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Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

206 reviews

dark mysterious tense slow-paced
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No

The actual bound book is beautiful, the edges, the dust jacket, the embossed hardback. And I really love how there are near constant references to water and the ocean, I think that’s a really cool immersive touch. But the story within is bad. The plot lines are gibberish. The FMC is excruciating as the most archetypal “meek mouse” girl I’ve ever read. The author stuffed tropes at random just for the hell of it. This could have been a cool commentary on women’s work being stolen by men but the author repeatedly slaps us in the face with the point so often, I can’t even appreciate it. The timeline is all out of whack. Preston has loved her “for so long” but they’ve only been there for two weeks. The characters’ choices are illogical. Preston is afraid of swimming because his dad had hydrocephalus….. that’s not how that works??? The first time Effy finds a mysterious locked box, she breaks into it but the second time, she doesnt even try, she just needs to immediately lose her virginity?? Preston is supposedly head over heels for her but they sleep together and it feels so icky? He says he’ll take care of her when they’re done, like okay are you the nasty ass Fairy King because that’s some shit he would say. This book tried too hard to be mysterious dark academia and just turned into garbled nonsense instead. And my final sticking point, Emrys turned out to be damn near a child groomer and effy still says he’s her hero???? Girl get a grip. 

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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: No

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slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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dark emotional slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

For me, ASID took a very gloomy approach with dark academia vibes. The things happened to Effie was gruesome and it explained the hurt and pain she carried throughout the story. 

The setting was atmospheric, rich with mysterious house and disgusting men and monster. The pace was way too slow for my taste, and I can't vibes with the couple, Effie and Preston.

Even when they get better in the end.

The ending was powerful I like it a lot. 

This is a book about survivors and for survivors. It might be hard to read for some, esp those with panic attacks and SA survivors. Please mind this🩷

Currently reading book 2, A Theory of Dreaming ✨

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medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It's so disappointing, the premise has so much potential but it falls flat. I did not like the female main character, especially since she says some really racist stuff to the love interest and she is not criticized or held accountable for it. The romance was very lackluster and not needed to the story. I wasn't surprised at all by the "mystery" and was disappointed that the main characters didn't get it until it was told to them. Like these are two academics and they didn’t even bother to look into the widow at all. The ending felt very anticlimactic and rushed and was not very satisfying.

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

☆ Fun Factor 4/5 (I'm not sure I'd call this book "fun" it's very gut punching, but I breezed through it)
☆ Writing Style 5/5
☆ Characters 5/5 (A small cast that we spend a lot of time with)
☆ Plot 3/5 (predictable but hits HARD, and I mean hard.)
☆ Setting 5/5 (Gothic spooky vibes)
☆ Feels 5/5 (made me tear up)
☆ Spiciness 2/5 (sex scenes mostly relegated to fade to black but some of the foreplay and kissing happens on page)
☆ Gore 3/5

If this were a movie it'd be rated: R for mild sexual situations, violence, body horror, frequent mentions of sexual assault, PTSD/panic attack depictions, disturbing imagery, misogynistic language

☆FOR FANS OF: Dark fairy tales with feminist motifs

Ultimate verdict: ☆☆☆☆☆/5

☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ Effy

Review: This is for all the girls that no one believed

It's a book that means so much to me. It's about a young woman named Effy who's told to shut up and keep her head down and just be a good girl by everyone in her life, even her own mother. Nobody believes her story or what happened to her, so she just censors herself and makes herself small. It can get intensely uncomfortable because it's ultimately a story told through rather heavy handed allegory about women who are the victims of men. Sexual assault, lecherous comments, slut shaming, misogyny, and abuse. As such, this isn't exactly what I'd call a "lighthearted" read, nor do I really understand why this is marketed as YA. It was gut wrenching for me at times. There's so many women in our world who have their own Fairy King haunting their steps who are told to just ignore it, it's not real, he's not so bad. All these little comments are like bricks in the wall that women often hide themselves behind to stay safe and sane.

As such this story is going to hit HARD for survivors of abuse, assault, and misogyny. I saw myself in Effy as a survivor myself. This is an important book because in the end, she defeats her abuser and that's a message that anyone suffering through abuse needs to hear: You can make it through.

A phenomenal modern fairy tale that feels timeless at the same time. Absolutely adored and I will definitely pick up the sequel later this year. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Another beautifully written book by Ava Reid, love a gothic novel about a spooky house 
There are a few common motifs in Reids work including, personal autonomy, violence against women, folklore, modernisation 

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