Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

6 reviews

klsreads's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Violence, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Self harm, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Torture, Addiction, Alcohol, Dementia, Gore, Grief, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Blood, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, and Forced institutionalization

reddeddy's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Cursing, Confinement, Grief, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Murder, Abandonment, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Stalking, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Medical trauma, Abortion, Blood, Dementia, Alcohol, and Gore

Minor: Gaslighting, Medical content, Pregnancy, Car accident, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, and Incest

emilyreadstoomuch's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.25

very unique book, but it tried too hard and also was somehow not enough at the same time. don't know why when they were screaming at the abductor, of all the horrible things he did that they could've thrown in his face they just kept calling him fat?? they were like "you are FAT" like why not murderer, rapist, creep, etc.????? so insane. also it was just annoying at parts where cora was soooo not like other girls and mandy was villainized for no reason at times lmao mandy was a really terrible person though. this had a TON of potential like i could see the vision so clearly but was honestly underdeveloped. very fake deep!!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Infidelity, Gore, Gun violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Murder, Misogyny, Violence, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Cursing, Confinement, Blood, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Torture, Rape, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

booknerdxo88's review

dark emotional tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Confinement, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Self harm

Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Animal death

readingwithjamie's review

dark hopeful sad medium-paced

5.0

 Before going into this book you need to check trigger warnings. I cannot stress this enough! 

 

This is a dark romance, and the first part of this book is very dark. It starts off very dark but eventually changes along the way. There is growth, friendship, enemies to lovers. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. 

 

Cora is at a bar celebrating her sister, Mandy’s birthday. Cora ends up staying out late, well past when her sister and friend leave. She decides to call a cab to take her home. She quickly realizes that her wallet was stolen and she needs to call a friend for a ride. Since its super late, she has limited options. Cora calls Mandy’s fiancé, the guy she hates most in the world, Dean. She has known him for 15 years and they have never gotten along, but she knows he will help her. Dean picks her up, sparring and insulting each other on the car ride. Red lights follow Dean and pull them over, and that’s when this nightmare begins. They find themselves chained in a basement with a deranged killer. 

 

Every day is violent, ugly, and hopeless. They are stuck with each other and they slowly start to rely on each other, talk through memories, give up their truths and find moments of escapes from the horrors they’re forced to endure. 

 

Eventually they do get out and have to deal with what happened, what they said to each other, their family, the spotlight and most of all, Mandy. Reading this part of the book was agonizing, and I felt so much for the MCs. Cora and Dean changed, they shared something that no one else could possibly ever understand and they both struggled with that they are to each other. 

 

Their chemistry is explosive. This was such an emotional, painful, hopeful, raw read and I really enjoyed this. Still Beating is heart-breaking, uncomfortable, provocative and brilliant. 

 

Overall: 5 

Spice: 4 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Torture, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Rape, and Toxic relationship

mollyjeansutter's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Confinement

Moderate: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Abortion and Suicidal thoughts