Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Mad Honey by Jennifer Finney Boylan, Jodi Picoult

111 reviews

jade_sanderson's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative sad slow-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

Graphic: Child death, Death, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Child abuse

corndogqueeen's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Honestly my rating for this book kept changing throughout. First of all: they said "we came up here to do bongs." I'm sorry? Come again? Some things were too on the nose for my preferences, but given the subject matter I appreciated the care and detail. I feel like this truly could have opened several people's perspectives who may not have had the inclination to explore some things without this book. Idk how to word without spoiling or maybe it wasn't a spoiler I don't really read the descriptions of books sometimes if I've seen people I know read them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Outing, Transphobia, and Child abuse

Minor: Abortion

cwalden's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This was incredibly emotional, and covers a lot of important insights into the trans experience. Rating is just for the ending and parallel murder mystery storyline. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Murder, Transphobia, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Grief

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Outing

jocelynbold's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Transphobia

Minor: Abortion

jamiee_f's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

Loved this book. All the best parts of Jodi Picoult novels, legal drama, murder mystery, intrigue, social drama, plus the beautiful narrative with the bees. Picoult is excellent at writing high school drama and capturing all of the ensuing complicated relationships, and the story of Lily is so tragic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Murder, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse

clairehe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

This actually had me wondering what had happened and I never guessed the answer. This broke my heart. I know I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Grief, and Self harm

Moderate: Toxic relationship

sarahmcg's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative mysterious sad 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

4.0

I haven’t read a book by Jodi Picoult in a long time (but she was a favorite growing up) and it was incredible to see how her and Jennifer Finney Boylan co-authored a dual POV book that read so seamlessly!

This book gave classic Jodi with mystery/drama, multiple twists, a compelling court case where you feel like a juror, social commentary that feels organic and not “preachy,” ethical dilemmas that cause you to consider things from a new perspective… 

There was so much interesting information about bees and honey! I do think the book could have been shorter without some of this (because the book did feel so long, even on audio), and I don’t think all the bee info was strictly necessary, but it was an interesting aspect to the book and Olivia’s character, and the facts brought up tended to connect back to the story.

The dual timeline was a bit out of order in the past, but as long as I was paying attention, this didn’t bother me much. What did both me though was the ending - the last big twist in regards to the case felt rushed and not fully fleshed out, and then I didn’t feel satisfied with the explanation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Outing

emsapp's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Outing, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

valeriaxo's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Murder, Transphobia, Death, and Deadnaming

jamie_rich's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Grief, Outing, Domestic abuse, Death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Medical content