Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Lightlark by Alex Aster

18 reviews

ksilvio's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Violence

kinsportch's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Toxic friendship, Body horror, and Blood

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content

elskede's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Torture, Murder, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, and Bullying

thequiltyreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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

4.0

This book was a bit like the Hunger Games meets the fantasy world with a little less killing. Really enjoyable YA book that was a fast paced easy read. I was left trying to work out who was the traitor throught finding all had a good reason.

I listened to this as an audio book and probably my favourite narration to date. In particular I really enjoyed the voices she attributed to each character.

Ended on an annoying cliff hanger which is my main complaint.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Cannibalism, Torture, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Blood, Death, and Death of parent

lkristin2018's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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? No

2.0

I thought that even though Isla’s age wasn’t precisely defined, and perhaps she was legally an adult, having her love interest literally centuries older than her felt icky.  Also, the curses endured by the various kingdoms were not at all in proportion to each other.  One kingdom simply loses the ability to fly, while another one must regularly eat human hearts in order to survive, and will die if they fall in love.  I find it almost impossible to imagine a society where people exist on eating human hearts.  Even if a person only eats one a month, it means twelve other people have to die every single year of that person’s life.  It just doesn’t feel sustainable.  Yes, it’s fiction, but I can’t suspend my disbelief quite that far.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Death, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Blood and Alcohol

6 ritual suicides described as self sacrifice and a separate suicide with specific method are mentioned in the book

yuidf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

dearhaleynicole's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

This was such a page turner read for me! It had me from the moment Isla first stepped foot on Lightlark. But the plot twists in this book, y'all 👀 I was invested and couldn't put the second half of the book down. I literally had to know what happened next. Such a thrilling read with an interesting world, curse & magic system, and some equally love-able/loathe-able characters. I definitely felt so many emotions reading.

Potentional relationship/love interest spoiler:

I have never been so conflicted with a love triangle before, truly. If you're a fan of believable love triangles...WHEW. Buckle up. This one's for you. At the conclusion of this book, I don't know who to cheer for. I am personally in love with both love interests. And also equally heartbroken. Read with caution 😭 'cause I need Alex to help pay my therapy bills now.

Cannot wait to read Nightbane. Like, currently restructuring my whole tbr list to accomodate as I write this...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Vomit, Genocide, and Fire/Fire injury

mj_86's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Murder, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

Minor: War and Fire/Fire injury

esterslibrary's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Violence, Murder, Cannibalism, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture

scribesquadrant_sierra's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

 Overall Rating: (2.5/5 stars)

Spice Rating: (0.25/5 peppers)

Summary: Every 100 years Lightlark, an island that hosts a deadly game, appears for the rules of the six realms to compete in a deadly game to free the mysterious curses that have plagued their land. Isla, the Wildling ruler, is unlike the rest of the realm rulers. She doesn’t have magic to offer…or to protect her. This book follows her journey filled with curses, magic, books, and romance.

What I loved:

-Not much. This book was difficult to read.

What I hated:

-Isla, the FMC. She is one of the most unintelligent FMC I’ve ever read.

-The story. The game rules are confusing in some cases and repetitive in others. Not only that, Isla keeps breaking the rules and no one seems to care at all.

-The love triangle that doesn’t work.

-The romance. It seems awkward and forced.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Cannibalism

Minor: Vomit and Fire/Fire injury