Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Hooked by Emily McIntire

246 reviews

graciegru's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

If you like smut in between gruesome torture and murder then this is the book for you. It’s not my cuppa tea, but to each their own. I felt like most of the book was sex. I wish there was more development from when Hook/James started to fall for Wendy. It felt like he switched  from wanting her for  revenge then loving her… just a little odd. 

 The end was nice and heartwarming, though so there’s a plus

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Infidelity, Murder, Abandonment, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Drug use, Torture, Toxic friendship, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping

Minor: Stalking

almendraa's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexism, Body horror, Murder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Torture, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Stalking, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Classism, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug use

hanschub's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-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

3.5

i definitely enjoyed it, but one of the plot twists (the biggest one imo) was so fucking weird...

why did they have to be half siblings…gross.

i would’ve dnf’d if that plot twist was revealed sooner. the only reason my rating is over 2 stars is because of some quality quotes and spiciness level. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual content, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault

tenay_d's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

1.0

This book needs to come with a warning. It’s messed up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Violence, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

mikelledacus's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Confinement

Moderate: Torture and Abandonment

Minor: Gun violence, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Vomit, Pregnancy, Slavery, Drug use, and Kidnapping

brittanylee0302's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

This book has been sitting on my TBR for ages and I finally decided to read it because it was free on Audible. The ending of this book was honestly the best part of the whole thing, all the twists had me wishing the rest of the book was infinitely better. The characters in this book are all terribly toxic (except John) and none of them grow AT ALL. The idea of the book was good but was written in such a mundane way that I didn't want to continue. The first time I felt a connection between Wendy and James was like 70% through & I swear that was the only time I felt they had a connection. The narrators were not great and the way the book was recorded made me had to read James parts on like 1.5 speed and Wendy's on 1.1 or she sounded like a robot. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Gore

Minor: Pregnancy

ammah's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

Don't judge me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Rape and Drug use

readyforit's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

4⭐️4🌶️
The author really gets your hopes up and then you have a moment of WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU!! There are lots of twists, some of which I predicted as the book went on. I also listened along with the audiobook and I’d say that’s the superior way to read this book, since there are 2 narrators. I do wish they did duet narration where the FMC and MMC are speaking to each other back and forth like a dialogue, rather than have the FMC chapters narrated by the woman and MMC narrated by the man. I also wish we got more Jon! Wendy and Jon and James and Jon. I also read the extended epilogue that is free on the author’s website and it’s a nice wrap up 10 years later, along with character profiles for Wendy and James. 

I liked both the FMC and MMC but I wished for more character development from Wendy. She doesn’t have a huge personality in the movie either but I feel like maybe she could’ve had some more development than “finding her voice” (barely). James is a complex morally gray character that often makes terrible decisions because he’s blinded by his trauma. I could see so many times in the book where I was like CANT YOU SEE THE ANSWER IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU! And he would just continue blaming his enemies from his past.

If you’re hesitant to pick this book up, I’d lookup the trigger warnings. There is mention of

child abuse/pedophilia

but nothing graphic. Also just because this is a Peter Pan “retelling” doesn’t mean hook and Wendy have an age gap, they’re both consenting adults in their 20s. It’s more like the author uses elements of the story like names and places, as she calls it a fractured fairytale.  I liked the book and there was plenty of spice, but I wished it was longer for more fluff and maybe more backstory. I probably won’t be rereading it unless I forget the plot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Rape, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

Minor: Pregnancy and Vomit

mentions of child sexual assault are all done through flashbacks and are not graphic

emileical's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Torture, Domestic abuse, Death, Child abuse, Violence, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Cursing, Infidelity, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Gore, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse

mollyamalia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Abandonment, Violence, Grief, Gore, Infidelity, Gun violence, Death of parent, Classism, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Murder, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Blood, Alcohol, and Addiction