Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

La famiglia del piano di sopra by Lisa Jewell

87 reviews

mombond's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

The Family Upstairs was a twisty and captivating book. The changing points of view and time periods were confusing. Some of the characters were so disturbing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

cassmills's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Toxic relationship

hazedaze's review against another edition

I am just not really in the right headspace for a time jumping, mystery thriller. I may come back to it later. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death

passionatereader78's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

A tragic story with a happy ending. Reading this book was heartbreaking. A family falls on hard times and let's the wrong people move in. The  Irresponsible Adults were ruining their children's lives by abusing and starving them. This is a must read thriller. There were so many Twist and turns in this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

peeshpish's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

It was a slow start but once it picks up, it moves fast. The story flows well once the three POVs become more closely intertwined & the connections are more clear. There are many twists & turns along the way, & the story continues to develop until the very last sentence. Libby’s POV is an often needed relief from the heaviness of the other two, much less tense but still moves the story forward. Many characters felt flat or aligned with stereotypes that I’d expect more from a book written earlier than one written in 2019, but I still ended up reading most of the book in one sitting so I was definitely invested.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Infertility, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Lucy’s chapters are heavy with

sexual assault & domestic violence. She is raped & murders her attacker. If it helps to know, she is not punished for killing him.

The chapters set in the past (labelled “Chelsea, [year]”) contain a lot lf

child abuse, domestic violence, & are where most of the content warnings come into play.

Libby’s chapters are generally safe for content, mostly vague details about the fate & story of the people who lived in the house she inherits.

jaydub0221's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Deportation

harpera1's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

amyparsons's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.75

Was not suspenseful like a thriller, but I enjoyed the twists and turns. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Pregnancy

Cult depictions

alexis_something_rose's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

2.75

this one is so so difficult to rate, because although i could see how it could make a good read, it probably just isn’t for me.
maybe i should invest more time into researching the content warnings rather than picking up books just because.
the story kept me turning pages, and the plot is mapped out pretty well, except the occasional plot hole, and i was quite riveted and definitely very terrified.
that said, the characters felt a bit flat to me, but then again, that may well be because i didn’t exactly vibe very well with the story overall.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Drug use, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Violence

caoxtina's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder