insidious_toxins's reviews
27 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: Body horror, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, and Stalking

Minor: Cancer, Car accident, and Alcohol

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

Moderate: Blood and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

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: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Hate crime, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, 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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

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

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

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

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, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Gaslighting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 💕💕