Reviews tagging 'Child death'

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

84 reviews

vettechmama3's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I got into this book very quickly. I was excited to dive into another fantasy series and intrigued from the get go. Our MFC Poppy is a Maiden set to ascend and is a secret baddie with weapons. Our MMC Hawke was, meh. At first I liked him so much. I thought him and Poppy had great chemistry, and I loved their banter. But then he started to give creepy vibes and also had a hard time with understanding consent. It also took a long time to learn what ascending even was at all and that this was also basically a vampire/werewolf book. I definitely was imagining things wrong the entire time because of little and slow context. I did enjoy the book as a whole, though, and I'm curious enough to keep going with the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Death, Religious bigotry, Gore, and Blood

Moderate: Grief, Body shaming, Confinement, Death of parent, Torture, and Child death

Minor: Abandonment

vermontsnowboarder's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

1.0

I've described this book to people before as pocket trash. You know it's terrible.

The writing isn't great. In terms of the plot, there are a lot of plotholes—things that don't really make sense, and once you start to pull at one, the entire thing unravels and doesn't make any sense. Armentrout needs a better editor. There are A LOT of unnecessary moments and words. The FMC has so many inner monologues that it's exhausting and pointless. Her views and random thoughts do not add to the story; they take away from it by bogging the reader down. 

The worldbuilding is lackluster. It's supposed to be grand and sweeping and yet, it's flat and blase. It's not just that things are waiting to be revealed; it's that there is a lack of description and connection to the world in which this story is set.

Another thing that really bothers me is the blatant racism. The FMC's "best friend" is a black woman named, I kid you not, Tawny. Are you ready for her role? She is the FMC's lady's maid. The MCC's best friend is a black man who can shift into a werewolf (wolven) named Kieran (which means black, in case you didn't know), who is bound to the MCC. So basically, both of them are servants. The main characters and those in power are all white. 

Want a book with loads of sexual assault? This book has it in spades. The MCC hides his identity and uses his false one to get close to the FMC, proceeds to seduce her, take her virginity, and then gaslight her by telling her that it was "real". He knew full well that she never ever would have gone near him if she had known who he really was. After he takes her virginity, he continues invading her space and touching her despite her telling him no several times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Racism

Moderate: Child death, Blood, Torture, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Confinement, Violence, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Child abuse and Alcohol

jennipea382's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gore, Gaslighting, Torture, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Misogyny, Murder, Confinement, Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and War

selestre's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual content, Cursing, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Body shaming

Minor: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Kidnapping, Child death, Death of parent, Medical content, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

dlsmk's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Death, Grief, Animal death, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Child death, Death of parent, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, and Sexual assault

booksoversecondbreakfast's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, War, Emotional abuse, Genocide, and Trafficking

Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Torture, and Abandonment

laura_ash's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse

Minor: Child death

ciara_donohue's review against another edition

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Torture, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Gaslighting

courtneylmal's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Emotional abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Murder

Minor: Death of parent, Body shaming, Child abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Child death

luna_lovelace's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

I am at a loss for words about where to begin with this book because it has left me in utter awe. The plot development is so intricate that I couldn't help but get lost in the story. The author throws a lot of information at you, but as the story progresses, the pace picks up, and the story becomes more engaging. 

There are also a lot of crumbs throughout the book which gave me an idea of what would happen next. Although some aspects of the story were predictable, I found it satisfying when I guessed correctly! There were also moments when I was caught off guard by unexpected twists and turns,

such as the murders of some of the most likable characters.

It is a slow-burning romance, making it all the more satisfying when the characters finally come together. The author has also thrown in an enemies-to-lovers plot, adding an extra layer of complexity to the romance.

Poppy, is a force to be reckoned with. She is charming, strong-willed, and knows her way around a dagger! I found myself becoming more and more invested in her story as the book progressed. I could see why Hawke falls for her, despite his rough exterior. Hawke is a gray character and complex

with a heartbreaking backstory that explains his motivation to save his brother.

Reading this book was an emotional rollercoaster, and I cannot wait to read the next one! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Sexual content, Death, Grief, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Cursing, and Child death

Minor: Forced institutionalization