Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

23 reviews

sakeriver's review against another edition

lighthearted fast-paced

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

I have to admit, I was surprised by how strongly and quickly I turned to liking this book, after spending the first two-thirds or so really disliking both MCs. But in the end the slow burn paid off, with both characters growing in very satisfying ways. And where it really shined, IMO, was in the MCs’ respective family relationships. In both the relationship and family dynamics, the revelations and subsequent reconciliation were fairly quick, but the story was built well enough that it still came across as authentic.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Medical content, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Death of parent

alexgo's review

challenging emotional hopeful tense

• 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 read this entire book in a day, for the first time since I was a kid. I was absolutely enthralled. Ms. Dev took me for a hell of a ride, and every other book she has ever written has been bumped up to the top of my TBR list. Realistic and intense - full of commentary about the world we live in that felt precise and intentional . Putting this book down, I feel braver and more hopeful than I did yesterday.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Sexual assault

The main character is faced with her former best friend who manipulated her and drugged and sexually assaulted her brother, when he was 23 and she was 17, videotaped this, and tried to blackmail their family- she tells the other main character that the family spread lies about her and got her thrown out, causing her to be homeless. This creates an intense conflict for the two main characters.

jillaay_h's review

emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Miscarriage, Cancer, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual assault

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

4.25

This really tickled me, and I look forward to reading more from Ms. Dev. This had the caramel-thick tension of will-they-won't-they, and I really liked it. I also thought it did a really good job of portraying some beautiful sister moments, which always tug at my heart. Just a fun time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship and Bullying

Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Pregnancy, Classism, and Abandonment

Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Alcohol, Grief, Racism, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Infidelity, and Police brutality

meleigh's review

2.0

This book was a struggle to get through. I get that she was supposed to be some level of insufferable but honestly it was a bit much. There was no depth to the supporting characters (other than Emma). Just wasn't for me I guess. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical content, Eating disorder, Racism, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Miscarriage and Infertility

qgg's review against another edition

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

I really want to give this book a higher rating. It’s a gender bent retelling of P&P with Indian-American culture. Trish Raje is a brilliant brain surgeon and she knows where her talents lie. She plays an excellent Darcy. DJ, in the Lizzie Bennet role, is a gifted chef giving the whole story a Indian foodie flavor. There is a truly wicked Wickham in the mix. What’s not to love? 

Unfortunately, the Raje family dynamics are toxic

blaming Trish for things out of her control

The HIPAA violations between Trish and her family are unforgivable.

The resolution between DJ and Trish at the end seemed rushed and lacking in true chemistry AND it was another medical ethical violation unless Trish turned Emma’s care over to another surgeon.

Other reviews mention the length of the book and the side plots. I really liked the author’s writing and I think they helped develop Trish’s character. 

I have two more issues. 
1. Trish seemed to be written as autistic-coded. The book already was ableist AF. (Full star deduction for that.) Limited special interests, difficulty making friends, intense loyalty, strong *personal* ethical code (not necessarily aligned with laws like HIPAA), hyperfocus to the point of excluding sleeping and eating…. The only marker not explicitly stated was stimming. So, DJ’s dislike of her is even more ableism in this book.
2.

Maybe this is because I am a physical therapist who has worked in hospitals, but there is no way a surgeon would be researching a program, facility or artist like in this book for a patient. A social worker would call a meeting and SW, OT or PT would probably suggest changing artistic mediums to an artist. Resources would be suggested for the patient and family to look up on their own. Patients get autonomy at all times including the choice to stay sick and die with the dignity of their own choice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism and Cancer

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Medical content, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Rape, Death of parent, Classism, Racism, and Terminal illness

puffy_'s review against another edition

2.5

It’s cute and fun enough I suppose, but comparatively not really. I did like Trisha’s and her families relationship with one anther. Trisha’s and DJ’s relationship? Not so much. It was okay I guess. Maybe it was because I was not particularly interested in DJ’s story, though there were some moments here and there. His logic, in my opinion, was a little harder to follow than Trisha, which makes it harder to empathize with him. 
Also the way politics is used here is a little eh??? It gives me “we are progressive but not too progressive” kind of vibe. Not as bad as it was in books like RWRB, but still kind of there. This is more of a minor complaint, since it isn’t necessarily very significant to the overall story.
Th beginning was strong enough, but it does slowly become more and more of a drag to get though until you reach the middle. It does pick itself back up a bit and get more interesting after the middle. Either way, I’ll probably still consider picking up other books by the author when I need something lighthearted to read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Medical content, and Death

Minor: Bullying, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Racism

author2223's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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, Toxic friendship, Rape, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Police brutality

thaliareads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

What a fun take on Pride and Prejudice. This book provides a completely new and original feeling story built off the tropes and plot elements of the original Jane Austen work. I did have problems with Trisha's attitude at certain points in the book, however as the "Darcy" character that is too be expected to a point. Overall this was a really great read and I can't wait to make it through the other books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Abandonment

Moderate: Miscarriage, Medical content, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Rape, Gaslighting, Infertility, Death, and Drug use

Minor: Racism, Police brutality, Sexual content, Rape, and Sexual assault

This book does have a lot of heavy content. DJ's sister is dealing with a cancer prognosis that will leave her changed forever, even if she does survive it. Trisha feels abandoned by her family after a toxic friendship led to her brother being put in an awful situation (

Her friend get's close to the brother, eventually drugging him, raping him, and filming it to try and get closer to him via eliminating his girlfriend

. DJ and his sister both encounter the same toxic friend that Trisha had previous experience with, leading to discussions of his rough childhood and raising his sister after both of his parents were out of the picture. Finally, Trisha's sister, after a long standing battle with infantility and miscarriages is finally pregnant, but the high risk leads to a tense situation.

lawsam's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-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: Racism, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Medical content and Miscarriage

Minor: Rape, Drug use, Police brutality, and Sexual assault