Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

might not be appropriate for YA.

This book has some pretty intense and traumatic scenes that might be too much for the young adult genre. Adult themes with young adult characters. That being said, Jennifer Barnes has a way of writing that makes you not able to see the twists coming. Highly recommend but for more mature audiences. Read this. <spoiler> i’m still team Michael

This was the best book by far. The next best was book 3, then book 1, and then book 2.

TW: torture, (g)rape (off the page), kidnapping, cult, child abuse, serial murder, etc.

0 🌶️

* please disregard for medical errors due to voice texting. Thanks.

Content Warnings

laurenkrohn's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

ameydireads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

4.0

“Home isn't a place. It's not having a bed to come home to, or a yard, or a Christmas tree at the holidays. Home is the people who love you.”

This is the book where everything comes together. The Masters have been watching and they know how to play with the Naturals.

The human psyche, playing a major role in this book, is what I found most interesting. When it comes to survival, the human brain finds a way to deal with it. It can suppress memories that are too painful. This becomes clear when Cassie struggles to remember her life in Gaither. In some cases when things become unbearable the brain deals with it by creating new personalities—ones that are more adept in handling traumas.

This is exactly what happens to Lorelai. In order to survive as the Pythia, her brain reawakens a personality that helped her earlier in life, during the time she lived with her abusive father. Lorelai loves her children and would do anything to save them—but the goal of this other personality is to survive no matter what, even if it means harming Lorelai’s children. Cassie is confronted by Lorelai’s other personality in a life-or-death situation

and this is where the climax reaches its peak in terms of emotions.

I love Cassie, Dean, Michael, Lia, and Sloane! Even Nightshade is an interesting character, partially owing to his backstory in becoming a serial killer. The grooming he undergoes is dreadful. Thatcher Townsend, on the other hand, is a character that creeps me out. He cares too little for people and too much for his name and legacy. Every time he spoke, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

I do have some questions about the plot.

How does Malcolm not know how to stab himself without giving rise to suspicion when he is supposed to be the greatest of them all?! As Nine, it is almost unfathomable that he does not think this through. And how is Director Sterling also involved in this cult!! It feels a little out of place and underexplained. The same goes for TA Geoff who makes a sudden appearance. Totally out of place. What was most shocking is that Lorelai dies mere seconds before Agent Briggs arrives. If only they tried to stretch time.

Overall, despite some minor flaws, this book is engaging and an amazing ending to this series. I do hope Laurel gets past the indoctrination. I feel uneasy every time she says “The blood belongs to the Pythia. The blood belongs to Nine.”

Content Warnings

dramagirl2003's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

5.0

this was insane man. the foreshadowing, the criminal minds-ness, the pull of plot points from previous books! crazy good

thoughts while reading

p52: YOU is almost definitely cassie’s mom

p55: dean + cassie = matching profilers

p61: girl did you really live in a bathroom

p79: dean ain’t letting nothin’ happen to his fam

p97: oh i just assumed the inmate was cassie’s dad

p141: another natural…and a unique one at that…this is exciting

p222: lia 🥺

p258: oh sweetie no 😢

p274: yesss celine is back baby!

p278: oh lord, naturals truth or dare really gets frisky

p291: no…..

p293: 😱

p310: why??

p314: OMG

MALCOLM IS FIVE

THE TIMINGS LINE UP

p323: this is downright terrifying

p329: fudge fudge fudge

p335:

TA GEOFF

😳 this almost rivals holly jackson agggtm foreshadowing

p341: oh for goodness sake can we ever catch a break here 😭😭😭

p343: bloody ironic but a good guise

p353: does lorelai have DID? or just a wall of protection

p371: briggs deserves to be director

Content Warnings

the_bookish_scorpio's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

Content Warnings

turtleswift01's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Literally so insanely insane and so good and I am so upset it’s over.

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