Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Bully by Penelope Douglas

7 reviews

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

3.5

Jared and Tate were joined by the hip as kids, but all that changed after the summer they turned 14. 

I am torn. I literally tore through this book. BUT I really wish this hadn't been set in high school, for obvious reasons. Though the age of them could explain some of the dumb and ridiculous decisions they made. 

You can't help but feel for Jared. He

suffered horrific abused from his father.

That said, it doesn't justify what he did to Tate. Yes, he was a kid and yes his reaction to be jealous of her "perfect" family was understandable, but you would think he would see the error of his ways as he grew up. Some simple communication would have mended their relationship years ago. Instead he allowed his jealousy to justify bullying her for years. 

I do really like Jared. HE NEEDS THERAPY and has some growing up to do, but I think he truly loves Tate. He has not always shown it, but she has always been the constant in his life. 

Tate has returned from a year in France and has finally grew a backbone. She has decided not ignore Jared's antics, but turns to retaliation instead. Her actions really demonstrated how young and immature she is. She makes so many dumb and unsafe choices that could jeopardize her future. 

Why are all these parents so absent?! How are there zero consequences for these kids actions? How does a student release a sex tape of classmates and just get away with it? Wtf?! How does an entire school population basically gaslight Tate into thinking she is crazy for being angry with Jared?! 

Can we talk about KC for a minute? She is a terrible friend! Who dates a guy who has been torturing your best friend. Nope. Drop her like a rock. She is the worst. Not only does she hook up with Jared but she then gaslights Tate. Nope. Bye. 

Tropes: childhood best friends, enemies to lovers, bully

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

kengtwozero's review against another edition

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

rceis's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Blood, and Abandonment

saoreads's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-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

It's a big cliché and dramatic, which led to a plot story that really is predictable, yet that's on me as I wanted to take a breather from reading high fantasy books to school setting ones. What made a huge impression on me was Tate's monologue. I had to read that twice. That part was both soothing and painful because of the sort of way their friendship ended up. It felt like a last call and a voice indeed to express how she felt from the duration she was made to suffer over trauma dumping and incidents in school from bullying and pranks. It had a lot of messed up scenes to the extreme, but it was fiction for a reason. Anyway, that monologue definitely saved the book for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol

lilimday's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

vanny62306's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Minor: Cancer and Death of parent

zabeishumanish's review against another edition

It's in the title and I knew this would be a bully romance, but in this case, the bully is unforgivable and doing nothing to atone for his cruelty.  He is hard and wooden and Tate is left baring the entirity of the emotions for the both of them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Blood, Death of parent, and Abandonment