Reviews tagging 'Mass/school shootings'

Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross

9 reviews

amy_q13's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and War

Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Confinement, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Sexual content, Medical content, Death of parent, and Child death

tabea1409's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Chronic illness, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Genocide, Mass/school shootings, Gaslighting, Violence, Murder, Medical content, Gun violence, and Grief

blacksphinx's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

On some level it's really funny that this book had a chance to re-do the worst thing about the first book,

the instant love between our protagonists

, and then chose to do the same exact thing again but even faster. There's also some groan-worthy exposition where it really doesn't make sense that the party in question would stop and willingly monologue. Lastly, this book engages in one of my least favorite tropes,

pair the spades - NO ONE can end this book without a lover!!!111 ugh

 

But... I love historical fantasy and what kept me enthralled in the first book was the up-close depictions of warfare. And there's plenty of warfare, spying, and tense action scenes in this sequel to keep me turning the pages. I'm now left hankering for another book series that blends non-magical warfare with a fantasy setting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Confinement, Vomit, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, and War

Moderate: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Kidnapping, Blood, Torture, Medical trauma, and Car accident

Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Alcoholism

martapsalvado's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Just wanted to start this saying that I LOVE Rebecca Ross' writing. Her words feel like literal magic.

The pace of this second book is slower than the first and it focuses a lot more on the fantasy elements and the war. I'm a romance reader to the core, so that's why I didn't love this as much as Divine Rivals. 
Nonetheless, I still really enjoyed Ruthless Vows. The found family, the angst, the letters, the writing (!!!!) and just 💗💌💓 Iris and Roman 💓💌💗

A duology that I certainly will come back to.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, War, Violence, Torture, Death, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail

finnzebelle's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Death, Torture, Mass/school shootings, War, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Medical trauma, and Blood

Minor: Sexual content

lynnksy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

Minor: Gun violence, Chronic illness, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Medical trauma, Mass/school shootings, Police brutality, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

booksalacarte's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Grief, Death, Blood, War, Mass/school shootings, Torture, Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Slavery, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement

roget's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 Many, many, many years ago, Longinus wrote about this sort of literary experience when he said, "For, as if instinctively, our soul is uplifted by the true sublime; it takes a proud flight, and is filled with joy and vaunting, as though it had itself produced what it has heard" ("On the Sublime").

He described the sublime as "the echo of greatness of spirit." To me, sublimity is, in essence, moving, wondrous, transcendent, lightning strikes of awe into our feeble, human hands. It is the rush of sensation that follows one's spirit rising and gasping in proof of a larger, greater song.

I wax poetic because this book much deserves it. It is the sublime.
I read 160 novels this year. This was the best one.

Thank you, Rebecca.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gun violence, and War

Moderate: Genocide, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Stalking, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Medical content, Kidnapping, Vomit, and Medical trauma

Minor: Terminal illness and Alcoholism

There isn't a school shooting, but there is a

mass shooting that happens around the main characters, though neither of them die

. The content leading up to this point makes it clear what's going to happen, so there is plenty of warning.

luchikreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Gun violence

Minor: Death of parent and Cursing