Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

8 reviews

eddieboy's review against another edition

I started reading this on a day where I was rather stressed and sleep deprived, I have a history of mental health problems and I'm queer, probably wasn't the best thing to read in a state where I was more at risk of those kinds of thoughts. It's a good book and it discusses things a lot of books leave out. But I have it as a library book and I'm not sure if I'm ready to face it again really. At least not yet.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Sexual content

elysianbud's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

The entire second half of the book was just the author ripping my heart out of my chest while I sobbed violently. I've literally just finished it and I think I have a headache from dehydration...

Great characters and good plot. Love to see assholes get their due. Author sets atmosphere brilliantly. 

(Also the cover for this is gorgeous!)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

saurahsaurus's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

I really enjoyed this book, but didn’t expect it to be so violent. I loved its lore and strangeness, the themes of identity and being othered. And I just want to protect main character 🥹💜

I understand the role that the violence played in the book, and it fit. Just wasn’t prepared for it going in.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cursing, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, Police brutality, and Abandonment

brookey8888's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

3.0

This was fine. There was a lot I liked about it but a lot fell flat for me. I liked the discussion about racism, bullying, sexual assault, coming out, and family trauma/heritage. I liked how slowly Jake started to accept himself and the friendships and relationships that formed as well as the strengthening of the family. I just felt the the plot and the horror aspect was boring and it didn’t keep my attention sadly. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

There are def some difficult topics in this book so check out content/trigger warnings before reading!
Overall, thought the book was solid. I enjoyed the paranormal aspects of it and how it also spoke on trauma. I would've liked to see more of Jake learning/accepting his power thought. I enjoyed reading about his interpersonal relationships growing and how his intrapersonal relationship grew as well.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, and Grief

ecn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? No

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

queerreaderchaos's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Blood, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, and Suicide

amandalorianxo's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

3.25

So there are a lot of triggers that I wish had been brought up somewhere before the start of the novel. This should not have been marketed as YA. It’s too intense for young teens. One of the triggers is a school shooting. Despite that, this novel is hauntingly painful and sad. Albeit really short which I low key wish it was longer. I didn’t think I understood the backstory of how Jake gained the ability to see the dead. It was like the audience was expected to just take his word for it and accept it. The storyline with Alister was cute but it could have meshed a little better. Overall, I think if the story had been maybe fifty or a hundred pages longer, I would have felt more of an understanding as to why Jake can do what he do and why Benji can’t. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail