Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Before We Disappear by Shaun David Hutchinson

10 reviews

redbeanm0chi's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

A sweet as sugar love story between two magician’s assistants where one of them actually has magic, AND there’s a super evil villain. 

“We do that a lot, don’t we? Show up and take what we want?”

“Perhaps one day we’ll learn better.”

“You have far more faith in people than I do.”

“Sometimes,” I said. “Faith is all that I have.”

“Is it enough?”

Despite being a lovely YA love story, it went surprisingly dark at times. It was thoroughly well done, with the world, the characters, and the plot working together in harmony. Slow paced at times, but not boring. It did get a little repetitive for me two thirds of the way through, but I had no difficulty with finishing it and the climax was satisfying and earned.

“I’d rather be trapped with you than free without you.”

“I’m a burning building Jack,” I said. “Only a fool would run into one.”

“Then I’m a fool on fire.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Child abuse

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Blood, Murder, and Police brutality

lilly_anne's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Blood, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol, Misogyny, Death of parent, Sexism, and Cursing

Minor: Stalking and Vomit

tofi_15's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.75

This book stole my heart... oh no, actually, I gave my heart to this book and I regret nothing. Truly worth reading and/or listening <3. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood and Violence

Minor: Racism

monniebiloney's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Had a great beginning and a great climax, but was a little slow in the middle. 
I loved the setting alot, and William and Jack were cute together. I loved how even though the "romance" was the main motivator for the main characters actions (it's because Jack liked William that he decided that he had to help William away from his' abusive "family", and it's because William was in love with Jack that he was willing to brave against his abusive "Father" ). 

The best part of this book was definitely the climax,

the fact the MC told his "mother" about what happened and they all worked together to con Teddy so that Teddy would get arrested was great! I thought it was hilarious when the mom diches out with the gold. It's a slight plot hole that she decided to not tell Jack and just ditch out on him [it felt like that was done just so that Jack could be free, rather then something she would do]

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Trafficking, Torture, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, Alcohol, Sexism, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Violence, and Gaslighting

Minor: Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Murder, Vomit, Self harm, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Stalking, Lesbophobia, and Racism

tkhenry99's review against another edition

3.5

more magical realism than fantasy (not a problem just a misrepresentation). 

the story was fun and everything, but i felt like the characters relationships developed really fast for no reason. everyone jack meets he immediately becomes besties with? and he was supposed to have a familial bond with lucia and evangeline, but

when they abandon him at the end he barely spares them a second thought?

It felt inconsistent that he kept saying they were his family, but didn’t really seem to care about them in the end. 

i often thought the dialogue was weird and forced, like the author was trying too hard to be poetic. 

the end also starts to drag, i found myself skimming a lot just to get to the end. the dual POV didn’t help 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

Moderate: Child abuse and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Sexism, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Racism, Blood, Confinement, Homophobia, Misogyny, Alcohol, and Gun violence

cecilia895's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional lighthearted 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Blood, Hate crime, and Physical abuse

greyys_libraryy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Gaslighting, Murder, Racism, and Sexism

Minor: Vomit and Torture

erin_mh362's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Oh my god I loved this so much :)
It was super cool and I loved the magic/historical fiction stuff going on, it was great.
Honestly I loved every single character in this book except for Teddy and George (Evangeline wasn’t great either but she was slightly better than they were and she was interesting) 
 Jack and Wil are adorable and every time one of them was in danger I was so scared, this was really really good I really loved it :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Physical abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Torture, and Kidnapping

Minor: Misogyny, Racism, and Vomit

simixfe's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted 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? No

4.75

The only thing I didn't love were the "inspirational" and "deep" quotes the author threw in at random

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Racism, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Alcohol and Death of parent

lessthelonely's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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? It's complicated

4.25

4.25/5 stars.

Read my review here: https://lonelylesspage.wordpress.com/?p=699

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

Moderate: Kidnapping, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Death, Confinement, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Blood, Chronic illness, Vomit, Torture, Sexism, and Racism