Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Witchmark by C.L. Polk

29 reviews

gooseturnover's review against another edition

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.0

Medium-pace until the last few chapters at which point everything happens SO FUCKING FAST. Only reason it's not five stars is because I feel like the romance was a little too quickly developed but aside from that. A+ book can't wait to read the next one.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide and Forced institutionalization

Suicide is only mentioned and happens off-screen.

raptorq's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Classism

Moderate: Blood, Murder, and War

Minor: Genocide and Violence

espiargrant's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

Overall, this book was a good time, though by no means perfect. The writing style was clear and flowed easily, and I liked most of the characters. The world-building seemed well-thought-out, but not explored as much as I would have liked. 

One issue I had with this book was that it kept the reader in the dark about certain things for too long to really have a sense of what to care about. I also felt that the ending was extremely rushed, and I wish that Tristan had had more development. He was absent too often and when he was present, he didn't have much agency in the story, which dampened the romance for me.

That said, this was still a fun, magical story with a cute queer romance, and I'm glad I read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Murder, War, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Drug use

purplepenning's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Slavery, Torture, Medical content, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

archcon's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I loved this book. The beautiful writing and descriptions pulled me into the world better than anything I've read in a long time. The world details that were just there and not necessarily explained made it feel natural that I should know them and, again, pulled me in. And then the romance. Tender and sweet and organic.

As someone interested in WWI, I enjoyed the clear parallels and the interesting new aspects added to the familiar parts.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug use

20sidedbi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia, Death of parent, and War

romiress's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

A very satisfying book. I actually really enjoyed the romance and thought they had great chemistry, but I was here mostly for the mystery, which was very satisfying. Never been more relieved for a second book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, and Classism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Murder

Minor: Suicide

blackrabbitrun's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, War, and Injury/Injury detail

story_goblin's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

extremely immersive and a quick read, but the story doesn't feel fast while you're reading. I absolutely loved it. It was unique and exactly what I was looking for right now

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and War

The main character is a war veteran who works at a veteran's hospital working with patients exhibiting symptoms similar to what we would call PTSD. He can "see" an "infection" inside them with magic powers he has to hide because all "witches" are sent to insane asylums. He ran away from home because all mages born into rich families that have powers other than controlling storms are forcibly bonded to a "storm-singer" and used as back-up batteries/treated as inferior. In addition to the general medical content of him working in a hospital, there are several moments when it's discussed in the news that a veteran killed innocent people around him. The main character sees this first hand once. They also towards the end visit one of the insane asylums.

katiequack's review against another edition

adventurous 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Emotional abuse