Reviews tagging 'Incest'

Without Merit by Colleen Hoover

54 reviews

she_reads_though's review against another edition

dark emotional sad

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Minor: Incest

zchaensich's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

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

3.5

I enjoyed this book. I think the ending especially was really well done and left me feeling like the plot and conflicts were thought out. I didn't feel myself pulled to it and anxious to find out more, and that is what really catches my attention. I think it was a little slow to start, but once the action started happening it was interesting to read. I feel like all of the characters I liked, but none of them I really cared for and was rooting for. I generally felt indifferent to them until the very end, when I was happy there was some resolution. I enjoyed the book and it was entertaining, but definitely isn't my favorite Colleen Hoover book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness

Moderate: Incest and Animal death

Minor: Homophobia

evie_dora's review against another edition

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

i cannot put into words how messed up this whole book was.

we find out that Merit’s mum has an illness and lives in the basement of the house, while the rest of the family - including the mother’s carer who Merit’s father now has a child with - lives in the upper levels of the house. we later discover that merit’s mother actually suffers from a mental illness which makes her believe she suffers from a purely physical illness. the mother is repeatedly portrayed as villainous for her behaviour - and while i am not denying mentally ill parents can have a negative effect on their children, i do not like how the mother was treated because of her illness. merit almost loses her virginity to her step-uncle. she also kisses a guy who she believes to her twin sister’s boyfriend. when merit attempts su!c!de (for which there were NO content warnings that i could find) she writes letters to everyone living in the house outing all their secrets. this includes her brother’s - he sexually assaulted her when she was younger, and in turn, she outs him as gay to her entire family. all in all, this book was horrific.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Mental illness, Sexual content, Outing, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Infidelity, and Grief

Moderate: Incest and Animal death

Minor: Drug abuse

there was no content warning for the su!cide attempt, nor for any of the other possibly harmful content.

lila_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Incest, and Drug use

Minor: Chronic illness and Incest

kimseokjinschild's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense 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

3.0

The story discusses important topics like suicide, depression, toxic household. I was able to sense characters emotions and resonate with the female lead, in terms of mental health. 

Sometimes the book became slow paced, where I did not know what was happening : lost interest couple of times. I wished there was more build up to the big secret. Also I don't understand why the male lead's background information was showcased near the end...it would have been better at the beginning or the middle.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Suicide

Moderate: Incest and Animal death

arthur_ant18's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Sexual assault, Medical content, Outing, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Biphobia and Homophobia

taya_gray's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Incest

evie2947's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Animal death, Drug use, Mental illness, Incest, and Suicidal thoughts

amorales107's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Incest, and Vomit

Moderate: Animal death, Homophobia, and Infidelity

saraellenme's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

There are some interesting twists in this, but in general it was an overall bummer. The narrator is unlikable, and I know that’s the point, but listening to this book always soured my mood. It is also one of those books that ties up all the plot points neatly with a bow at the end. Very happily ever after.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Incest, Homophobia, Animal death, and Medical trauma

Minor: War, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Toxic relationship