Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz

20 reviews

nozycozy's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad 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 love this book it was written in a way that the MC is talking to you so I highly recommend listening to the audio book. Listening to Cara Romero was like having a cafecito with a beloved Tia. She was spilling all the tea about her life and everyone she knew in her community. I felt like a chismosa haha But in a good way 😆 The story telling was phenomenal the ups and downs, the wisdom, the reflection kept me engaged. I felt conflicted with Carmen at times but in the end she’s human and she is doing her best to change. I loved Cara’s growth. As a daughter of immigrant parents Cara’s relationship with her son really hit close to home. I would get emotional. Cara Romero’s (Cara Bonita 💅) character was very well fleshed out and complex that she felt real and human. I enjoyed listening to her story and despite her mistakes I couldn’t help but root for her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse

kirstym25's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, and Death

mr_cain's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective tense 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

5.0

A sweet little story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse and Cursing

Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent

thoughtsfromtheafro's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

3.75

The structure was a little off putting at first, but I settled into it. The way the therapist was weaved (or rather, wasn’t) into the dialogue was an interesting choice. I would’ve loved an additional pov intermittently — especially from a family member and/or those to whom she refers frequently.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Grief

Written in “Spanglish”

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective 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

3.25

This one didn't really do it for me, but I feel like if it was a one-woman show on a stage, I would be in. I think it was just a format thing? I'm not sure what else was missing for me, but I appreciated the whimsical style of the author, and I would read Ms. Cruz again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Classism, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Homophobia

Minor: Sexual content and Infidelity

theabee's review

emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity

Minor: Miscarriage and Addiction

bella_cavicchi's review

emotional funny 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

4.5

4.5 stars. A sheer joy and a half to read. Angie Cruz has crafted what is effectively a 190-page monologue, showcasing what feels to me like one of the most distinct voices in recent literary memory. My sentimental heart was tearing up by the final few pages, but I’ll leave that for you to experience for yourself… :)

(And for anyone craving a multi-media (!) experience, reading it is well-paired with this episode of Thresholds: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5odDnfti2oq70ktRVZ4rdU?si=1379209cd6e14d86)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, Grief, and Death

Minor: Miscarriage and Infidelity

booknerderika's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

5.0

This was such a raw story. Covering topics like gentrification, living in the U.S. without citizenship, and generational trauma all through one person's story. I wasn't completely sure in the beginning, but as the story went on, I was hooked. 

I highly recommend the audiobook for this one. It made the story so much more real. I was able to see my mom, my tías, my grandma in so many of the dominican women in this story. 🇩🇴

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual content

readingwithcoffee's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

3.75

Overall the book is about a woman using her job counselor more as therapist because she has no one to talk to and as the sessions continue and she looks for employment in an unforgiving country and city she unpacks the harm that’s been done to her and that she’s done to others. 

A refreshing older woman protagonist but if you go in not expecting the character unpack domestic and child abuse and how she continued the cycles and tries it break them it may catch you off guard. I heavily recommend checking out the content warnings. Also most of the time the Spanglish made sense but there were times when instead “he has ten years” clearly being someone in English mimicking Spanish’s “Él tengo diez años”, instead at times it felt like taking a random word and making it Spanish to make sure we remember she’s poorly educated ESL especially that one sentence she didn’t recognize Chile the country despite being Latin American that seemed silly to me. 

Small details but they bothered me, all in all Cara Romero is a very human character from her selfless virtues to her flaws that hurt everyone including herself. It made me cry which is a positive to the writer! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Grief, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Classism, Terminal illness, Sexism, Cursing, Child abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Stalking

booksinherhead's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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 epistolary novel absolutely caught me by surprise! In HOW NOT TO DROWN IN A GLASS OF WATER Dominican immigrant Cara Romero carefully describes her life to her job counselor over twelve sessions. Artful, lush, heartbreaking, and hopeful. I won't forget this one anytime soon. THIS is the sort of novel I truly love to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Medical content, Death, and Sexual violence