Just so much about Charlie. He has my whole heart. Omg, I'm gonna cry again just thinking about it. Thank you for this book, Alison Cochrun. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcohol, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, and Vomit

Minor: Homophobia and Religious bigotry