Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

111 reviews

kristicanread's review

emotional hopeful relaxing 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship

Moderate: Mental illness, Abandonment, and Eating disorder

ckyoung's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Mental illness

cutepatzie's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

5.0

This is nice and light book to read. I like that it is a book to really good shows how manipulation can look like not only in relationships between friends like also coworkers. I am really happy that many of the inappropriate situations was addressed and no one made victims look bad. And I like good character development. And I can see how many of the characters have been through it. And it was nice to read that. My only complaint was sometimes the time skips to fast and tha was not enough for me plesurble to read but this is something that came maybe pist me of so will not change my grade. A good book to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Sexism, and Gaslighting

lizdon's review

emotional funny 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: Sexual content, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Pregnancy, and Violence

meganpbennett's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

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

1.0

If this book had been about a hundred and fifty pages shorter, I might have liked it. I still would have found it completely overhyped, but I would have been far less disappointed.

The biggest issue is that there is basically no plot, and when the plot does finally kick in - 40% of the way through the book - it's somehow sidelined. Don't promise me something in the summary and then make me wait 210 pages for it. Because of this, the book dragged on. I found that it had far too much filler and not enough plot. It needed more hockey, more skating, and far less drinking and college students hooking up. On top of that, I found Anastasia to be a whiny and unlikable character. She didn't act like a college senior with Olympic aspirations, but a middle school girl. The book has a perfect set-up for a slow burn, not-quite enemies to lovers, and blew it by having no plot.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Vomit, Mental illness, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Cursing

rubester's review

inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Mental illness, Eating disorder, Alcohol, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Death of parent and Body shaming

maddysoup's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

3.25

if this would have had an editor it would have benefited so greatly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Toxic friendship, and Death of parent

brookpaige's review against another edition

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Death of parent

samarakroeger's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted 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 can see why this series is popular— sports romance is having a moment, there’s plenty of intriguing side characters in this world (i.e. sequel fodder), and it’s got a fair amount of smut.  tbh i couldn’t keep all the roommates/friends/teammates straight, but I wasn't really giving the book my undivided attention. There’s plenty of interpersonal dynamics that are explored well by Hannah Grace, although I don't always love having a harmful side character get so much screen time. 

All in all, I’ll probably read the other books but this is certainly nothing to write home about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, and Mental illness

readingwithcas's review

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

Drama. Romance. Betrayal. Comedy. This book has it all!

Icebreaker is the perfect smutty introduction to Sports Romance. I do not have an athletic bone in my body but Hannah Grace had me invested in every part of this story, including the competitions and practices.

One thing I absolutely adored about Icebreaker is how real the characters feel. They are not just college students, or athletes, or in love, but a beautiful, messy mix of their experiences rolled into a person I could easily meet at a college campus. Serious topics that affect so many people in real life were addressed in a way that didn’t feel forced or harmful. The importance of therapy in different scenarios was also shown in such a simple way without ruining immersion.

This story is an absolute masterpiece that I regret not reading sooner. I recommend checking out the trigger warnings before reading as serious subjects such as eating disorders, toxic relationships, and near-death experiences are featured. 

I cannot wait to dive into the next book in the Maple Hills series!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Eating disorder