Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Luster by Raven Leilani

7 reviews

taylorsevalia's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Gun violence, Sexual content, Grief, Racial slurs, Medical content, and Stalking

kylajaynebooks's review

dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Body shaming, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship

onion's review against another edition

mysterious sad slow-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Racism, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Medical content, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

Minor: Pregnancy, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, and Police brutality

dorsetreader's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad 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

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Self harm, Medical content, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Police brutality

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Addiction, Mental illness, Infertility, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Abortion, Alcoholism, Animal death, Classism, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, and Toxic friendship

raynaaskiverr's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infertility, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

rebelred7's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Sexual violence

toofondofbooks_'s review

dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

The first thing I absolutely have to say about this book is that the writing is beautiful. There is a sense of realism to every page of the book that really makes the story believable. Edie is a painfully raw and real protagonist with a strong narrative voice that I thoroughly enjoyed, I just wish that she, as a character, loved herself as much as I love her. The book follows her as she tries to navigate her life and relationship with a married older man. A relationship that only becomes more complicated when Edie loses her job and is invited into his home by her paramour's wife. Another character that I really enjoyed apart from Edie was Akila, her lover's adopted daughter.

As for drawbacks to this book, I think that more could have happened in the second half and I'm surprised that it didn't. There was a stretch of pages where it seemed like not much of anything was happening, and though I was never *bored* exactly, I was waiting for the pace to pick up.

Overall, this was a really great, quick read, and if you've been thinking about picking it up, here's your sign!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infertility, Murder, Vomit, and War

Minor: Religious bigotry