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hankerchiefghost's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
4.0
It was ridiculous, really, seeing what the people in Damien’s life had done for him. How they had saved his life, given him a home, taken care of him. But that moment there. His eyes closed. Hakan next to him, wiping his face from the remnant of tears.
It was the most quietly, beautifully caring thing anyone had ever done for him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death of parent
nina_readsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Grief
litandlayne's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
zabeishumanish's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
4.5
Please take the author's content warnings on this book seriously, the book was hard, satisfying, but really hard. Overall an immensely engrossing read.
The book almost reads like a duet with the first half (part one) being the history of how Damien is folded into the Saldago pack. Part two is the romance. In part one Damien faces serious on page physical abuse and in part two he faces flashbacks and PTSD type affects. This book inspires a full range of emotions from the lowest low to a brilliant high. My biggest wish for the book would have been a longer conclusion or an epilogue. Damien is in some type of emotional pain for so much of the book I just wanted to see him happy with Hakan for longer.
I think this is a super great take on a shifter book. There are so many of the essential shifter elements here, but without the most violent of effusive elements you expect in a shifter book, especially a romance shifter book. I think that Marina did a really fantastic job making the shifters soft and loving while still strong. The way the packs are described as grounded both to the earth and in tradition is gentle and perfect for inspiring the type of healing Damien needed.
The book almost reads like a duet with the first half (part one) being the history of how Damien is folded into the Saldago pack. Part two is the romance. In part one Damien faces serious on page physical abuse and in part two he faces flashbacks and PTSD type affects. This book inspires a full range of emotions from the lowest low to a brilliant high. My biggest wish for the book would have been a longer conclusion or an epilogue. Damien is in some type of emotional pain for so much of the book I just wanted to see him happy with Hakan for longer.
I think this is a super great take on a shifter book. There are so many of the essential shifter elements here, but without the most violent of effusive elements you expect in a shifter book, especially a romance shifter book. I think that Marina did a really fantastic job making the shifters soft and loving while still strong. The way the packs are described as grounded both to the earth and in tradition is gentle and perfect for inspiring the type of healing Damien needed.
pam_h's review
4.0
4.5 stars
More than anything, this is a story about childhood trauma -- how a short period of our lives can have such a huge impact, the irony of trying to apply logic to emotional abuse, how easy it is to damage but also how simple it can be to shine a little light. There is a beautiful, sexy romance, but that doesn't really start until more than halfway through, so you have to be ok with that going in. (They are in each other's lives as children, so we do see their bond and friendship form throughout.)
But here's the thing about Marina Vivancos: She does not do "angst." This is pain. And when her characters are in pain, you will feel it in your core. She can make you hurt like no other, but it's not a wallowing in angst for the sake of angst type hurt. It is just a vivid description of a painful experience and how overwhelming and difficult it can be to uproot that pain once it's taken hold. And it's very realistic, for better and worse.
Damien is strong and brave and smart, but he endures some pretty rough psychological abuse for about 25% of the story. He meets the Salgado pack about 5% in, and his relationship with them is very much the focal point of the time we spend with him from there on, but we already know the abuse that he's suffering, and it creates a poignant undercurrent through all his interactions during that time. And at 25%, at the age of 14, although he really doesn't even realize that's what he's doing, due to his age and the emotional state he's in.
Truly, the whole thing is impressive AF. The depiction of both Damien's mental state all throughout and the bits of psychological counseling he receives are just really fantastic. It's not quite as perfectly polished as her more recent books, and I really wanted a little more time with Damien and Hakan after the ILY's, but the ILY's were immensely satisfying.
This actually reminded me a lot of [b:Wolfsong|29233804|Wolfsong (Green Creek, #1)|T.J. Klune|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1463862865l/29233804._SY75_.jpg|49474397], including the fact that there was no way I was putting either of them down after a certain point, but that I also might not have subjected myself to either had I known what I was getting myself into!! (But way less of a shifter story than Wolfsong, just to be clear. You get very little shifter stuff with this one. Although ... there are a few scenes of smoking hotness due to shifters/scent, and she is EXCELLENT at the hot parts, too :)
This was close to a five-star read for me, but it was just a smidge too painful. [b:Rat Park|43682713|Rat Park|Marina Vivancos|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548182704l/43682713._SY75_.jpg|67586726] remains my absolute favorite of hers, and I think that's because she shifted the balance a little more toward the romance in that one. A slight re-balancing here would have made this one five stars, too.
More than anything, this is a story about childhood trauma -- how a short period of our lives can have such a huge impact, the irony of trying to apply logic to emotional abuse, how easy it is to damage but also how simple it can be to shine a little light. There is a beautiful, sexy romance, but that doesn't really start until more than halfway through, so you have to be ok with that going in. (They are in each other's lives as children, so we do see their bond and friendship form throughout.)
But here's the thing about Marina Vivancos: She does not do "angst." This is pain. And when her characters are in pain, you will feel it in your core. She can make you hurt like no other, but it's not a wallowing in angst for the sake of angst type hurt. It is just a vivid description of a painful experience and how overwhelming and difficult it can be to uproot that pain once it's taken hold. And it's very realistic, for better and worse.
Damien is strong and brave and smart, but he endures some pretty rough psychological abuse for about 25% of the story. He meets the Salgado pack about 5% in, and his relationship with them is very much the focal point of the time we spend with him from there on, but we already know the abuse that he's suffering, and it creates a poignant undercurrent through all his interactions during that time. And at 25%, at the age of 14,
Spoiler
Damien attempts suicide,Truly, the whole thing is impressive AF. The depiction of both Damien's mental state all throughout and the bits of psychological counseling he receives are just really fantastic. It's not quite as perfectly polished as her more recent books, and I really wanted a little more time with Damien and Hakan after the ILY's, but the ILY's were immensely satisfying.
This actually reminded me a lot of [b:Wolfsong|29233804|Wolfsong (Green Creek, #1)|T.J. Klune|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1463862865l/29233804._SY75_.jpg|49474397], including the fact that there was no way I was putting either of them down after a certain point, but that I also might not have subjected myself to either had I known what I was getting myself into!! (But way less of a shifter story than Wolfsong, just to be clear. You get very little shifter stuff with this one. Although ... there are a few scenes of smoking hotness due to shifters/scent, and she is EXCELLENT at the hot parts, too :)
This was close to a five-star read for me, but it was just a smidge too painful. [b:Rat Park|43682713|Rat Park|Marina Vivancos|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548182704l/43682713._SY75_.jpg|67586726] remains my absolute favorite of hers, and I think that's because she shifted the balance a little more toward the romance in that one. A slight re-balancing here would have made this one five stars, too.
craftyhilary's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
5.0
This absolutely gutted me. I'm so glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Car accident