Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

All Adults Here by Emma Straub

16 reviews

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

hopeful reflective 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

4.75

This was such a joy to read. It was my first book by Ms. Straub, and I can't wait to read more. I felt like everything had such messy love, and that feels really realistic.  I loved the gentle treatment of the young people who were going through their finding-themselves journeys. I want every young person to be surrounded by trusted adults who can help them through the same thing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity and Pregnancy

Moderate: Bullying and Death of parent

Minor: Drug use, Transphobia, Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol

amyreh's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Abortion

Minor: Bullying, Infertility, Miscarriage, Outing, and Gaslighting

cimmalex's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

3.0

I had no idea this book was based in the Hudson Valley, NY and name dropped so many towns and businesses I know (shout out Upstate Films), so that hit close to home, literally. I’m not usually an adult fiction reader, but I liked the cover and the book held my attention pretty much up until the end. I started getting annoyed by the last like 3 or 4 chapters. Like many other reviews have said across the board, I agree that too many “hot button topics” were crammed into this book. I mean I think she mentioned every single one. This is a generational story, so maybe that’s why? But… whew. 

Porter was by far the most annoying character to me, and I think it’s very lazy the cheese maker is named Porter. I just have to get that out there. She is almost 40 years old and thought her high school boyfriend belonged to her and no one else (including his wife) because she “had him first”? What kind of mentality is that? Insane behavior from this one throughout the whole book. Very wild.

Especially the whole relationship with her high school ex that kept reappearing to be fwb even though he was married with kids and another on the way. Her high school ex’s wife coming down on Porter’s neck two chapters before the end of the book was exactly what this character needed though. A swift kick in the ass/someone metaphorically grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Dysphoria

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Dementia, Abortion, and Outing

thenageler's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Miscarriage, Car accident, Abortion, and Outing

annorabrady's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.5

I was recommended this book as one that you'd like if you like Schitt's Creek. While it doesn't have the humor of a sitcom, it does have realistic family relationships and each member is fleshed out into their own person, as in Schitt's Creek. They also have catalysts that push them out of their comfort zone and into a place where their relationship with family and friends become healthier and more fulfilling. 

There are mentions of miscarriages and abortions, as well as plots about people being outed against their will (handled well but they still exist) so precede with caution if those are triggering to you. 

My biggest problem with the story was Porter's storyline.

I just feel that someone who is capable of making the life-changing decisions of going through the process of becoming pregnant through a fertility clinic so she can raise a baby alone is also someone who should be able to stop being someone else's "other woman." Especially since she was more than capable of understanding and siding with her best friend who found herself on the other side of that situation with her husband. And then to talk to her best friend about it, expecting her best friend would have any reaction except absolute anger at the betrayal?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Deadnaming, Death, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Dementia and Abortion

faraway_'s review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Infertility, Infidelity, Transphobia, Car accident, and Pregnancy

Minor: Drug use, Abortion, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

saskiahill's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Miscarriage, Abortion, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Deadnaming, Transphobia, Blood, and Outing

mdeck24's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying and Abortion

adoseofcozy's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective relaxing 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? It's complicated

2.0

This wasn't supposed to be my first completed book of 2023, but I had to finish it before a book club meeting. So, I sadly had to sit The Priory of the Orange Tree aside so I could focus on this one. I'm sad to say that my first read of 2023 was rather disappointing.

While it does present some great topics, this one just wasn't for me. It was okay, overall, but I had some issues with it. The writing was okay, the story was okay, the characters were okay...everything was just okay. I felt like maybe the issue was that the author was just trying to do too much. I didn't feel like I really knew any of the characters, or connected with any of them. The first bit of the book I was trying to keep all of the characters straight because the book jumps around from one character to another. Also, all of the "adults" were incredibly immature. The most mature character was a 13-year-old girl.

If you like domestic dramas that let you observe the chaos of a dysfunctional family then try this one out, if it sounds interesting. I will say that I probably wouldn't have been able to get through this if I didn't have the audiobook, because I would have wanted to put the book down and not pick it up anymore.

I read this for a book club and the majority though it was just okay or didn't enjoy it at all. I feel like I will forget this story and these characters in a couple of months, if that. Nothing was super memorable for me. It's an entirely character-driven story that will be entirely forgettable for me, unfortunately.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Infertility, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Abortion, and Pregnancy

etopp's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Outing