Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Advika and the Hollywood Wives by Kirthana Ramisetti

23 reviews

evelikesbooks's review against another edition

mysterious sad tense medium-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

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Racism

fujo_cat's review against another edition

mysterious reflective fast-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

3.5

Overall, this was a nice read and felt satisfying enough, albeit cut short. 

If you enjoy domestic mysteries and Hollywood settings, you’ll probably enjoy this. Expect a light mystery with heavy themes. 

If you are looking for a non-white author or non-white cast/protagonist, this is also a very good choice! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Classism

Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Sexual content, Stalking, Pregnancy, Cursing, and Grief

Minor: Death, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Miscarriage, and Infidelity

lunarxcross's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective 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: Toxic relationship, Racism, Confinement, Death, Grief, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug use and Drug abuse

ktdakotareads's review

reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Minor: Cancer

calicornmoore's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Death

viireads's review against another edition

adventurous reflective medium-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

3.0

first half was an absolute 
D R A G ughhhhh

(I had to physically force myself to get to the part about the the will)

but as soon as the lore with Nova started being dug up it got fast paced and I was enjoying it

I guess I just kept on going to see how it ended (which ultimately i didn't end up liking much mainly because of one certain element

the child

)

⭐⭐⭐
3.0 stars for the following reasons: 
• feeling represented and also seeing the diverse cast
• second half of the book was very gripping and definitely a page turner
• realistic portrayal of modern day friendships
• the ending gave me a lil hope for myself because other than the aforementioned element everything else in it was tied up nicely 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Xenophobia, and Stalking

Minor: Emotional abuse

v_v_'s review

emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Toxic relationship

medini_l's review

mysterious slow-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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Grief, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, and Suicide

siobhanward's review

emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

If you read this as a silly, boppy, summer beach read, then it's decent. If you're looking for more than that, it doesn't really deliver. I will, however, counter what other reviewers are saying with regards to Advika and Julian - I can definitely imagine someone in their mid-20s marrying someone 40 years older, that doesn't seem unreasonable, even if it's after a quick whirlwind romance.

However, I do agree that the rest of the plot kind of got lost with the lack of further relationship development - problems starting immediately after Advika married Julian is what really made it hard to care about the rest of the book. If it had been a longer fairytale romance period, I think the rest of the book would have been more impactful. 

I loved the idea of the other wives and Advika uncovering their stories - however, the total disappearance of an entire wife from the timeline and failure to really talk about that kind of threw me off, as well as just feeling like Advika really should have acted sooner. She was set up for success and took so long to make her decisions. It also felt like the side characters were more interesting than Advika and yet they only appeared occasionally. I wish we'd seen more of Olive and the Oakies - they were too interesting to be shoved aside. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicide

laughtrack17's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Racism, Death, Grief, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts