Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

126 reviews

fluffy1st's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Child death, and Vomit

lilybear3's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

0.25

 

**This is the first and only book of Colleen Hoover’s that I will read, due to problems surrounding her son’s harassment to a minor, her response to that, and her romanticizing abuse in her writing.  If you’d like more information, I encourage you to research.  I picked up this book at the library (no money given) so I could formulate my own opinion about a book and author that skyrocketed in popularity.  Hopefully, I wrote this review in a way that is understandable.

Into the review: 

I rarely take notes while reading books, but this one was so terrible, I almost did a page-by-page commentary because I couldn’t believe what I was reading. 

The names in this book are just wild.  Lily Blossom Bloom? Ryle?

Emerson Dory?? TF<spoiler/> 

The writing is bad for a number of reasons.  I’m so confused by the choice of randomly italicized sentences.  The story is told in first person, so it’s already an internal monologue!  It will be going relatively well and then Hoover drops a sentence that just takes you out of it. There are also unrealistic things that happen, like

they very last-minute wake everyone up to take a midnight flight to vegas.  I guess anything is possible when you make rich characters.

I felt like this was (and is) written for straight white people who think certain scenarios or dialogue are romantic when they’re actually cringy. 

About 130 pages in, something finally happens, but it is the dumbest scene I have ever read. 

there is no way Ryle was that drunk to grab a pan out the oven with no oven mitt. Secondly, why are they having sex WHILE HIS HAND IS BLEEDING A LOT? I don’t understand because he’s a SURGEON.

 

Talking about characters

As far as characters go, everyone in this book is unbearable, except for her mom at Atlas.  While Atlas is sort of written with a savior complex, it is completely forgivable due to how much I hated Lily, Ryle, and Allysa.  Best Atlas quote: “it wasn’t pity sex, I know I was there.” 

I hate miscommunication. There isn’t really the miscommunication trope, it’s that realistically, you would talk with your partner about having kids, moving in, etc. BEFORE marrying. 

Told in Lily’s perspective, it was difficult to read in that I had no idea why she was doing or saying the things she did.  She redeemed herself a little and I even felt proud of her for a moment, then continued to disappoint me.  The best chapter of the books is when Lily asks for help from her mother, her mother is affirming and supportive 

The ending: 

The epilogue ties up loose ends but leaves it open for a sequel with her new relationship with Atlas. I’m confused that she didn’t want her daughter to be around Ryle and his temper but is letter her have time with him?

This is a general statement, but I wanted more Atlas in this book, he just disappeared in the last 1/3 of the book. 

Final thoughts:  @thecalvinbooks on TikTok said it best, Colleen Hoover books are for people who don't read, they're not written well.  People who are getting into reading shouldn't read them because they won't want to read anything that isn't this type of writing. 

Reading articles on my own, I know Colleen Hoover is problematic in that some of her books are marketed as romance even though there are abusive relationships and abuse scenes.  One article wrote that typically romance novels are based around consent, Hoover romanticized abuse and homelessness in this book.  I also feel like the abuse scenes were used for shock and propelled the story, leaving readers on edge to see what happens next, I won't lie, I felt this myself.  She has a savior complex with her stories where a man will come and save the woman in distress and there is no representation whatsoever.  It is a book written by a white woman, for white women.

The author’s note outlines that this story was based on her experience watching her father abuse her mother. She says it was hard to write,

making Ryle (a character she loved) be abusive and Lily (also loved) continue to stay

, writing how hard it is the break the cycle of abuse and why victims stay. There are two resources for domestic violence and homelessness listed in the back of the book. 

While I can sympathize with her experience and know that versions of Lily and Ryle’s relationship exist in the real world, I cannot recommend this book to people without sharing all of the trigger warnings, which should have been in the beginning of this book.  Periodically, she has a monologue on abusive relationships, why some victims choose to stay, and why the cycle of abuse is hard to break.  I appreciated it at times, but it did not make up for the fact that this book was propelled by those triggering scenes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Sexual content, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Medical content, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Stalking

Minor: Sexual assault, Death, Infidelity, Rape, and Death of parent

_zara's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, and Suicidal thoughts

cdoubet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Vomit, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Infertility, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Pregnancy and Death of parent

Minor: Bullying

livruther's review against another edition

dark sad 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: Toxic relationship, Rape, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Gaslighting, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Vomit

justanotherisi's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit

lizzye33's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual content, Cursing, Medical content, and Physical abuse

Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, Infertility, Vomit, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, and Rape

boba_n_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Overall, this was a good book. I enjoyed the plot line and appreciated the bravery the main character exuded.

What knocked it down a bit for me was the predictability and cheesiness of it. The chapters written to Ellen were odd. I guess it’s a unique spin on a journal, but it seemed forced to me. Also, the “naked truth” thing got old the first time they said it. 

All in all, I enjoyed the book and can see why so many people love it! 

Naming the daughter after the brother her father accidentally killed and then giving her the middle name “Dory” after Finding Nemo was a little too much.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy and Sexual violence

Minor: Vomit and Sexual content

There was a LOT of trauma in this book. From an abusive father to homelessness to accidentally killing a sibling… it was just too much, honestly. People don’t always need to bond over trauma, and that’s what I felt like this book focused on.

thehetvip's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

OMFGGG I LOVE THIS BOOOK!! I am in love with Atlas Corrigan I love that

Lily chose him at the end and decided to divorce Ryle. He was a huge red flag from the start. And the ending made me tear up it was sad but proud of Lily.

The parallel between Lily’s parents problems and her problems with Ryle were insane it gave a new perspective on abusive relationships. My favorite part was defo the letters it was so cute and I hope in the sequel Atlas and Lily marry. And the just keep swimming part was cute.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Rape

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Pregnancy

Minor: Death of parent, Self harm, Vomit, Suicide, Alcoholism, and Gun violence

anewton's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A powerful, emotional read, that dives into an incredibly real, challenging topic. A read that beautifully reminds you that things aren’t as black and white as they seem, people and relationships are complex and messy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Cursing, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Death

Minor: Vomit, Infertility, and Alcohol