Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

63 reviews

natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

Continuing the decadently lush and creepy vibes of House of Hollow, Krystal Sutherland’s newest standalone is just as eerie and hauntingly sinister; with protagonists I found just as vividly compelling as the Hollow sisters. 

Given how much I LOVED House of Hollow, you can imagine how high my expectations were for this. But I’m glad to say Sutherland absolutely nailed it! The simmering undercurrent of feminine rage, the witchy occultism and satisfyingly phenomenal ending, I was absolutely hooked.

I don’t think my words can truly capture how amazing this was but I will try my best. From the heart-stopping action which never let up, to the mystery surrounding a string of murders, and the skill with which Sutherland effortlessly intertwined the lives of our three protagonists: Emer, Jude and Zara (all from vastly different backgrounds) was nothing short of breathtaking. 

I really loved them all and was utterly captivated by the emotionally complex backstories and thought processes that brought each girl to life. The vibrancy of their individual personalities and differences they embody, did briefly have me questioning how they could possibly get along, let alone solve such a complex case.

But watching their relationship shift and evolve as they got to know one another, shared their feelings, experiences, and generally became closer was really uplifting. And did help lighten the mood between all the tense, bloody and (predominantly) gory events the trio find themselves in. 

Though I should admit, given I grew up in the London borough this is partially set in, (Zara attends a rival school to the one I graduated from) so my enjoyment is somewhat entwined with nostalgic memories of my own teen years in the area (when my love of all things witchy and paranormal really took off.) 

In any case, if you’re eager to delve into something spooky or unapologetically witchy this October. Or yearn for a fiercely badass cast of FMCs (who team up to not only track down a killer, but stop him for good) and live for stories with plenty of plot twisty action — then you absolutely have to consider picking this up. 

Though given the subject material I do suggest checking the TWs beforehand (as it does deal in a lot of dark themes.)  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Blood

Moderate: Death, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Violence, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic

meg53's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abandonment

ellie_debney's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Physical abuse, Vomit, and Medical content

frannieman's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

ymirfreckles's review against another edition

dark funny reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

Good concept but lukewarm execution. Doesn't really go in-depth about any of its themes and I'm not sure whether that's because it's a YA book but regardless, sometimes it just felt silly.

I did honestly enjoy the depiction of demons though! Except the part where they don't do deals with men, I just generally thought that the overwhelmingly rigid focus on the division of gender in the book was a bit weird. But yeah the author's description of how the demons look and move and interact with the main cast was interesting. Also, I found the author's description of gore/body horror quite good although surprisingly explicit compared to how surface-level everything else felt.

All that being said, I did tear through this book in only a few days and it was overall an enjoyable and easy read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, and Violence

codyemma's review against another edition

dark sad tense

• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Self harm, Sexism, Vomit, and Grief

sage_alexandra's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Would probably have rated higher if not for the first few chapters. Maybe 4 or 5 chapters in was when the story finally picked up, but I'm glad I pushed through! The beginning was too much untethered exposition and vague character explanations, but it all came together quite quickly, and then I finished the rest of the (audio)book in under 24 hours.

Pretty extraordinary book, and the narrator, Kit Griffiths, is phenomenal!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism

Minor: Confinement, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

a lot of graphic knife/blade injuries,

flaying of skin

, descriptions of pain revolving around the cutting. none of it in a suicide-selfharm sort of way, just girlies doing casual blood sacrifices to demons!

issyfrp99's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? No

4.75

Absolutely perfect story. A quarter of a point docked for incorrect Latin grammar because it’s a pet peeve of mine.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexism, Violence, and Murder

yayathegreat38's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Murder

wren_08's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail