Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

73 reviews

escapismforlife's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This book. THIS BOOK.

 Can you hear me almost falling to grab the third off my shelf?

I haven't  felt like this since reading the Legend trilogy Marie Lu back in high school. Or even finishing  Ember in The Ashes Series just last year. I've got through  this series quicker than both. It's taken me a month. And I am eager to see what happens. Though I think its  already  been  told shown to me in this. <spoiler >Something  to do with a dark Lila shown to her. By a dark mirror in a illegal market.  

Anyways, I'm wrecked because  of the ending. Delilah Bard is the true antihero/thief/magician of London. And the fact she's  the strong one in the kind of relationship with Kell is the best thing ever. I love seeing an average woman  do extraordinary  and dangerous  things. And I'm ready to see things take a left turn for once.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Confinement, Murder, Self harm, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

nabaraditi's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

 This competition thing reminded me of Goblet of Fire (there's no resemblance other than the fact that both are competitions) But still. And the book felt like it was all about this competition. A new character was added

a love interest for our pretty, charming prince Rhy

which I felt like why...????? 

I also didn't understand the logic behind Rhy and Kell in making Kell join the competition. TO BLOW OFF STEAM??? CATHARSIS??? REAAAAAALLLLLYYYYYYYY???????? i feel keeping you and your brother safe is more important. Hence, i sort of didn't feel bad and i could feel myself agreeing with King Maxim for imprisoning Kell. Lila joining the competition... I like her character at times but there are multiple times when I dislike her when she's being bloody stupid. She seemed to participate out of spite for Alucard?? Like i'm not mad. This fits her character. She is egoistic (at least i find her egoistic)

 

I quite enjoyed the first book and I thought the first book was like a build up for the next books but it seems so was this 2nd one! And I don’t want to say I was disappointed as such but I did have trouble picking this book up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Self harm

Moderate: Violence, Gore, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Confinement

blueberry0531's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Murder, Addiction, and Self harm

Minor: Cursing and Kidnapping

eranada's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

laurynreadsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Self harm

reddeddy's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

i am just *inhales*……Delilah Bard…..you are insane….but you’re also a fucking badass…..i had some issues with this book through the middle and towards the end, but that ending….i’m kinda shook…..that final line gave me literal chills.

overall a solid sequel, and im so looking forward to the last one, especially after that cliffhanger…i mainly had issues with some of the character development, especially Lila, because i feel like she doesn’t get the same kind of nuance as Kell or even Rhy, especially with everything going on, it feels like she doesn’t ever get the same emotional depth the others do, but hopefully in the next book she will!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Death

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Classism, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Ableism, Confinement, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Dysphoria, Grief, Torture, and Sexual assault

Minor: Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Dementia, Misogyny, and War

malhale's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Kidnapping

betweentheshelves's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-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? Yes

4.0

I appreciate the way that VE Schwab builds on the world in this book, giving us more about the magic system. Especially how it relates to other areas outside of London. The magical tournament was probably my favorite aspect of this story. While magical tournaments aren't new, I enjoyed the way it was written in this, and Lila's determination to join even if she isn't the most skilled magician.

Rhy might be my favorite character in this; I just think he is one of the most interesting and complex. Kell and Lila aren't terrible, but I found Lila to get a bit repetitive towards the end of this book. Becuase I didn't really realize how long this book was!

Overall, I do think this book suffers a bit from second book sydrome, especially at the beginning. It felt like it was a little longer than it needed to be, but I guess there is some build up for the third book. Which I'll definitely be reading, because I still need to know how it ends! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Murder, Self harm, and Gore

Minor: Cursing and Kidnapping

oh_neens's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

Relationships between the characters much more cemented for the second novel and I love a good magic tournament. Excited to see Lila grow and the relationship between Rhy and Kell seen more thoroughly

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Content Warnings

Minor: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts

creepypiespice's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Self harm, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Alcohol, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cursing