Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

174 reviews

pickpoppies's review

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

Jake Livingston is not like the other kids at St. Clair, he’s black and he sees dead people. Seeing ghost has become easier for him but one day a ghost stands out from the rest, it has bad intentions.

It was kind of funny because I picked this book a little on a whim. I wanted to do Blackoween despite half of the month being over, had seen this book mentioned and then I saw it by accident at the library so I grabbed it and liked it!

I haven’t read YA in a long time, might have to change that. It came across a lot more mature than plenty of fantasy I have started and DNF and plenty of cozy mystery.

It’s a pretty dark book and brings up suicide and school shootings. For me the spooky elements were not very spooky but the dark world view was in a way. 

There were areas that could have been better, the magic was a little unclear and even the writing at times were a tad confusing but I just thought, “F it” and went with it.

SPOILER:

How did he get away with murder/arson tho? After that fire wouldn’t the cashier mention the kid that came in? The kid that later cashed his car  possibly not that far from the fire… and there was kerosene all over the place? No? Also wished there had been an resolution between Grady and Jake.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, and Mass/school shootings

Bugs (couldn't find a tag for that)

maregred's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Alcohol

winglesswarrior's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

pigegesy's review

3.0

I wasn't really feeling a school shooter's perspective. While Jake's comments on experiences of Black kids in predominantly white schools and how they endure so much systematic mistreatments and racial abuse from peers and teachers, bc schools are designed to oppress with what they teach, what they don't but should have, and how they just let microaggressions happen. It was well-done here (my white european arse think). Parts of it reminded me a bit of ,,Ace of Spades" how straightforward, ruthless and no-bullshit-taken it treats the subject. Those were my favourite parts, though the book was taken over by a white boy's cruel but meaningless inner thoughts. Some may say Sawyer has colonised the story that belonged to Jake. Given the ending...

does anyone else interpreted the body possession as a literal take on colonialism and imperialism?

I loved it!! Maybe because I really hate today's state of the world where Black identity is used as a prop for maintaining power structures. Where it so common to endorse systems of oppressions if they are made by diverse leaders. White supremacy is always the wrong choice, no matter which face is representing it. Maybe I just deeply hate liberals and made my own freak interpretation of what the scene meant, but isn't it what art is about? Uhh, about the book, thougg... I disliked one-dimensional characters and the love story with very boring, very forced-to-be-cool love interest, too. But good for them boys,

it actually cured Jake's anxiety

🤍 There were also super YA story devices that were too cheesy and ridiculous for my liking, like

Allister's hacking skills and the breaking in scene

, but well, am I not ridiculous myself blaming YA for being YA? Don't mind me, it's me-problem 😔 Anyway, I gave it 1.5 stars originally, but fuck it, it was actually okay. Up to 3 stars we go! This opinion has no structure and conveyed very little about the book itself, and I don't know how people stay on topic and are actually useful for potential readers. Sorry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Mass/school shootings

robi_locksley's review

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Transphobia

beatle426's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Murder

spookymartinireads's review

dark emotional hopeful sad 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

4.5

Really sweet and tender coming of age story mixed with spooky and dark themes. Check TW but overall a satisfying YA novel that should resonate w/ a lot of people. Made me tear up at the end 🥲

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault

sammy357's review

dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Suicide, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Sexual assault

cover2covertx's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.5

There was a lot of internal dialogue and monologuing- a lot. The first half of the book I was completely invested but the second half was a lot of talking and thinking and not a lot of actual action driving the plot. Also, we need to include trigger warnings on the audiobooks too, because while I was prepared for the difficult content related to the violence of the ghost’s past, childhood SA is a deal breaker for me. Thankfully this was a buddy read so I had a friend fill me in before I got to that part. But I struggled overall with this one.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Mass/school shootings

maxinekelly's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Car accident