Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven

4 reviews

moonlightreads007's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

I went into this book expecting it to be quite comedic and humorous, and it absolutely did not disappoint in that respect. Most of the characters are very loveable, and I enjoyed the pop culture references and relevancy of the jokes. On the other hand, this book delves much deeper than expected into issues of slut shaming, feminism and women's rights and I also really appreciated that. It really demonstrates the extent to which rumours, gossip and judgement can hurt people on an emotional level (especially when it gets out of hand at the scale of the book's plot). The author also explores the issue of using comedy as a coping mechanism to deal with difficult situations, which is also an interesting topic all on its own.

The ending was kind of an expected trope of friendship betrayal, but nevertheless an important one since it demonstrates how women often face harassment in situations where they shouldn't have to worry about that (in this case, a male-female friendship situation which was supposed to be unconditional and yet her guy friend came on way too strong and lashed out when the feelings weren't reciprocated). At the same time, I like how the author left room for hope at the end by showcasing the power of female friendships and women supporting each other.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and I would recommend this book to anyone who has a funny bone and also likes to think deeply about societal issues at large. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, and Misogyny

Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Homophobia

Minor: Body shaming and Fatphobia

readingjessicaa's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful reflective relaxing fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Body shaming, and Dysphoria

kimseokjinschild's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

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

3.25

The books discusses important topics like bullying, death, mental health and the dangers of social media. 

💫I enjoyed all the references like Harry Potter and Kim K, I thought it added personality to the story.
💫There were times when the book had me shook it do a double take. 
💫 Resonated with female lead..as often I am deemed as a strong, brave person because I stay incredibly strong even in dark times. I feel I can relate to her strong mentality.
📈 I lost interest sometimes, I wanted more from the book..sometimes it just seemed like rambling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, and Misogyny

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Sexual content

Minor: Body shaming, Death of parent, and Fatphobia

wretchedtheo's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Body shaming, Excrement, Mental illness, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Fatphobia