Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan

123 reviews

sallyrooneystan's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Eating disorder, and Sexual assault

julesloyola's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

crawforl's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug use, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual content

lilyforever's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Sexual harassment

brandijo1321's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual content

lauraegan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I have never read a book as visceral and heartbreaking as this. Any earlier in my recovery and I couldn't have finished it, yet it still had me grimacing on the bus at my pain and hers. It felt so exposing and gratifying at once to see the feminine experience spelled out like this. The characters motives and mannerisms matched icons of my own life, and I felt shame for finding my own self-hatred in hers. When you're ready to face your relationships with yourself and others this is it, but read with caution as it may bring up some very hard feelings about sex and relationships. Whenever I need a wake up call about how I used to carry myself and still sometimes do this book is where I will always return.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, and Sexual violence

taylorerin294's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Self harm, Eating disorder, and Rape

atartancupoftea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

thesawyerbean's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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

5.0

Wow, this was incredible. The writing was so raw, vulnerable and personal, and yet utterly intoxicating. 

The book centred on the whirlwind ‘romance’ between the narrator and Ciaran, laying bare the destructive force of obsessive love on the self. The narrator’s point of view, despite being unnamed, was so intimate that you felt everything that she went through. 

Interweaved with the affecting prose was nuanced and edifying commentary on sex, gender, consent, power and patriarchy, the male gaze and the violence of sex. The flash-forwards to 2019 Athens were rich and clear in these perspectives, providing a stunning contrast to the dizziness of the narrator’s thoughts and experiences in the main timeline. 

Overall, a staggering and important debut which left me stewing in thought for a while after.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Addiction, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, and Infidelity

acg2285's review against another edition

dark sad 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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Eating disorder