Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

50 reviews

prairieraven's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Car accident, Gore, Addiction, Body horror, Gun violence, Murder, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Rape, Abandonment, Sexism, Slavery, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Sexual content, Violence, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Vomit, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Cursing, Police brutality, Racism, and Toxic friendship

veeloucagraph's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.75

She'd never liked that phrase, diamond in the rough. All that meant was that they had to cut you again and again to let the light in. 

That was all there was in this world. No heroes or villains, just the people you'd brave the waves for, and the ones you'd let drown.

I've been trying to figure out a way to start this review and I believe the easiest way is to say, I couldn't wait for the sequel after Ninth House, and now I don't know if I want another sequel.
The second book in this occult New Haven setting felt disappointing, like it was shy, not going all the way with any of its themes, unlike Ninth House, which impressed, shocked and enthralled me by the end. The story moves along quite slowly but at the same time, as though we don't get enough time to breathe with the characters. Things are happening because they have to, we take characters along for the ride and feel their burden through the boredom their plot points create. The writing feels too preachy or distanced at times and a lot of the supernatural doesn't really make sense either with the tone or the logic the characters come up with. The stakes don't really feel high even though they're meant to be higher than ever and so much tension was lost because of the repetition in the plot, making important moments or reveals anti-climactic. 

Maybe all that really needs to be said is that there should have been more secret societies, more rituals, more creatures, more demons, more Alex and Darlington, more of the exciting elements, which Leigh Bardugo seems to keep like a delicacy when your will to read is about to leave you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, and Cursing

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Drug use, Slavery, Excrement, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

margauxjpg's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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: Mental illness, Blood, Animal cruelty, Death, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racism and Sexual content

alliemikennareads's review against another edition

4.0

Like Ninth House, I can’t tell if I liked this or not…but I was sucked into the story world and felt the writing was great. And I’d read a third book in the series to know what happens next. But I equally feel like it was… just fine? So unlike anything else I read that it’s hard for me to decide? Idk. Idk. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Stalking, Gore, War, Murder, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Death, Self harm, Sexual violence, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, and Blood

brosca's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Rape

cutevamp's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

HOLY SHIT THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD!! 

I picked this up thinking “this can’t be better than the first one” AND BOY WAS I WRONG. 

THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING. GHOSTS AS A METAPHOR FOR TRAUMA. FUCKED UP MAGIC RITUALS. A KICK ASS TATTOOED BISEXUAL WOMAN WITH BLUE FLAME POWERS.

HER 7 FT DEMON BOYFRIEND WHO SHE KEEPS ON A LEASH.

TEARING RACIST SEXIST INSTITUTIONS APART WITH YOUR BARE HANDS. GLOWING DEMON DICK. THE ONLY COMPLAINT I HAVE IS THAT THE MAIN CHARACTERS DIDNT HAVE NASTY FUCKED UP DEMON SEX 

for real though this book made me cry. the plot is incredible and so are the characters, but what it has to say about going through horrible trauma & choosing to not just survive but live is incredibly touching. never thought I’d cry this hard over a rabbit. 100/100 stars 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Sexual assault

Touches on institutional violence that is built on & allows sexual assault & racism to thrive. Main character is a recovering addict & SA survivor with suicidal thoughts. Themes are less prevalent than first book but deals with survivors guilt

sharrikloves's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Violence and Death

Moderate: Rape, Cannibalism, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Slavery

uncreativeoops's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

theespressoedition's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Blood, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Murder, and Body horror

Moderate: Gore, Cursing, Violence, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Rape, and Injury/Injury detail

ashlightgrayson's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This installment gave us a much more thorough exploration of the side characters in the story. I did miss Darlington being explicitly present throughout the story, but I feel like Bardugo made up for it with how interesting everyone else was. I appreciated that we got more one on one interactions between Dawes and Alex. Both of them are connected by how much they care for Darlington and their association with Lethe. However, as the story progresses, it is clear that both of them have more in common about their past than meets the eye. They also form a more solid trusting friendship as they go through the ups and downs of the plot. This sequel leaned in more to the horror aspects of the world. There are moments that delve into the dark history of Lethe and how magic has been used in the past for less than honorable goals. I found the plot points to be creative, but still neatly interwined. I'm looking forward to seeing how some of the seeds planted in this installment become relevant in the next part of the story. I think the first book is still my favorite between the two of them. However, I think this was still a solid sequel and I'm looking forward to see what comes next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, and Murder

Moderate: Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Self harm, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Cursing, and Pedophilia