Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Mad Honey by Jennifer Finney Boylan, Jodi Picoult

111 reviews

curious_oyster's review against another edition

hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Transphobia

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Hate crime, and Bullying

Minor: Pedophilia, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting

nreyno's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Transphobia, Outing, Domestic abuse, Death, Murder, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

readinglitwithbritt's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Child abuse, Cursing, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Gore, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Sexism, Sexual content, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Outing, and Toxic relationship

ethanses's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Suicide attempt

ellaticonstellation's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad 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

This story broke me. The domestic violence, death, trial, and crime left me on the edge of my seat. I loved that the narrators were Olivia (Asher's mom) and Lily (the girlfriend) both women. The whole crime ordeal was tense and compelling. And this happens in real life; I bet it's super stressful and scary, especially for the parties involved. 

I truly believe a person's upbringing makes a part of a person. Meaning, as time went we decide for ourselves, and through that decision-making, we learn. What I'm saying is that we make what we are as people. Yeah, we can blame others for breaking us, but if we didn't pick up the pieces after that, we suffer so much and we won't survive. That's why I salute Olivia and Ava as mothers because they care about their kids whoever they may be. They both made sure that they were safe and away from people who constantly break them. That's not easy to do. I don't know transgender people irl, but it must not be easy to be trapped in a body that you don't see yourself in. Lily is a brave soul for knowing who she is and what she wants at an early age. 

I love the story structure of this. Liv and Lily told the story both in the past, but Liv's in the future style. If that even made sense. The story is gripping and fast-paced even though it's long. I didn't get bored even for a second.

Oh! The honey stuff and the fact that Liv called her queen bees pop divas names made me smile. This is my second book from Jodi and my first from Jenny, I'll read more. Oh, and it was so cool that this story was based on Jenny's epic dream. Overall, a great read❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Deadnaming, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship

mel024's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

4.0

A  good book, although the “plot twist” (so to speak) made it a very heavy read and so for me it’s only 4 stars. Definitely check the trigger warnings before picking it up instead of halfway through like I did

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Deadnaming, Hate crime, and Outing

Minor: Mass/school shootings

samburkhouse's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Child death, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Medical content, Transphobia, Blood, Outing, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Deadnaming, Alcohol, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

cryfest's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Reading this as a trans queer non-binary person who has loved Jodi Picoult (one of the authors of this book) since high school -  I was a little apprehensive because I wasn’t sure if I trusted Jodi with my trans siblings, and while heart breaking, a lot of nuance to trans identities was explored compassionately, with the genius and lived experience of Finney Boylan of course. I definitely would encourage non-trans folks to read this as a small slice of insight to one fictional trans person’s experience/journey.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicide attempt, Violence, Domestic abuse, Murder, Abandonment, Hate crime, Mental illness, Outing, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Confinement

Minor: Pedophilia, Abortion, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Mass/school shootings

rsbrown19's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Suicide attempt, Violence, Transphobia, Physical abuse, Grief, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Abortion

sunnydale's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious tense slow-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

3.5

the first jodi picoult book i've read (albeit only half-written by her). her style is easy to glide through, and the characters are authentic and compelling. the plot involves some heavy subject matter that could be triggering, so i recommend checking content warnings. the ending was a little rushed and felt too satisfying—i think a lack of resolution actually would have fit the themes better. 

the audiobook has two voice actors, and they both do an excellent job. i also like the inclusion of recipes at the end!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Outing, Transphobia, Grief, Mental illness, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Blood, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Gaslighting, Abortion, Hate crime, Medical content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Murder, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Suicide attempts:

Lily and Asher both cut their wrists to attempt suicide.

Transphobia: Two scenes described in detail.

Both are from Lily's perspective. In the chapter "Lily 6," Lily is publicly humiliated at a school dance, then attacked in the parking lot. This event is referenced in later chapters. In "Lily 10," Lily is bullied at an all-boys school, then is physically abused by her father.

Domestic abuse: Many of Olivia's chapters include flashbacks to moments when she was abused by her ex-husband. Some of Lily's chapters also include descriptions of physical or emotional abuse. Domestic violence is a significant part of this book.