Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo

47 reviews

dodgeremerson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Medical content, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Car accident, and Death of parent

frantic_vampire's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I am…unwell over this book. This was just fucking fantastic and I’m honestly at a loss for words for this review. Summer Sons is one of the absolute best books that I think I’ve ever read and I just want to scream about it. It’s this mix of dark academia, paranormal hauntings, and queer longing that had me hooked from the very beginning. Everything about this book was feral and unhinged and tinged with the sticky restlessness of a southern summer. And I could read about Andrew and Sam and Riley endlessly. This book is one that will haunt my dreams for a long time to come and I can’t recommend it enough. This is the easiest five stars I think I’ve ever given a book. I’m just gonna excuse myself now and go scream about it into the void…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Medical trauma

bugcollector's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

4.25

Adrew was a bit frustratin the start, he came to investigate his best friend's death, yet isn't willing to ask simple questions. 
There are no girlies and no girlies logic as well 😔 
The characters grew on me though, and I enjoyed the angst and the haunt, wish the ending was more satisfying 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Self harm, Blood, and Murder

charmarie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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

5.0

Summer Sons is a moody, atmospheric and thrilling read. It's southern gothic, dark academia, and queer romance rolled into one. The sense of danger, dread, and darkness is well balanced with interesting and lovable characters, themes of redemption, self discovery, and self acceptance. Mandelo's prose is excellent, bar a few overused phrases (i.e., describing a cold drink as "perspiring" enough times to be distracting). The book touches on both race and LGBT+ issues tastefully and without loosing the dark atmosphere. 
 TW for themes of SH and suicide, ritual violence, gore, drug use, adult sexual content.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicide

Moderate: Gore, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Homophobia

caspian_the_pauper's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Abandonment

czoltak's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

1.0

I should’ve DNF’ed this on page 15 like I wanted to (I definitely wouldn’t have bothered finishing this if it weren’t for a readathon)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicide, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol

basementofbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Deadnaming, Transphobia, Car accident, and Colonisation

fuchs_galaxis's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

Oh my God this book is so good. I devoured the audiobook in about a day.
Different ways to describe it: 

• Dukes of Hazzard but gay and haunted
• Someone read The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater and went "this could be gayer and scarier"

It's spooky and visceral and filled with unrequited longing, gay panic (the queer kind not the murder kind), and fast cars. So fucking good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, and Violence

Moderate: Self harm, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Child abuse and Vomit

sapphire_mayo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Self harm, Suicide, Blood, Excrement, and Grief

Minor: Homophobia

purrson's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Death of parent, and Abandonment