Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Out of Love by Hazel Hayes

39 reviews

cekuszy_12's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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

4.75

 Hazel has a way with words and describing emotions that truly capture both the highest highs and lowest lows. In some of the promotional work for the book, questions like what age group is this for and how should someone who hasn't gone through a breakup understand the book? I would say, young adult or older would most benefit from reading this book. As for requiring experience, I think that there isn't a need for one to have broken up with someone to understand the emotions. It is so well written and the emotions so applicable to many scenarios in life, some of them addressed within the book, I think anyone could find a way to relate. 
From the prologue to the dedication, a wonderful story is woven with emotion presented everything and more than I was expecting. 
I've reread it several times, a couple of times from the last chapter back to the first. However you read it, I think it's worth it. I even specifically reread certain sections, more than several times over. 
Give this and her other works a look. 
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Blood, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

serendipitysbooks's review

emotional reflective sad medium-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

3.0

 
I think it was its unusual structure which prompted me to put Out of Love on my TBR. Most stories with a romantic storyline begin with the initial meeting, follow some ups and downs, and end with a happy ever after, or at least a happy for now; a breakup if the relationship doesn’t work out. This book does things backwards. It opens with the end of the relationship between the narrator and her boyfriend Theo, and moves backwards to the time that they met. Unfortunately this novelty was not enough to make this book a winner for me. The details of their relationship were just not that interesting. Basically it’s the story of two nice but flawed people whose relationship didn’t pan out. Undoubtedly factors like alcoholic parents, a manipulative mother, a previous toxic relationship, and mental health problems played a role, but none were explored in depth. This is one of those books that I didn’t hate but certainly won’t remember. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Alcoholism

cassiereadsbooks_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

Minor: Addiction and Animal death

jojoana's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Domestic abuse

jadyn_renee62's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Pregnancy, and Child abuse

Moderate: Drug abuse, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, and Racial slurs

Minor: Animal death and Abortion

itsbumley's review

emotional funny reflective slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Vomit, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Racism, and Racial slurs

6emptynotebooks's review

emotional funny hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Blood, Cursing, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Death, Racism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, Car accident, and Child abuse

Minor: Eating disorder, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Drug abuse

honeybunchesofoats06's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief

maddies_readinglist's review

emotional inspiring reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

4.5

It was exquisitely written especially for a concept that is very out there and you don’t often betrayed in the media which also made it a very refreshing read. The idea of starting at the end of a relationship and finishing at the beginning really makes you use your mind to figure out what went wrong but it is also as if the work was done for you and you didn’t need to do much thinking. Additionally, the characters are also phenomenal as the portrayal of mental health not just in main characters but also side characters makes you think about the people around you and I love how it was a central part of the book not just something that’s was touched upon unlike many other books; the main character was also just super likeable which is a trait I enjoyed! Would definitely read something like this again and cannot wait to find something like this. 
BE VERY WARE OF TRIGGER WARNINGS 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Eating disorder

bookswithgeorgia's review

challenging emotional reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Death, and Eating disorder