Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

53 reviews

kaylaannsreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense slow-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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Murder

Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting

madmantha's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective 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

4.75

One of the best books I’ve ever read, if not THE best. 
Thrilling, anxiety-inducing, emotional and yet hilarious at the same time. 

Can’t wait to suggest this read to others, I loaned it from the library but will definitely be purchasing my own copy. This is something that deserves to be remembered and celebrated for years to come. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Slavery, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

dcm7918's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racism, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Classism

criticalbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

azariamckay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.25

I found When No One is Watching to be a very interesting read but not for many good reasons. It took half the book to gain relevant action. I wasn’t much of a fan of the main characters and topics of race and gentrification felt like they were being told to me rather than shown in the book. I wasn’t that much of a fan but when things started to pick up around the 2nd half I found myself glued to the pages. The ending felt extremely rushed, and I wasn’t a fan of it. All and all, I’d say there were enough aspects of the book that made me interested and kept me going but I still felt it was a bit lack luster and infuriating at points. I will say there were a few twists I definitely didn’t see coming but the main twist was pretty obvious to me from the start.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Gun violence, Racism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism

anima_vestaa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Fantastic. It starts sarcastic and lighthearted but then pulls you into a huge conspiracy analysing the very depths of racial discrimination through thriller fiction. The characters, the expression through form, the slangish writing, it’s all chaotic but deeply thought through and brilliant. Lots of gore tho, you’ll have to have a strong stomach.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

kayesomething's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Gun violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Chronic illness and Grief

gabbo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The discussions on gentrification and racism were really well done! The beginning was a little slow but it picked up quickly and I didn’t want to put it down.

I loved the characters and the building of paranoia/unreliable narrators! As others have said the ending was rushed and left me a bit deflated but overall a great thriller/mystery 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Slavery, Police brutality, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug use

ci_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

What an incredible ride this was! The story follows Sydney, a long-time resident of a Black neighborhood in Brooklyn, and her new neighbor, Theo, a white man who just moved in across the street with his stereotypical blond, ponytailed white girlfriend. The two start researching the local neighborhood history to create a walking tour of the area, and while they are learning of actual history of the Brooklyn area, strange things begin to happen: long-time residents disappear, replaced by rich white people.

Alyssa Cole brilliantly mixes the base story of heavy topics like gentrification, redlining, white priviledge, and police brutality with some romance and some laugh-out-loud funny dialogue. For example, "the bags under her eyes would have to be checked on most airlines." Hilarious.

I loved Sydney and all her complexity. The characterizations of the each of the neighborhood characters and their community was absolutely lovely. Theo is a very useful character to explain race issues, that Black people would inherently understand, to white/non-Black audiences. 

The last 10% or so was just insane, like a full-speed roller coaster. I couldn't put the book down. It did feel a bit rushed compared to the pacing of the rest of the book, but it had my blood pumping and my hands sweating, so I'd say Cole succeeded in thrilling me.

I bust out laughing, imagining white people chastising their kids for literally describing a person's race. I guess if you think being Black is an unfortunate affliction, of course it would seem rude.

When I think of a Black community, the first thing that comes to mind- even if I don't want it to- is crime. Drugs. Gangs. Welfare. That's all the news has talked about since I was a kid. Not old people drinking tea. Not complex self-sustaining financial systems that had to be created because racism meant being left out to dry.

"Sydney." Theo is grinning as he calls my attention back to him, though his eyes are somber. "I need you need to channel the confidence of a mediocre white man. I'll give you mine. We'll figure it out because we don't have any other choice."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Toxic relationship