Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport

51 reviews

zviews11's review

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

caroline_rk's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and War

thelostartofsecretkeeping's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-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? Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

emilyvictoria98's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I really enjoyed how fast paced and exciting this book was throughout, there are so many twists and turns (some I saw coming, some I didn't) that you never really knew who you can trust which was part of the point of the book. We were really along for the ride. I did find at times that the writing was repetitive and some of the dialogue was a bit stilted (e.g. I could tell when a conversation was happening purely for exposition's sake) and at times Ikenna's decisions frustrated me but I think this developed throughout the book and she does grow as a character. I'm really excited for the next one!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death of parent

Minor: War

emfass's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Cannibalism, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Classism

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

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Death of parent

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Hate crime, Medical content, and Alcohol

Minor: War

kbairbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

Wow! Between this and Queen of Nothing I’ve been reading some of the most vicious, blood thirsty, and VIOLENT books I’ve ever read. It makes for a really intense experience. The backstabbing, betrayal, who can be trusted, political agenda absolute beast this book is took me by storm. I couldn’t put it down! I was gripped and at the end I was staring into space experiencing this book. Incredible storytelling, incredible challenges, incredible strength and resilience in times of adversary. Wow.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

shaipanda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.5

Ok this book is bat shit insaneeee - I absolutely loved it but definitely did not expect exactly how dark it is so keep that I mind if you read this. However despite that, I really loved Kenna and this was a superrr engaging book. Despite it being  darker than I tend to prefer I’ll almost definitely read the sequel when it comes out cause omg so well doneee :) 
However I will say I personally didn’t give it a 5 star because of how unlikeable pretty much every character is at various parts of the story (including Kenna occasionally lol) and I tend to prefer to at least somewhat like the characters I’m reading about 
Oh also reallyyyy look at the trigger warnings fr cause this book is insanely dark and has no issues killing off characters 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content, Vomit, Cannibalism, and War

Minor: Toxic friendship