Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

10 reviews

fluture's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

5.0

I personally think this second book of Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy is waayy better and more intense than the first book. Just now I could feel the chemistry between Evangeline and Jacks and understand why people got head over heels ove this boy. The plot, the challenges, the events that happened in this book which unveil the dark past and truth about The North was definitely shocking yet enjoyable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Blood

Moderate: Grief and Death

Minor: Violence

prashiie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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

3.0

“Love would always win as long as they never stopped fighting for it.” 

 

Evangeline had been naive enough to think that Jacks really wanted to help her, but she discovers that Jacks is manipulating whoever he needs to in order to finally open the Valory arch. But she goes from trusting Jacks to not trusting Jacks and oscillates between the two states often. Very frustrating! Apollo is alive in a suspended state and someone placed another curse on them! Curses upon curses. What I didn’t understand is how

nobody sees Apollo when he’s riding around looking for Evangeline. You would think that a prince is very recognisable, right? They are also stealing these Valory arch stones from the Great Houses. How do they not know these stones are missing? They are described as being important and well-guarded by the Great Houses. And one of the stones is with the girl who is said to be the first key. I really wondered if she also had some kind of powers like Evangeline. But we don’t get much information about her, only that she faked her death so that she can keep that one particular stone.

Also, I wished to see Marisol in this book, but her story does not continue. It’s like these characters are tossed out as soon as their purpose has been fulfilled. 

 

And oh my god, the ending…

I always thought Apollo was vain but I never expected him be the villain in this story. I even felt sorry for him because it seemed like Evangeline was cheating on him when she realises she has feelings for Jacks. How can he take Evangeline’s memories!! But I really liked Jacks at the ending when he decided to save Evangeline instead of going back to fix things with Donatella. He finally realises where to find his true love.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Stalking, and Death

britwalsh16's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.75

It was such a good book! Couple things I called, and somethings I was so wrong about! But even then, all the twists at the end, I did not see any of them coming! I probably should have, but damn, they just kept shocking me! And that damn cliffhanger! Where’s book 3 already?! Gahh!!! I need to continue this story already!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Stalking, Torture, and Abandonment

hrubelle's review

adventurous emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Gore

Moderate: Death of parent and Murder

Minor: Emotional abuse

busra425's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Stalking

bel017's review

adventurous

• Diverse cast of characters? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Blood

Moderate: Violence, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Toxic friendship

amre23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Violence, Murder, Gore, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Grief, and Body horror

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Blood, Abandonment, War, Stalking, Gaslighting, Classism, Physical abuse, and Infidelity

Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Sexual assault

kbairbooks's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

This was a hard read for me. Not in the way I read it because I did consume it quickly. There’s a whimsy to Stephanie’s writing that is a person with synesthesias dream. But while it’s not described as such her books are horrors. Maybe a fantasy horror but damn dude. The gaslighting and terrible relationships? The betrayal and secrets? The freaking ending? I wanna know what happens after this but I’m also afraid. This book is easily very triggering for DV victims or someone such as myself that has trauma surrounding men. Ugh.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

katvou's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Grief and Violence

Minor: Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Child death, Torture, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual content, Body horror, and Fire/Fire injury

laneys_library's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Nothing beats the original Caraval book, but I love this spin off, especially since Jacks is my favorite character. I enjoyed this one even better than ‘Once Upon A Broken Heart’ Lots of truths are revealed and we learn a lot about Jacks past. The ending was shocking and amazing and I’m desperate for the next book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Violence, Self harm, Torture, Gore, and Grief