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20sidedbi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, and Torture
amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Adam is a warlock who has very tenuous relationships with his family. He's looking for his dad who left the family a long time ago and he's pretty certain is now making objects from magical people's bones. Get the text from his brother that his sister-in-law is ill and he goes to Denver to try to figure out what's going on.
His family is never really accepted him for who he is both as a warlock and as a gay man. His brother has done everything he can in his power to exercise the white trashness from his personality and his public image.
In this world we've got Fey, leprechauns, dragons, and much more. It feels like a lived in world.
There's a love triangle. Adam's ex-boyfriend who dumped him without telling him and Adam's new love interest who is a cop that Adam saved.
All in all, it was a fun read that touched on growing up gay in rural America, family Dynamics and family secrets, and becoming who you were meant to be.
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Homophobia and Abandonment
tifftastic87's review against another edition
- 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
Adam was born in a trailer and being gay in OK was rough on him, but then add in that he is descended from witches and has a touch of magic unlike theirs. He has a rocky relationship with his family, both due to his sexual orientation and his magical one, who had him committed in high school.
This book focuses on Adam's relationships, his romantic ones, his familial ones, and his magical one. This is a story of a traumatized youth healing and finding his path in life while fighting monsters.
Adam is amazingly well adjusted. He communicates his feelings, even if he struggles to do so, asks for help when he needs it and doesn't do the typical chosen one nonsense, even though he was literally chosen by not one but two powerfu magical beings. He also is aware that his use of his magical abilities creates a power imbalance between him and the love interest and is careful not to abuse that.
This was a fun and sad listen, and I am definitely going to be reading or listening to the rest.
There were a few things I wasn't a fan of,
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Homophobia, Car accident, Alcohol, and Classism
booksthatburn's review against another edition
Graphic: Gore and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Torture, and Excrement
jareadforfilth's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse
therainbowshelf's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
frantic_vampire's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
Flashbacks to abuse in a mental institution, flashbacks to physical and emotional abuse, internalized homophobia,blynecessity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The writing was a little disorienting because all the POV characters had a really similar tone and I'd sometimes forget who was narrating. Also, the flashbacks were not at all easy to read. I assume the author will improve his writing in time, so no hate on that front.
There were some problematic moments (listed in spoilers at bottom of review), but all in all I pushed through that and managed to still really enjoy the read.
I didn't really looove that there was basically no development or fleshing-out for any of the women in the story, but with such a small cast I'm willing to set that aside as (hopefully) a first-book quirk.
I liked that family was such a big part of the novel! Like, the MC and the plot both treated family as a v important topic, which helped me emotionally invest in the story. I def thought
All in all, I'd read the rest of the books and will probably recommend this to some people I think might like it!
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment