Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

15 reviews

kamrynkoble's review

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

Oh, my word. I can’t remember the last time I read a new book that made me cry this hard. I was literally shaking while my husband snored beside me. I saw the ending coming well before it did (it seemed like it caught a lot of people off guard). I thought I’d be okay, but I wasn’t. 

The tragedy is gratuitous and bordering on unrealistic. Ella’s lost both parents, a close grandparent, and her brother. Her husband abounded her and her children. One child gets cancer. And the other? It’s too much. I don’t think we needed all of it.

I also found the writing cheesy/corny a few times. It’s difficult to remember after such a tragic ending, but I did go 🥴 a few times. 

All that to say, this was a moving story and held a lot of depth. I’m sure I’ll be thinking about it as I move onto other books. I’ve read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, but this was my first contemporary from Yarros and what a doozy it was. She always manages to kill me with her endings.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Sexual content, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Torture

lexy_xoxo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Torture, Blood, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

pahokas's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, and Torture

rockstar6206's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Gun violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

tobiii's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, and Grief

Minor: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

never_ending_tbr546's review

This was more of a grief and sadness just for the sake of it. A lot of inaccuracies in military and op teams. The mother was very unlikeable and so one-sided.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Grief, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

sarawildoosen's review

challenging emotional hopeful sad fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Grief, and War

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Gun violence, Torture, and Kidnapping

katelynndzindzio's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful sad 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

5.0

"Ha. Because from the moment I saw your face and heard you speak, you were the only one I wanted." -Beckett

This book depicts grief in such a way that will leave you with tears rolling down your face but continuing to read the pages and having the need to read more. There is love and loss and hope and despair in almost every chapter. 

Ella and Beckett were the perfect pair and Ryan just knew they were what each other needed. I couldn't get enough of their love for each other and their need to keep each other. Love this little family and I am thankful that Colt and Maisie finally got to have a dad. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail

amanda_reads13's review

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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

2.0

***Please check the warnings if you have any triggers involving children. This book should come with trigger warnings!!!

Beckett's if fulfilling his best friend, Ryan's, last wish. In his last letter, Ryan asks Beckett to get out of the army and go to take care his sister, Ella, and her children. 

I don't think I have sobbed do hard reading a book. I loved this book up until about the 90% mark (see next paragraph). This is not your typical romance, you don't get a heartwarming HEA. This book is an exploration of motherhood, of loyalty, and of bonds forged through trauma. It is a story of forgiveness and the healing power of unconditional love. 

I really thought this was going to be a 5 star for me. And then the last 10% happened. I knew something big was coming

when they were getting their HEA with 4 chapters left. In one way I was completely blindsided, but in another way I had a feeling that something would happen to Cole. But man, that scene when Beckett finds Cole at the bottom of that landslide destroyed me. It was gut wrentching, absolutely devastating. BUT here is my issue: it didn't add anying to the story and did not need to happen. Yes, tragedies happen, but this last 10% was added for shock value and I don't like that. Haven't they been through enough? Ella has literally lost her entire family and went through her daughter almost dying of cancer, only for her son to be killed off. Why? They couldn't just get their HEA? This whole part should have been cut out.

 

Beckett is broken, raised in the foster system, he joined the army as soon as he could. He has never known love or emotional connection until he met his best friend Ryan. That connection altered the course of his life forever. Ryan lead him to Ella, who showed him what it was like to truly be part of a loving family.

Ella has not only lost her entire family, but now her daughter is fighting for her life. She is an incredibly strong mother who puts everything into protecting her children. She has major trust issues and has never felt like she has been able to depend on anyone. That is until Beckett. These two help each other heal and support each other through their grief and trauma. 

Of course I can't not mention Havoc... The best doggie ever! I loved her and her connection to all of the characters.  
Tropes: found family, brothers best friend, forced proximity 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Torture, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and War

aeicullen's review

emotional hopeful sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer and Child death

Minor: Gun violence