Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

13 reviews

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted fast-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

4.0

I love an angst filled friends to lovers novel and this book perfectly scratched that itch. The main characters are two total weirdos who bond through texts after they realize neither one of them has anyone to rely on in an emergency situation. The only thing I didn’t like about this book is the ending. I wanted it to keep going a few more chapters.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Pregnancy, and Mental illness

danajoy's review

dark emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Rape, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Alcohol

Minor: Abortion and Eating disorder

chris_reads's review

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape

Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, and Pregnancy

Minor: Addiction, Miscarriage, and Alcohol

liz_not_bennet's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

How is this such a simple YA Romance and still SO much more. God, I loved this. The humor is like salted caramel -  exactly to my taste (Am I phrasing this correctly? It sounds weird in my head but I don't know how else to articulate this). Every character feels fleshed out and is likeable or at least complex enough so you can't hate them.
I don't want a boyfriend, I want a Sam.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Pregnancy

escapismforlife's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Rape, Alcoholism, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Abortion, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship

ava_jane's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse, Eating disorder, and Panic attacks/disorders

hmlongstreet's review

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.0

I had written a review on this book but it somehow got deleted so I am rewriting this.
I picked up this book because the cover had a review by Rainbow Rowell (author of Fangirl and Eleanor & Park) and she said it was a good read. This is my usual book genre, a fluffy college romance. I got invested in the story, I really did but after I had finished the book I was left with the feeling of "That's it?". The book has a promising beginning, a going somewhere middle, and a disappointing end. 

Themes, characters, and stories are brought up only to be dropped in the next few sections, never to be heard from again. Even some conflicts remained unsolved and even when it was resolved I felt zero satisfaction. This is the book where you could leave out full characters and the story would not change one bit. And the main characters are just okay, the story is character-based but the development to me felt so small. I also could not find the plot, as I went through three ideas of what it could be, it is revealed so far towards the end it makes the whole story feel pointless. 

I will mention something about the main character, will place a spoiler as it reveals things in the book.

I found that Penny's treatment of her mother was unjustified. I mean we find out Penny was raped and her mother didn't do anything, she also doesn't know and never learns by the end of the book. It is made out to seem like this is why Penny has a bad relationship with her mom, but it just doesn't sit right with me. This is revealed so late that it makes you think throughout Penny doesn't like her mother simply because she is a "MILF". I could go on but this would be a much longer review than it already is.

I really wanted to love this one, but after I finished it and sat with it for a few minutes I couldn't.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault

lesbianfrankiero's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Pregnancy, and Mental illness

Minor: Abortion, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Drug use, Medical content, and Miscarriage

i would've loved to see more character development tbh, BUT i did love the discussion of mental health, socioeconomic disparity, vulnerability, and the focus on the bond or lack thereof between parent and child that

doesn't result in immediate change or forgiveness

besohappily's review against another edition

3.25

The first part of the story annoyed me incredibly. Especially Penny seemed very selfish and just tended to make me frustrated for no reason what so ever. After a while the story does get more engaging. I must say that some aspects seemed force. I would also and Sam as a character was quite simply the one better written out of the main two. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault

marielkitty's review against another edition

emotional

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

I’m honestly so shocked about how invested I got with the characters. I really felt similarities with both Sam and Penny. This book made me go back to my hopeless romantic views of life. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape and Mental illness