Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport

87 reviews

allisoninfictionland's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Racism

Moderate: Cannibalism, Death, Bullying, Gaslighting, and Sexism

literaturelystacked's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

5.0

No spoilers here! Absolutely loved this book! Highly recommend for those who want to “dip their toes” into the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre or lovers of those genres. The foreshadowing is heavy in this book, most outcomes are predictable but still amazing! If you don’t like spice, there’s only one spicy scene in chapter 12. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Violence

miriam_in_life's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent

chilliam_mc's review against another edition

fast-paced

4.0

I love a fun book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. A lot of times, overly arrogant protagonists annoy me, but damn do I love Ikenna! N.E. Davenport def knew what she was doing. What a great character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Blood, and Sexual content

kyuuketsukiniko's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, War, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Classism, Cannibalism, Hate crime, Racism, Racial slurs, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

gabbadabbadoo's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

one of my first few books of the year and it set the bar impossibly high!

i went into this not expecting much -- there's no shortage of protagonists trying to avenge dead family members in the fantasy genre -- but I was extremely pleasantly surprised. i personally haven't read a book that was so consistenly action-packed, there is literally never a dull moment. this book is violent and bloody and cruel and i am obsessed with it!! reading some of the characters injuries and deaths made me wince a bit, but i respect Davenport for being able to come up with so many ways for people to hurt. so, if lots of blood and violence and death are your thing look no further. the brutal nature of the trials initially struck me as a little superfluous, but it makes more sense and the country's history and culture develop more as you read.

the mc also sold this book for me. i typically don't like characters that are easily blinded by rage, but i loooooove Ikenna. there were more than several times where she'd do smt and i thought were unneccessary and would come back to bite her in the ass, but i support women's rights and women's wrongs!!! but fr i'd read and wonder if she was trying to get herself killed, but she never beat someone's ass who didn't deserve that or worse. and she'll do it again!
 
i also loved that the romance was extremely minor. like eensy teensy weenie minor. a bigger romantic subplot would definitely ruin a book like this, so i loved that the cehemistry was definitely there and i saw it coming, but it never took over the plot. hg has revenge to get and people to kill, she is on a mission.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Cursing, Grief, and War

Minor: Torture and Alcohol

nytephoenyx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

The Blood Trials was a great story set up, and I enjoyed it. There was the right amount of action and just enough character and background to set everything up for a great book two—honestly, a great debut.

Why four stars instead of five? The Blood Gift Duology should be a trilogy. There were clear signposts for an ending after the Praetorian trials, but the book continued for another 150 pages. The next book comes out next year (and I will be reading it!), and I assume there's a similar point that will feel like a transition should have happened. There was a three-act feel to it, and the last third of the book felt disjointed.

That is honestly my only complaint! Otherwise, I liked the lore and the twists (so many twists!), and I eagerly anticipate the bloody, grimy story the next book is sure to tell.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Classism, Racism, Gun violence, Death, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Medical content, Alcohol, and Hate crime

Minor: War

krzzykitty92's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

3.75

This book has all the YA angst with adult violence. Heavy, dark themes of racism, misogyny, and politics. The world was vibrant, but you can also feel the tension of societal barriers pitted against the main character. The author held my attention throughout most of the book. I will say the last like 7 chapters seem to drag on a bit, however, the ending is satisfying and I can’t wait to pick up the sequel. Also what keeps this from being a full 4 stars or higher is that sometimes I felt a little lost. The plot was so engaging that it took me a while to realize I honestly had no idea how this world was set up. This aside, it’s still a fantastic read and I’m all for the female rage “Shoot first ask questions later” mentality.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Blood

shector1's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Graphic: Sexism, Blood, Racism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Cursing, Classism, Violence, Colonisation, and Torture

Minor: Sexual content

wren_rainbow's review against another edition

5.0

I need this book on my bookshelf expeditiously! Thank you black book tok for promoting this book the way y’all did! Will add more to this review soon. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: War, Racial slurs, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexual content