insidious_toxins's reviews
17 reviews

The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual violence, Medical content, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Rape, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Cursing, Confinement, and Stalking

Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, and Car accident

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Confinement, Gun violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Blood and Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol, Addiction, and Alcoholism

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

challenging emotional lighthearted relaxing 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

4.5

It was a super cute book & I’m so glad I got to experience it. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cursing, Alcohol, Car accident, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Murder, Grief, Hate crime, and Injury/Injury detail

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

emotional reflective sad 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

Oh my god where to even start with this. This was the first book I’ve read all year so far due to a book slump & oh man did it rip me out of it. I didn’t realize how close I had gotten to these characters honestly & yes I weeped so hard at the end. Truly magnificent. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Addiction, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abortion, Cancer, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, and Terminal illness

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Self harm

Moderate: Alcohol, Rape, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Racial slurs

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Confinement, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Car accident, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Child death, and Mental illness

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious relaxing tense fast-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

5.0

I so enjoyed this. It had me reeling with turmoil & I kept second guessing through the whole thing. The plot twists was written so well as well. & it does make you realize you don’t know a murderer even though you say “I’ll know one”. You really won’t. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Body shaming, Drug use, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Car accident, Suicide, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Minor: Animal death, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Confinement, and Cursing

Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.25

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

adventurous emotional sad tense 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

5.0

This book literally broke me 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: War, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Grief, Murder, Rape, and Slavery

Heartstopper Volume 2 by Alice Oseman

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

I may have cried towards the end I love this so much 💕💕