Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Losers: Part II by Harley Laroux

10 reviews

dkgreads's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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: Sexual content, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Blood

jessanicolesingh's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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

4.0

For a categorically dark/taboo romance duet, these books were much more emotional than I had anticipated them being. I always love a good reverse harem, especially when the men play together too 😉

The series depicts a group of town outcasts in a polyamorous relationship that find themselves reconnecting with their old high school bully, Jess, whom they have all been obsessed with for years. After a chance encounter and car trouble, the guys propose a deal of sorts; if she agrees to join their quad for the time being they would fix her car in their shop. From there you can unsurprisingly expect a copious amount of spicy scenes, very heavy on the BDSM.

I absolutely LOVED these boys; Manson, the unofficial leader of the house and most forward towards bringing the FMC into the mix, Lucas, the hotheaded racer with a soft spot for cats, Vincent, the drug dealer turned romantic goofball, and finally Jason, abandoned by his religious parents that refused to accept him. Jessica on the other hand, I didn’t find myself all that crazy for, I felt like her plight was deeper than her personality at times.

I wouldn't really say there was too much of a plot outside of the payment arrangement that ultimately, and obviously, leads to Jess joining their “family.” There were some ghosts from their collective pasts slowly creeping in on them, namely Manson’s deadbeat father, Reagan, and a few stray bullies from high school still targeting them. From the first book to the second there was a fairly non-climaxal cliffhanger where the group was planning to take a vacation with just a touch of anxiety over the looming threats. Although the main antagonistic force wove in and out rather than a continuous buildup, this actually made the story more realistic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, and Violence

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment

BDSM

autumnwitch14's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Blood, Medical content, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism

wandering_seal's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful slow-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

4.5

Reread.

Right. I love this series, love these characters, but I'd be lying if I didn't say this books got issues. It drags a bit when the story turns into

in-which-Jess-says-"I love you"-one-by-one

. Jess's mother does not get the comeuppance she deserves. But. BUT. The romance. The feels. I love these characters and I only want the best for them and this story is a part of that so how could I rate it poorly. It's got lots going for it if you can work around its issues. This story has stayed with me in a way I never would have anticipated, I love it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Gun violence

kaybee_2033's review against another edition

dark 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Biphobia, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

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

3.5

It’s clear what the main goal of each of the books in this duology is: the first book is about reunion, overcoming lingering resistance to a relationship between Jessica and each of the members of this group, and building trust. And the second book is about love, and the admission/acceptance that they all love Jess and vice versa, as well as healing and forgiveness between them.

I understand that none of those things can be rushed, so on the one hand, I understand why it needed to be broken into two books and why each of the books had to be so long, but to be totally honest, this one still felt a bit too long to me. I think it’s because at least in the first book there was tension; the book started with Jess still hanging with the popular kids and so, plot-wise, a lot more BIG, external shifts had to happen in that book. It kept my attention.

This one, they’re already in a relationship, so all of the shifts that take place happen on a character-driven, emotional level. Sure there’s some outside threat with Manson’s father, but honestly  that aspect of the plot feels very marginal.

Don’t get me wrong, I still really enjoyed this series. I enjoyed getting to know each of the guys individually and their stories. The sex was obviously very very hot. The found family element was *chef’s kiss*. It wasn’t bad by ANY means and I’d still absolutely recommend it. I just thought this one moved a little slow at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Stalking, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Blood

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, and Murder

shaipanda's review against another edition

dark hopeful tense fast-paced

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

4.75

I preferred the first book more slightly but this one was still done incredibly well and I really enjoyed getting to see more character and relationship development from the characters even though it did get a lot darker at the end (and was fairly tense through most of the book)  which definitely stressed me out lol  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Stalking

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Body shaming

suse_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

My people in Christ- this series left me, an asexual, definitely polycurious and yet again aching to be able and meet fictional characters irl. 

I think The Losers series will always hold a special place in my heart because it was so easy and natural to love each of the characters in a unique way. Manson, Vincent, Jason and Lucas felt so real to me and my heart aches a little that I can’t meet the guys irl. Yes, I went into this expecting moral-grayness, and yes I have a thing for troubled and sometimes broken characters but the development they went through -especially in this book- was outstanding and very realistic. They all deserve all the happiness. 

There are only two minor flip-sides for me, both are personal opinions and/or preferences.

The first (1) ist definitely just a personal opinion- I started this series for the moral-grayness and dubious protagonists. But the development and healing they went through took that a little away. The second (2) one is both a flip-side and a good solution for that-I am never a fan of a pregnancy trope or mention or the topic in general in any way BUT I actually appreciate the way the author resolved it here. Very slight mention, no big deal.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, and Violence

Minor: Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, and Outing

Please make sure to read the Content Note provided at the beginning of the book. It summarizes any and all kinks and other topics explored in the book!

saraohneh's review against another edition

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying, Child abuse, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Alcoholism and Body shaming

lilithreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol