Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Hold You Down by Tracy Brown

11 reviews

ameewh's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Rape, and Murder

mamabear10's review

challenging dark sad 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? It's complicated

3.0

It wasn’t my favorite book but got a lot of emotion from me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Terminal illness

Minor: Death of parent

authenticakj's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

bookishkellyn's review against another edition

dark sad

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

4.0

Judah is more cautious like his mother (Mercy), while Deon is a risk taker like his mother (Lenox). When heartbreaking events hit them back to back, they veer off onto different life paths in this gritty tale highlighting the risks of putting a giver next to a selfish person. This was a solid but emotionally exhaustive story. It pulled my heartstrings, but I disliked that it offered little to no respite–even at the end. I felt like there was actually too much foreshadowing, because I guessed sad, pivotal plot points beforehand.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Rape, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Chronic illness, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

passionyoungwrites's review

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Now I know y’all had warnings floating around about this book being a heavy read but, I was still shocked. Part one was rough and part two was worse. Though, I did enjoy how this story showed so much at one time. It showed how influence, relationships, and hardships can shape your life - even by default. 

It’s just crazy how you can want change, and the options are sometimes limited based on your surroundings and upbringings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Addiction and Death

destheesquire's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

mabonner's review

dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Rape, Violence, Grief, and Murder

cleches's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

d0505's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Terminal illness

wherethewildreadsare's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.25

Hold You Down was a deeply emotional book about the injustices that plague the Black community. This is centered around 1980/1990's, during the rise of Crack in black communities. Two sisters, Mercy and Lennox, live in one of the NYC burroughs each with their young sons. Lennox's choices of entering the Crack business set the family on a path of loss, violence, and pain. But there is deep love within the family. Hold You Down is an example of many stories of Black families impacted by drugs. Brown does a great job describing the elements of racism that Black individuals receive from police as well as the justice system. 

I can honestly say that I didn't expect this to be as gripping or brutally honest as it was. So much tragedy. I wish I had looked into some TW to prepare for some of the heavy content. 

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for the honest review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Rape, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Violence, and Murder