Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Appeal by Janice Hallett

56 reviews

mrgriffit's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

An extremely well crafted murder mystery. The format of this book is fun and refreshing and feels modern in a way that mystery stories don’t often do.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, and Murder

thecozyrogue's review against another edition

challenging mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Toxic friendship, and Cancer

Moderate: War, Violence, Child abuse, Infidelity, and Addiction

Minor: Child death and Infertility

brittaanson's review against another edition

challenging mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This is my new favorite mystery format! Sifting through documents to identify what is significant and what isn't, what might be left unsaid, etc. is a fantastic puzzle. Super engaging, but definitely a book that you'll want to give your full attention. I listen to most books on audiobook while doing other things, but this one I saved for when I had the time and mental energy to sit down and read in paperback with notebook and post-its at the ready. Reading on an eReader would also be a good choice, for easy keyword searches when you realize later that something someone wrote a while back may be important.
The emails and texts are written brilliantly, evoking clear personalities in their different styles. It's fascinating to read the difference in tone between a character's public email to a mailing list versus what they text in private to their partner, versus what they purposefully avoid sharing, despite you knowing they have the information in question from what another character wrote to someone else. All of the communication styles are very recognizable and realistic for their characters as well. This book is masterfully constructed, and sucked me right in. I couldn't put it down. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Cancer, Toxic friendship, and Murder

Minor: War, Sexual assault, Child death, and Violence

browsingthebooks's review against another edition

5.0

Totally gripping mystery. Unique format that forces you to play detective. Great for discussion!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Child death, Torture, Rape, Cancer, Trafficking, Murder, Drug use, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Excrement, Death, Addiction, and Child abuse

This was actually a really clean book as compared to a lot of contemporary mystery novels. Only a couple of curses in the whole thing. No sexual content. Most of the warnings I listed as minor were just references.

lunarwawa's review

challenging dark informative mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, Child abuse, Cancer, and Toxic friendship

photogenicegg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

A very interesting way to tell a story. I enjoyed it, definitely thought I had it figured it out (or at least who it ~wasn't~). I liked the thorough investigation of different theories at the end and a complete explanation of the correct answer. Very much like solving one of those murder mystery boxes. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Toxic friendship, and Terminal illness

Minor: Alcoholism, Murder, Medical trauma, and Mental illness

lisaarnsdorf's review against another edition

mysterious sad medium-paced

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

1.0

This book drove me bonkers. There is nothing I hate more than when a writer hides information from the reader. Right from the get go, you know there’s been a murder and someone has been arrested, but the author hides who was even killed. There are so many hidden facts that’s it feels as though the author is trying to trick the reader. If you can’t write a plot that includes clues and the basic facts without revealing everything right away, then you probably need more practice. 

The main crimes were pretty obvious early on. And there weren’t any characters that I was particularly fond of. So I didn’t really care that much that any of them happened. Except that the author never bothered to write about the impacts on the little girl at the heart of the story. We never once spend any time reflecting on how her cancer diagnosis will impact her and her nuclear family. There’s a “kids are resilient” attitude that is incredibly naive. 

The book was way too long. And it just made the deception on the reader that much more obvious. It was easy to read, but so incredibly annoying. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual assault

rachel101's review

challenging funny informative mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

Don’t be put off by the style of the book, stay with it…. It’s a fabulous read 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Cancer, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Infertility, and Mental illness

amjone12's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Cancer, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Child death, Drug abuse, and Rape

jennboyack_scott's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, and Cancer

Moderate: Death, Child death, Mental illness, Suicide, and Rape

Minor: Child abuse