Reviews tagging 'Car accident'

The Black Veins by Ashia Monet

6 reviews

directorpurry's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious 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

3.0


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liaandersson's review

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring 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
I want to cry. I don't even know if it would be from happiness or sadness. Both? Maybe. I have laughed out loud so much that my mother was wondering what I was doing. Literally, such a relatable book with exactly my kind of humour and characters. I feel like somebody dissected my friend group, and I love every single bit of it. Now I want to buy a physical copy of the book so I can annotate and save every thought I had while reading, but it just won't be the same now that I have already read it once. I will try to occupy my mind with other books while waiting for this sequel to publish, but it's going to be rough. I will take all the pain in the world for this book. Now go and read if you haven't yet, you have a wonderful read ahead of you!

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oliverreeds's review

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adventurous emotional funny slow-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

only reason its a four is bc of spelling mistakes and like a few really bad plot holes (and also how slow it was for a hot minute). the characters are beautifully written. the dialogue is amazing. i genuinely loved this book

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longlost's review

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-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

"They squeeze Blythe’s hand as if they could transfer their own will straight into her veins. “You come from an amazing family, Blythe. They’re strong. And so are you. They believe in you, and they know you haven’t given up on them, and they believe, with every fiber of their heart and being, that you’re coming to save them. You’re going get in that van and you’re going to drive. Drive until you find your family again. Drive until you that find fucker from the Trident Republic and give. Him. Hell.” Jamie’s eyes blaze. “Drive until you light Electric City the fuck up.” 

I knew I had to read this book the minute I read the "no-love-interest, found family adventure you’ve been searching for," tag in the summary. And while it took me a little while to really get into the story, I'm glad I stuck it out because it was all worth it for that ending

One of the biggest strengths of this book is its characters. The development between the Guardians' relationship was incredible, both heartwarming and heartbreaking when it needed to be. I adored each and every one of them; Blythe for her determination to rescue her family, Cordelia for how
her character developed throughout the story, until she was prepared to sacrifice her own family to save Blythe's
, Daniel's shy-spoken demeanor and
the bravery he developed along their journey
, Antonio and his ability to bring positivity and optimism to any situation, Storm and her incredible coolness
and her kindness towards Daniel
, Caspian's
willingness to own up to his mistakes and do better
, and
Jay's bravery in stepping into a world he's never been a part of just to help some new friends.
 

Ashia Monet crafts a rich inner world just beyond the reach of the Common - where magic sings in your veins, and where dangers lurk in every corner. While I was incredibly attached to the Guardians and their characters, the other characters that Monet places into this world were just as full of depth and each provided a new window into this world of magic that the book draws us into. Despite their brief appearance, I loved reading about Jamie and their attempts to befriend Blythe, and Katia was frustratingly endearing even if I still don't understand a lot of her character. 

You can really feel the love Monet has for this world in her writing. The fondess for the characters, the detail for the world they inhabit, the power behind this found family adventure that comprises of queer POC teenagers finding themselves and finding each other. Every word is crafted with such care, such indisputable respect for each of the characters and their stories. I can't stress enough how much I loved reading about the Guardians and their storylines. Definitely a book I'd recommend to anyone fond of the found family trope, and to anyone who's looking for a road trip rescue mission with a lot of bonding and some bombass worldbuilding. 

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ramunepocky's review

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adventurous emotional funny
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

I really, really enjoyed this book!!! The pacing was a little slow to begin with, and it took me a while to get into the story, but once I was drawn into it, I was fully in that world!!! I really, really love all of the characters, especially Caspian (my absolute favourite), and Antonio, who is just so damn precious!!! The main seven were such a cool cast, and I really want to see more of them!!! I also really loved Jamie, and it was nice to have such casual nonbinary rep!!!
The ending goddamn made me cry, and I just very much would like more of them please and thanks !!! 

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margotnelson's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted 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

3.0

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I grew really attached to the characters. Their group dynamic was so fun, their banter was entertaining, and they're a great example of the found family trope. On the other hand, the writing felt clunky for most of the book, with a lot of info-dumping sections and blocks of dialogue explaining the world-building in a way that did not feel like the way real people talk at all. There were also plot-lines and secondary characters that were made to seem really important and then were never resolved. I think there's going to be a second book, so maybe the answers will be in there.

I'd say if you're looking for a fun, slightly corny book of magic antics with a diverse cast of goofy teenagers, this is a good pick!

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