Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Alas de sangre by Rebecca Yarros

79 reviews

orakuruno's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

DRAGONS I LOVE DRAGONS 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Toxic friendship, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Misogyny, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

emilycfox's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wowowowow hunger games x divergent x game of thrones + steamy slow burn romance
I was laughing, squealing, swooning, gasping, and on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE TIME. The second I finished, I wished I could rewind my life a week to experience reading it for the first time again. The writing isn’t good, but the story makes up for that in my opinion. 
It was so special to read a book with a bad-ass disabled character (I have a connective tissue disorder like Violet). And I think her disability makes the story so much more interesting, complex, and relatable than all the other dystopian-type novels with women main characters who are physically strong and clearly capable from the start. 
Also, the romantic plot line is WOW. I wasn’t expecting it to get so sexually explicit, but I’m def not mad about it lol — just a heads up in case you aren’t into that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Medical content, Death of parent, and Abandonment

imds's review against another edition

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

brimacca's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent

devincold's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

2.25

This book reads like a fantasy-flavored reimagining of Divergent. It's a fun read that feels predictable throughout. If you're looking for a romance novel and you like a fantasy setting, this might be a good option. If you're looking for enemies to lovers and LGBTQI+ representation - I would look elsewhere.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and War

megan_wy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring tense medium-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

4.0

This was my first time reading a fantasy genre book since my teen years. This story about strength, love, friendship, and complex family relationships was great! Violet is a character that embodies female confidence and independence. With everyone rooting against her, she strives even harder to continue on and outwit everyone with her knowledge. I took off a star because it was hard for me to keep track of the many many characters and confusing aspects of this book. I was constantly needing to google random words: signet, parapet, venin, wyvern, citadel, dais, etc etc. I know this is a whole other world that Yarros created, but it got really hard to follow at times. I also LOVE Andarna 🥹 she was the cutest little added element of the story that I needed. And I must say, I usually hate awkward love stories / enemies to lovers cringey tropes, BUT not Xaden and Violet. Their chemistry was amazing and I was literally giggling smiling and kicking my feet whenever they kissed or hooked up 🤭🤭🤭 The cliffhanger has me READY to read Iron Flame!!!! Overall, 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a good book for readers wanting to dabble into fantasy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Vomit

nickileal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional slow-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

It was so hard to get into this book and took me a whole month to finish. Violet isn’t really the most loveable character. Also I was very tired of hearing how small and fragile she was repeatedly throughout the book. Riorson really saves this book for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Sexual content, and Death of parent

Minor: Cursing

hjb_128's review against another edition

adventurous challenging lighthearted medium-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

kitkatkatdog's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense medium-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: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail

andmingmingtoo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.25

This book reads like the novelization of a blockbuster action movie. There are pros and cons that come with that.

Pros:
-The general premise is really fun. I was excited to learn more about the dragon, magic, and government systems of the world
-The action sequences actually felt tense, and they definitely felt like they would be cinematic if in a visual format
-The side characters were really fun (and often eclipsed the main character in likeability)
-Xaden is an interesting and actually respectful male lead

Cons:
-A lot of Violet's inner monologue feels jarring and sometimes detracts from a tense vibe in a scene
-A lot of scenes that would be interesting and would add to the characters' growth are left offscreen, like they were cut for time, despite this being an original work where the author could decide what did and didn't exist. For instance,

most of Violet's hand-to-hand challenges occurred offscreen, even the ones where she finally wins without tricks. Like, that's a big moment for her character! I want to hear more about that!

-A lot of visual descriptions of settings were left out, like

the Parapet or what the hell a chimney formation is

-For the most part, we have to take Violet's word for it that characters, including herself, have experienced growth. The growth seems to happen offscreen and is not substantiated by their onscreen actions 

Additionally, this book is screaming to be part of a series (I am aware that the sequel is out and a series is in the works, as is a movie). In my opinion, there is no finite conclusion of the book's overall plot quest at the end, mostly because there is not one unifying plot quest. The extent of the book is defined temporally, not from a plot perspective, which can give the book the feel of a series of episodes, rather than a unifying experience.

Obviously, this book is popular! I did enjoy it, and I can see how others may enjoy it more than me. That being said, it is not a polished experience, but if you know to expect that, it may help you brace yourself and enjoy it more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug use and Alcohol