Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

93 reviews

blacksphinx's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

I don't normally read this kind of book - a modern crime thriller. I heard good things about it through the grapevine, and I was overwhelmed with hours and hours of tasks at work that would keep my hands busy but nothing to think about it. I checked it out from the library on a whim and I've been amazed at how good it was.

S.A. Cosby knows how to put words in front of each other, really painting a vivid image of this rural southern community and its conflicts. This is only enhanced by Adam Lazarre-White's incredible narration which brought each character to life. I found this book to really take its ideas and themes seriously and with the level of nuance they deserved, even if I felt some points could have been pushed farther or were fumbled. It hit more often than it missed.

I wouldn't say it's perfect? There's a question I wanted answered that didn't, there's a romantic plot line that I felt didn't really add anything, and sometimes I found the narration to be repetitive (yes there's a serial killer running around and you want to catch him, I've been reading the book I know this!). But when the book finished playing, I didn't think it detracted enough from my overall enjoyment and appreciation to give the book anything less than 5 stars. I am absolutely going to go and read the rest of S.A. Cosby's books now. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Gore, Racism, Racial slurs, Blood, Death, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, Murder, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Hate crime

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Mass/school shootings, Classism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Death of parent, and Pedophilia

Minor: Homophobia, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Addiction, Pregnancy, and Excrement

There is a brief description of an unseen character dying from HIV/AIDS in the 80's.

readingtomydogs's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Not a perfect book but very close. Exciting, well written, with deep insight into the main character’s mindset. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Child abuse, Gore, Blood, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Rape, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Cursing, and Hate crime

Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Chronic illness

lferris's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Racism, Gun violence, Grief, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, and Racial slurs

danyels_denouements's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Gun violence

orizenda's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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

Honestly I loved this book. The one little scene at the end with mom appearing felt a little…. cheesy to me. but I can forgive that. Can’t believe I’ve been sleeping on Cosbys work. there’s so much going on here, i feel like this would be a great book club discussion book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Gore, Child death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Child abuse, Murder, and Pedophilia

misspennreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Excellent writing. Thoughtful and nuanced portrayal of police role in violence. Pretty tight plot that doesn't get bogged down in the procedurals of police work, but does follow Titus (the Sheriff) in his own deliberations. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Police brutality, and Mental illness

Minor: Suicide

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

4.75

 All the Sinners Bleed is a story about Titus Crown, the first Black sheriff of Charon County, Virginia. It opens with a school shooting. A Black teen has shot a beloved teacher and is in turn shot by police. The subsequent investigation takes Titus and his deputies in unexpected and horrific directions. This was one of the darkest books I have read in a long time. Thankfully the worst of the subject matter was alluded to rather than graphically depicted. I thought Cosby did a great job highlighting the chilling reality of white supremacism and the toll facing up to it places on Black officers. I also appreciated the way current issues - such as those surrounding statutes of Confederate soldiers - were woven into the plot, making the novel feel both real and relevant. There were other layers to the plot as well - religious extremism, the legacy of child abuse, Titus’s personal and family situations. The story does incorporate some potentially tired cliched tropes, as is often the case with genre fiction. But the plot and pacing made for a gripping read, and the many contemporary issues, particularly those related to race, helped to elevate it above its tropes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Confinement, Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, and Violence

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

dark tense slow-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? Yes

2.5

From the first chapter, I was engrossed in Cosby's writing style as I watched Sheriff Titus Crown don his uniform, badge, radio, and gun. He was quickly called to Jefferson Davis High School and came face-to-face with an active shooter. The story evolved as threads were unraveled to reveal that one of Charon's own might be a serial killer. Unfortunately for me, the suspense simply did not extend past the first few chapters. There was a lot of talk of the townspeople's political and religious views, and I found this to be entirely distracting from the race to find the Last Wolf. I did not find myself thinking about this book when I wasn't reading it, and I wasn't dying to pick it up every free moment I got. I think this is one of those rare instances where a television show might be better than the book. Sorry, Cosby!

"The statement hung in the air between them, ensconced within Cam's unspoken assumptions. There had been a bad man who had shot a good man, then other good men had killed the bad man. What more was there to talk about? Titus wished it were that simple. He really did."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racial slurs, Stalking, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Racism, Death, Car accident, Alcohol, and Adult/minor relationship

rebel_rocketman's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Racism, and Animal death

Moderate: Sexual violence, Torture, and Religious bigotry

astoriareader's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

SYNOPSIS:

• Titus, a former FBI agent and current sheriff, returned to his small hometown in Charon County, Virginia, to take care of his elderly dad.
• The book opens with a school shooting, and without giving away more, the investigation pivots to deeper, darker secrets in the town.

MY THOUGHTS

• Very-well written + good pacing 
• FINALLY! A diverse group of characters 
• Police-procedural thriller 
• Impressive character development 
• Loved the main character, Titus, and found him easy to root for 
• Satisfying ending 
• Cosby is a talented storyteller 
• Explores many tough topics, such as racism, hypocrisy, prejudice, religion, and prevalence of systemic, intergenerational hatred
• Heavy read; would encourage folks to check out trigger warnings
• I read a lot in these genre, and this book is an excellent reminder of why it’s important to read work by Black authors. Sadly, in 2023, Black authors’ voices are not as prevalent as they should be, and Crosby’s work is a scarce treasure in the literary world. Cosby takes time to incorporate race into the character development and plot, and he offers an glimpse into Black lives in rural America. 

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Police-procedural that touches on racism & other important topics. Diverse story by talented Black author, who actually offers Black perspectives (a scarcity in the literary world, particularly in this genre)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Racial slurs

Minor: Alcoholism