Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Falling Away by Penelope Douglas

7 reviews

samantha914's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

amanda_reads13's review

emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.0

KC is headed back home after an embarrassing breakup with her ex. She ended up moving into Tate's house while serving her community service. Jax, the boy who used to flirt with her, is now her very grown up neighbour. 

There is a lot of trauma in this book. These characters have severe PTSD and need therapy. Jax was abused by his father and friends as a child and KC

(Juliet) basically became her dead sister.

How do you become a functioning adult without proper support and therapy? 

I think that the beginning of this relationship is super toxic because they are both suffering and take it out on one another. Eventually it's becomes less toxic, but they never deal with their PTSD. 

Jax doesn't feel worthy of love, so he pushes KC away and keeps her at arm's length. He suffered severe abuse as a child and as an adult needs to be in constant control of his environment and life. Yes, I realize that he is traumatized, but he gave me whiplash with his mood swings and his poor treatment of KC. She tried so hard to be patient and help him, but she was his punching bag. 

KC has severe trust issues. Her boyfriend cheated on her twice and she suffered from constant emotional abuse, manipulation and gaslighting as a child.

Before she was born, her father killed her sister thinking she was an intruder in the house. He suffered severe mental health issues after. To help him cope Juliet took on the "role and personality" of her dead sister KC. Along the way her true self, Juliet, died and she just became KC. So traumatic.

The storyline with his dad kind of took a back seat. When he finally showed up to follow through with his threats, it was over pretty quick. It was barely a blip in the story. 

Tropes: boy next door, opposites attract

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

shelbeavs's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Minor: Rape

amfrizi's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and Abandonment

Minor: Gun violence and Sexual assault

mells_view's review against another edition

emotional funny 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I want to be a mess. For once.

Ok, ok. Did I hate on KC when I read Bully, absolutely, but also it was more a Jared problem than her. I just didn’t know how much I would eventually come to love dear Juliet. Anyway. Jax and Juliet are angsty AF. They are both dealing with drama/abuse from their pasts and being vulnerable with another person without fearing them hurting them too. So it’s a doozy. New adult angst classic with an added dash of trauma. I enjoyed it.

The narration was good, but I do speed it up so I can’t say on regular speed. Listened to this on 1.5-2.0 depending on when/where I was listening. Enjoyed that it was different voices for each POV chapter to chapter.

*Hoopla

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction and Abandonment

mollydollydoodah's review

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.75

Really, really good. Super spicy. Enemies to lovers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death and Murder

jhaneveauguste's review

dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Murder, and Abandonment