Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

22 reviews

forgottuesday's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Abandonment, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Mental illness

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Abandonment, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Murder

ashlikes's review against another edition

adventurous 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Grief, Blood, Toxic relationship, Death, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Confinement, Colonisation, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Stalking, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Slavery, Medical content, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Rape, and Vomit

nozycozy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

mariebrunelm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-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? N/A

4.75

Hidden between the walls of a fortress none but its inhabitants can see, Tarisai grows up longing for her mother's love. But The Lady is often on the road and her visits home are short. She is however determined for her daughter to carve a future worthy of her, and so she sends her to the capital with the mission to kill a boy while taking part in a competition. Tarisai soon discovers that the series of trials held in the company of the prince will determine the members of his council. She is supposed to take part like the others. But as soon as she meets the prince, a terrible urge to kill rises in her. She has found her mother's target.

Ready for a breathless adventure alongside very loveable characters in an Africa-inspired land? Raybearer was more YA than the adult novel I'd expected, but I didn't have time to wonder about that as I was swept away and held on the edge of my seat by Jordan Ifueko. The novel kept a fast rhythm, as fast as the drums that keep beating in the background of Tarisai's whereabouts, but it never lost sight of its characters and their emotional journeys. I loved the cast and the lush world-building, and if the last revelations were a bit too hasty to leave me time to process them, they all sounded right and made the pieces click together. 

Rep: polyamourous characters, asexual character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Murder and Child death

glitterdeww's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense 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 decided to wait a few days between finishing Raybearer and writing the review, because I want to articulate how much I loved this book without devolving into all caps and exclamation points... but I don't know if there's an amount of time that exists that can stifle my excitement to talk about Raybearer. Friends, fellow readers, THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD!! 

I found each aspect of the story to be fantastic. The plot's mystery keeps the reader engaged and unfolds at a good pace. The characters are complicated and lovely. Their relationships show love and commitment, distress and self-doubt in equal measure. The world building and magic is absolutely beautiful.

I also need to talk about the styling of this book because just looking at the cover does something delicious to my brain. There is so much within Raybearer that connected perfectly, and I could not be happier to report that this cover hits the mark exactly. It encapsulates the vibrancy and power felt in both the world building and characters. This is such a great aesthetic. A+ all around.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Violence

taylor_perry's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

This book blew me away. And listening to it vs reading it was nothing short of beautiful and magical. This book covered things I wish the YA of my generation had. I devoured this book and cannot wait to read the second one. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Minor: Religious bigotry, Child death, and Suicide

Erasure of culture is a very emotional and moderate topic present in this book as well

micaela_ru's review

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Sexual content and Incest

book_loving_dragon's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, and Child abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship

genny's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.25

It's a little hard for me to review this as it's been about 2 months since I finished it and I barely took down any notes...but I do know that I enjoyed it! The prose was engaging and the audiobook narrator (Joniece Abbott-Pratt) did a great job of bringing multiple characters to life. I loved the vivid settings. I went into this expecting a very popular trope to drive the story

(enemies to lovers)

but what I got was completely different - in a good way! I liked the found family aspect, though we didn't see enough of Dayo's council to make their love for each other completely believable. As Tarisai spent most of her time only with select members of the council, I often forgot just how many of them supposedly lived together and cared for each other. There also came a point when I felt that Tar had gotten too slow on picking up obvious clues...it dragged the story as you're waiting for her to figure out what you already did ages go. And the blossoming

Kirah and Woo In

romance made me uncomfortable because of the age gap, considering one of 'em is a minor. 😬

All that said, it's a worthwhile read and it proved to me that there's still space for fresh, unique stories in YA fantasy. I dove into the sequel immediately after finishing this :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Sexism, Violence, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Blood, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Rape

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Vomit, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child death