Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan

121 reviews

likeagilmoregirl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I fell in love with this book on page one.
This is one of those rare pieces of art that makes you feel as though you are looking into a mirror.
I think the writing in this book was incredible and the relationship dynamic was a fair portrayal of what it’s like to live in this kind of turmoil. Specifically, the first half of this book is hauntingly beautiful. 
Unfortunately, the second half of this book fell a little flat for me. I found the dramatic shift in the narrator’s behavior made sense, but came on all at once with little perspective on how she was changing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Body shaming, Rape, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Eating disorder

marissab's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Self harm, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, Drug use, Rape, Mental illness, Blood, and Addiction

Minor: Vomit and Medical content

moon_doggo97's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Suicidal thoughts

dizzzybrook's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Addiction, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

owlribbon's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Alcohol and Abandonment

leoniepeonie's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense 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

4.0

This book was pure pain to read, but wow. Nolan was so precise with the self-destruction of the protagonist and the minutiae of her heartache and emotion, and it was all so visceral and beautifully written.

I went into this book because a friend lent it to me. I'd been putting it off for a long time, suspecting it would be an intense, angsty relationship-y book aaaand reluctant to dive in because of the god-awful cover on the hardback edition. I thought this would be a wallowing book I wouldn't be able to get on board with, and for the first twenty or thirty pages or so I was feeling very, very done with the trope of self-hating 20-something women obsessing over problematic men and relationships. This book had its fair share of that trope within it, but it was done in such a wonderful way that it still had a lot to add to a saturated genre. It was pure toxicity but it explored the emotional depth of what would drive that situation, rather than primarily focusing on the immediacy of pain and difficulty as others in the genre have done. It looked at emotions and experiences directly as well as looking at the depth beneath it, which Nolan did particularly well because of the way she played with time. It had a rawness that was really special, and I raced through the book. I also love a short chapter, so that helped. Excellent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Rape

Moderate: Self harm, Fatphobia, and Eating disorder

biancam513's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense 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

4.0

this was a very well written book that talked a lot about what it’s like to be a woman. it showed the cruelty in men and how women internalize it. i would’ve rated it higher but i am just personally opposed to rape scenes in any context and there was more than one  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, and Emotional abuse

aleini's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Self harm, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship

bridget1989's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Rape

lenahausr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol