Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

9 reviews

vermethys's review

dark emotional sad tense 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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicide

Minor: Abortion, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

on_your_raedar's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense fast-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

3.5

The way it was written is everything. The short chapters, the style, the bouncing from character to character. All of it was intentional and really added to the story. 

I remember reading this author in middle/ high school. Not sure I was supposed to be but I remember loving this author's books. I enjoyed this book in the sense that it was not a difficult read but I feel like it didn't land the way it did in the past. 

The content is challenging, check trigger warnings, there are a lot of triggering topics in this book. I haven't experienced the things the main characters have so I'm not super sure how well these topics were handled but no immediate red flags came out to me. Just be mindful as you pick up this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Murder

Minor: Suicide

let_therebebooks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“Life is all about change. If it were static, think about how boring it would be. You can’t be afraid of it, and you can’t worry that you’ll mess things up. You deserve good things.” 

Wow this book was intense. I had to put it down a few times because of the content that it’s focused on. This book follows three characters who are in a psychiatric hospital after they all attempted suicide. As the book goes on, we see their treatment and learn more about their past traumas, and there is every possible horrible thing that could happen, happening to these characters. 

This book is told in verse so it makes it pretty quick to get through. I always found the verse format to be more powerful, especially if we are discussing topics like this. 

It’s a good but dark book. I will absolutely be picking up the sequel but I caution everyone to look into the many trigger warnings for this book before diving in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Self harm

Moderate: Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse

b00ks_d0gs's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

I was actually enjoying this book until the weird relationship with the main characters. Not my vibe. Also there were some things said in the book I didn’t particularly agree with but you can’t agree with everything in a book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicide, and Rape

brunoshort's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

Of all the Ellen Hopkins books I’ve read, this one affected me the least. I saw the ending coming so it wasn’t a surprise. The characters have similar traumas even though they’re from very different backgrounds and families. Only three of the characters have their stories fully told and I really only liked 1 of them. The other two were okay but pretty flat considering the intensity of the subject matter and their backgrounds. The biggest WTF? The final challenge patients go through to get out of the institution. It wasn’t thought out very well considering their demographic. I’ll just leave it at that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Trafficking, Child abuse, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Incest, Physical abuse, and Rape

Minor: Murder and Vomit

beccam22's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

Read this if you like:
🥀🖤 Dark truthful stories
👪👯‍♀️ Found Family


🛑Please read triggers warnings ⚠️

Ellen Hopkins is known for beautiful dark stories and this is nothing less than that. Written in verse, so much is said and conveyed with the lest amount of words and it cuts deep.  Three teenagers go through a treatment program after attempting suicide, each for their own reasons and their own way. They find friendship and love and what is love.

These can be possible spoilers but I feel like it’s needed for some people in depth the possible triggers are: 
 There are detailed descriptions of self harm and suicidal thoughts. All main characters did attempt suicide and it is described in the very beginning how each of them attempted. There is detailed adult/minor relationships as well as rape and grooming. Can be considered forced institutionalization since all main characters are minors and family is requiring them to attend the treatment center. There is a character with bipolar and family history of bipolar, the history does go in depth and how it effected them growing up. There is a character who has an abortion and the guilt from it. There are absent parents, both military and simply leaving for a better life. There are parents who expect perfection and the pressure that comes with that. There is a successful suicide. Please do not read this if you are not in a good head space. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Addiction, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Ableism, Eating disorder, and Homophobia

These can be possible spoilers but I feel like it’s needed for some people in depth the possible triggers are: There are detailed descriptions of self harm and suicidal thoughts. All main characters did attempt suicide and it is described in the very beginning how each of them attempted. There is detailed adult/minor relationships as well as rape and grooming. Can be considered forced institutionalization since all main characters are minors and family is requiring them to attend the treatment center. There is a character with bipolar and family history of bipolar, the history does go in depth and how it effected them growing up. There is a character who has an abortion and the guilt from it. There are absent parents, both military and simply leaving for a better life. There are parents who expect perfection and the pressure that comes with that. There is a successful suicide. Please do not read this if you are not in a good head space.

sillih28's review

dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Minor: Sexual harassment and Vomit

brookey8888's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

5.0

4.5
This book is honestly really depressing, but important. Check content warnings because this is dark and it talks about a lot of things. I changed it from a full five to a 4.4 because I felt like some of the things said were a little problematic. For example a character said the only thing that could save her was being in love and as this is YA I just am not fully comfortable with that. Other then a few some things it still holds up and I love that it’s written in verse. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

shakiral's review against another edition

"I do trust Tony. But why? A gay guy, from the wrong side of town, who I only met a few weeks ago?"
A guy who thinks he's gay realizing he's straight in a mental institution and falling for this bitch, no thanks.  I've read worse, but I just don't like it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Biphobia, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

First time I go "This book was writen by a white straight woman" and what do you know a I was right.