Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

27 reviews

myyam's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

1.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Rape, and Racism

dianaschmidty's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

Wow, this was a tough, but good book. Kennedy Ryan’s writing is amazing at making you experience what the characters are feeling, both good and bad.

Let’s start off with the good feelings. I absolutely love August West! He was basically exactly what Iris needed exactly when she needed him. They were perfect together, once they were given their chance. I love how the ending talked about soulmates, because they are two characters that make me believe in that idea too. I also loved Iris, especially her character growth in the wake of the suffering she endured.

While this book has a lot of triggering content, I think Kennedy Ryan handled it very well. She brought to life the cruelty in this world, but also offered hope in the wake of that cruelty.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Toxic relationship, Classism, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Blood, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Misogyny, Confinement, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Infidelity, Stalking, Grief, and Police brutality

Minor: Death of parent, Abortion, and Miscarriage

lormurenzi's review

emotional hopeful tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Blood, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse

jamjustbe's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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

This was an introduction to Kennedy Ryan's prose and I am enamored by how she writes her characters and plot with such reverence. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Physical abuse, Rape, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Pregnancy

amarachireadss's review against another edition

5.0

"Loving again was a long shot, and I wasn't sure I should take it, but you were so patient."

"Breathe out the lies. That it was your fault. That you failed. That you are what he said you were. Breathe in truth. You are pure. You are enough. You are strong”.

Kennedy Ryan has done it again this book was amazing and I’m so glad I read this. There’s so much emotion, pain, realness and love that was in this book. This story is about Iris (fmc), her survival, strength and love and it was such an important one. We see how intimate partner violence affects Iris in her relationship, the horror of it and how she was able to survive and later find love. 

This has a love story in it but it’s not a romance book. It’s a story that shows and gives voice to women that have been through domestic and intimate partner violence. It shows their strength and resilience, the stigma and isolation they go through and also the hope of survival, healing and love again. The romance was touching, sweet and spicy but I'm glad after some sort of healing for the main character. This story is so important to me and it was sometimes hard to get through because of what was happening to the main character but it’s such a beautiful story that everyone should read if they can, 

This is also a sports romance that has basketball which is one of my favorite sports. I hardly see basketball in romance books which made me love this book even more. I can’t wait to post all my favorite quotes from this book because I have so many. 

TW: This has graphic on page sexual, emotional ,financial and physical intimate partner violence so please be aware before reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

triple_m's review

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

2.0

I’m conflicted with how I feel about this book, but ultimately I think it’s a miss for me.

In general, there was a lot of “not like other girls”-isms that made me roll my eyes and contemplated DNFing in the first 30 pages. In general I think this book treated most side female characters very stereotypically and negatively.

The abuse:

I knew going into it that this was a book about domestic violence, but I was not prepared for how graphic it would be, nor did I anticipate such brutal rape scenes. I also have a hard time believing Iris would get herself into a situation where she 1) doesn’t even consider getting an abortion (she didn’t seem strongly religious), and 2) moved in with Caleb without her name on ANYTHING. She was smarter than that, it felt unrealistic for her character.

While Iris gets out 60% into the book, I don’t think the conclusion was worth sticking around for. If Kennedy Ryan wrote this book for DV survivors to feel seen, then I think she missed the mark with Caleb dying. Many people will have to live the rest of their lives knowing their abuser is out there.

This book is tagged as a romance, and I did like August and Iris as a couple, but they’re not really that memorable. Their romance is definitely overshadowed by the abuse.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, and Rape

Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

hannibanani29's review

dark emotional tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Cursing, Blood, Confinement, Gaslighting, Gore, Body horror, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Grief

Minor: Abortion, Vomit, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Murder, Child abuse, Suicide, Racism, Medical content, and Mental illness

bookwormneedsbooks'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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, and Emotional abuse

brgntteva's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.5

2.5

I sì: 
parlare di depressione post parto e di non voler figli (ma non riuscire ad abortire), parlare di terapia.
Parlare di abusi domestici, del modo in cui ci si entra senza nemmeno notarlo e poi ci sei dentro e non riesci a uscirne.
Parlare del fatto che da fuori non si capisca cosa succede dietro le porte chiuse, che anche altre donne insultano e sottostimano quello che succede dietro quelle porte.
Parlare del fatto che la giustizia quando si tratta di abusi domestici semplicemente non funziona.
Le verità di Lo, Lotus in generale spacca. The great-grandmother Mimi voodoo priestess,
New Orleans, gris-gris, voodoo priestesses.

I no:
Non ho capito mai perché Iris sia finita con Caleb, né perché non abbia abortito.
Che non si sia fatta luce tra background che ha fatto di Iris quella che è e le sue scelte.
Un senso di impotenza che non riuscivo a leggere le pagine, a una certa skimming importante, troppa ansia, troppo dolore.
Un tot di drama, un tot di drama. Per tuttə. E di ogni tipo. Violenza economica, psicologica, fisica. Stupro, pistola, botte, c'è qualunque cosa. Non sempre necessario.
August ha dei pensieri e azioni alle volte petulanti, e in generale non è questo principe che Iris sembra vedere. Alle volte forza un po' la mano.

Gli intenti sono buoni, ma non mi piace soffrire quando leggo

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Rape, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Physical abuse, and Confinement

teachreadrepeat's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

Holy wow! I saw a TikTok that said, "Instead of reading IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover, you should read LONG SHOT by Kennedy Ryan." Boy am I glad I listened to that recommendation?? I devoured this book in less than 2 days.

First and foremost, let's get the elephant out of the way. There are graphic, on-page depictions of DV and SA throughout a large portion of this book. This violence is not between the end game couple and is very difficult to stomach, so take care of yourself while reading this one if it's a trigger for you. However, I am so impressed with Ryan's ability to shed light on this very real issue with such care and dignity for victims. DV is an issue that still goes largely ignored and is so often twisted by a society of people who have never experienced it themselves and are unwilling to empathize with those who have. While these scenes are challenging to get through, I think Ryan did a phenomenal job of digging deep into the manipulation tactics that often keep partners trapped in this cycle of abuse. I hope this book also helps victims reconcile what has happened to them OR helps them finally find the courage and ability to walk away for good.

Next, let's discuss August. Oh my good golly gosh!! He is seriously the perfect "man written by a woman." Basketball is one of my favorite sports and it was refreshing to read a sports romance that wasn't hockey (even though I do love me some ice boys as well). August's devotion to Iris was beautiful and heartwrenching and the long journey to the HEA was well worth it in the end.

This book earned 4.5 stars from me simply due to the amount of typos/errors in the KU digital version I read. Even so, I am very excited to continue reading the rest of this series!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Rape, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Police brutality, and Cursing