Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

489 reviews

whatkateeread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Gun violence

pettybitch's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

I’m speechless on how to review this story. Definitely took some turns that I was not expecting. I can see why there’s a sequel because I am SO curious as to how these characters turn out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Child death, Gun violence, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

aditinarayan_1996's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

3.25

There are powerful and important messages in this book. I did also find myself falling in love with one of the passages in spoiler>younger Lily’s later diary entries about meaningful relationships that last forever. This book tackles a kaleidoscope of emotions, while creating a multidimensional portrait of

a young woman who becomes a victim of domestic violence

, despite her desire to escape the past and not follow in the same volatile, abusive relationship her mother had been in. But, cycles are not that easy to break. Not when there’s love involved. I just wish the writing had delved into the protagonist’s inner turmoil, her conflicting emotions that make up her nuanced character. I too feel there was plenty of missed opportunity for the writing to lend itself to setting descriptions. I would have loved to read some more descriptions of Lily’s flower shop, or Atlas’s restaurant. At times, I did too feel the writing was repetitive, and might have merited from more time spent editing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship

dewalt335's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I heard a lot of “bad press” about this book long before reading it about its content, writing style, and the author. With that in mind, I didn’t go in with very high expectations; I didn’t expect to come out the other side liking it, but I think I did. Obviously with the heavy content, it’s a tough read, but I think that is a testament to the writer. You shouldn’t be reading something painful or that emotional and be able to feel comfortable or good about it. With that said, I’m not sure I like the writing style of Hoover; just not my personal preference and maybe if I read more of her stuff (specifically content written recently) that idea may change. I think this book gets more bad press than it deserves and more hype than it deserves, but it was an above average read for me. I had no idea what would happen next because honestly anything could happen, especially with the character’s instability and unpredictability.  It kept me guessing, it kept me engaged, and I’m interested to see the adaptation that just premiered in theaters just yesterday.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual violence

Minor: Cursing, Gun violence, Vomit, and Death of parent

jaslikestoread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

4.0

This book takes you through a whole lot of emotions. Quite a lot of abuse in here and you would think people would learn from that, but they don’t. And that’s like life. Lily was almost following the same path as her mother. Allowing herself to be in an abusive relationship and then staying for as long as she did. Yes, she did eventually get out, but it took until her baby was born to make these decisions. There were times I was mad at Lily and there were times I cried with her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

truckasaurusb'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

savvyrosereads's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Rating: 5/5 stars

Lily Bloom finds dangerous cycles repeating when she ends up in a relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid.

I had never heard of Colleen Hoover before joining bookstagram, and when I did I quickly put several of her books on my tbr and then…didn’t read them. Sometime last year-ish, my friend Hannah read this one and I promised her I would too—before the movie came out. Well, the movie is out tomorrow and I am a woman of my word, and BOY am I glad past me made that promise because I LOVED this book.

I knew the general plot of the book going in so the following were not spoilers to me but be aware they COULD BE SPOILERS FOR YOU, so stop reading if you want to be absolutely blind about this one.

I thought Lily’s journey was absolutely gorgeous and so real and raw and vulnerable, and the author’s note at the end was absolutely perfect. This is such an important and poignant story that so deserves to be told. I’m not a DV survivor and would never claim to have that lived experience, but much of my career both as a practicing attorney and a scholar/academic has focused on DV and family law, and it’s also an area I teach in now. As a result, I feel really confident in saying I’m educated in these topics, and they are handled *so well here.* The nuance and complexities of the relationships and characters? The various myths and misconceptions debunked and corrected? So many more authors need to be telling these kinds of stories in this way. I’ve seen FAR too many people claiming this book “romanticizes abuse” and truly, I think they read a different novel from the one I did, because that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

I could go on, but this isn’t exactly an underhyped book and you probably don’t need me to sell you on it if it’s not already on your radar. But if you’re on the fence, I urge you to give it a chance. I’m so glad I did.

CW: Domestic/physical/sexual violence; child abuse; child death; gun violence; suicidal thoughts

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Child abuse

lekutches's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

Many plot twists! The plot was alive the entire time, and the micro-lessons throughout were inspirational. Lilly and Atlas are both admirable characters, with incredible strength. Alyssa was also uplifting and encouraging. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

burnourhistory's review against another edition

emotional fast-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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Gun violence, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

thealmightykatt's review against another edition

challenging emotional fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Rape and Sexual content

Minor: Gun violence, Infertility, and Death of parent