Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst

10 reviews

stellahadz's review against another edition

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

4.25

"You feel like your world changed without your permission."

This book perfectly captures the feelings of shame and disappointment that come with adult life not panning out the way you wanted or expected. I loved Mickey's voice and her introspections about her work, her relationships, her family, and the level of control she can exert (or not exert) over her own life. I also thought the book did an amazing job of expressing the complex feeling of being known and seen in different ways by people from different parts of your life. Tembe Denton-Hurst is a very talented writer, and I look forward to reading more from her. 

My only complaint is that the book's description felt a little misleading - the "media scandal" that brings Mickey back into the spotlight doesn't happen until very late in the book, and as a result the last 75 pages or so feel quite rushed and the ending wasn't as satisfying as I would have liked. I expected a bit more flashy drama, but the book was overall on the introspective side. I still enjoyed it, but I think the premise of Mickey returning to her hometown to escape her disappointment in herself and her life would have been strong enough to stand on its own. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Fatphobia, Cultural appropriation, and Body shaming

peachani's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity and Sexual content

Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Racial slurs, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fatphobia, and Cultural appropriation

maceydowns's review against another edition

emotional 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Mental illness, Homophobia, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Classism, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting

hawk_just_hawk's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

Such a frustrating read for me. I’m not really into “bad communication” as the major theme. You spend 700 pages watching someone that you want to care about making awful decisions and don’t get the pay-off  when she  

finally (FINALLY) tells off the fuckboi.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Drug use, Sexual content, Alcohol, Racism, Racial slurs, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia

Minor: Religious bigotry

1414's review against another edition

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship

siobhanward's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

 This book bore a lot of resemblance to Central Places , which is fresh on my mind since I read it earlier this month. In both books, young women return to their small home towns, full of emotion and then proceed to make a bunch of selfish, poor decisions and wreck a good deal of their lives. I did have a bit more hope for this one, as the premise was more interesting - Mickey was returning home after unfairly losing a job and writing a manifesto on her mistreatment, which was certainly going to be a significant plot element, right?

Unfortunately not. The most interesting part of Mickey's story (her firing, her revenge), means nothing. She doesn't actually do anything after being fired, and anything that happens to her is purely luck and timing. I just can't keep reading about these women being so self-destructive anymore. Life is already there, I don't need it in my fiction too. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Toxic relationship

Minor: Racial slurs

gracescanlon's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

This book sounded SO good. After reading and enjoying The Other Black Girl a few years ago, Homebodies sounded tangentially similar and more appealing (to me). 

The characters, their relationships, and their interactions were believable and well-fleshed out. Mickey’s frustration at the unfairness (at best) of her situation was palpable. 

I’d expected the story to primarily be about the racism, micro-aggressions, etc. that Mickey and other POC experience, as well as the effect of her letter and the fallout from its going viral. That was what appealed to me most when I read the inside cover at the library. However, the story focused primarily on Mickey’s current romantic relationship and her reuniting with her first love. It was a good story, but I was still incredibly disappointed that the story I’d been promised was not what I got when I read the book.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Sexual content

Moderate: Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Homophobia

Minor: Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, and Abandonment

deetabz's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Lesbophobia, and Sexual content

Moderate: Body shaming, Toxic friendship, Cultural appropriation, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Infidelity, Racial slurs, and Fatphobia

Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, and Religious bigotry

moondreaming's review against another edition

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

1.5

there were many times i was very close to dnf'ing this book and the only reason i didn't was because i wanted to know how everything worked out. however, the ending of this book is, in my opinion, too open. so many of the sub plots and even, i would argue, the main plot weren't resolved. 
i also didn't like any of the characters expect grandma anna and i didn't like or feel a connection to mickey at all. 
i found the premise of the book  interesting and an important conversation to be had. the actual book itself felt frustrating. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Body shaming

Moderate: Toxic friendship and Homophobia

amberlfaris's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Fatphobia, and Racism