Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

347 reviews

itsame_dio's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.5

It’s not bad it has some funny lines but it’s very predictable and so I felt like it was a slog to get through. If you don’t mind fridging and like old man action movies (John Wick, The Equalizer etc) then it’s good. Cosby seems to understand (or make an honest effort to understand) the trials and tribulations of Queer people not just Black CisHet men. 

I liked the ending tho, it was very touching. 

I don’t really like the narrator. He has a perfect serious deep black man voice but anything else??? Nope

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Blood, Violence, Child abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Gun violence, and Murder

angiesix's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Gore, Blood, Death, Homophobia, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

angegoof's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Homophobia

Moderate: Transphobia

isoriabre's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence

taylorfield's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad 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

January 2024 Book Club read

Long Story Short: Two fathers, Ike and Buddy Lee, are brought together by grief after the cold blooded murder of their sons, Isiah and Derek. Despite their differences, the two unite in search of answers and redemption, and discover they have more in common than they realized along the way.

A tense, action-filled page turner full of agony, reckoning, and somehow, humor. In a very short time frame, Ike and Buddy Lee learn from one another, confront their mistakes, and expand their mindsets. Despite the growth, they also rely on old habits as their quest unveils a complicated, dangerous web of deceit and conspiracy. Though the plot went very Liam Neeson's Taken, the threads of racism and homophobia were handled tremendously. It's hard to elaborate without spoiling, so I'll just say I really enjoyed this novel.

I am dying to know why Grayson didn't have a nickname like the others in Rare Breed. It is a question I can't stop thinking about.

Enjoyment: 4/5
Craft: 4/5
Overall: 4/5 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Racial slurs, Violence, Blood, Deadnaming, Cursing, Death, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Grief, Gore, Gun violence, and Racism

rei_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Gore, Car accident, Alcohol, Gun violence, Violence, Homophobia, Blood, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Cancer, and Transphobia

Minor: Deadnaming, Confinement, and Vomit

lil_wavy_'s review against another edition

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

5.0

OMG !!! Just finished the audiobook and I am hella salty right now. Great book overall though, S.A. did it again. He is definitely an author you should look out for honestly. Ike and Buddy Lee did what needed to be done. The entire plot was throughly written with such detail and depth. This book will have you emotional just letting y'all know. TW: racism, mental health, and homophobia 

Rate: 10/10

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Racism, Drug abuse, Transphobia, Physical abuse, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Bullying, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Emotional abuse

knoxmulder's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Gun violence

Minor: Homophobia

alliluh's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

3.0

This was a good story but would’ve been a lot more impactful if it wasn’t so predictable with where it was going

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Transphobia, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Racism

Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual harassment

brandilovesbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Razorblade Tears is the story of two polar opposites with two things in common- they are both ex-cons and they both lost their sons to a hate crime.  The men set out to discover who killed their sons.  

I almost quit about a third of the way into the book.  I found the book to be very violent.  I am not the targeted audience.  I continued reading because it was a book club book.  I am glad I did.

The characters are very well developed.  Even if you didn't agree with their choices, you found  yourself caring for Ike and Buddy Lee.  I cried at the end.

S.A. Crosby has a beautiful way with words.  He is able to create vivid images to go with his words.    The name of the book comes from a description of Ike's tears after his son's funeral.

The genius of this book is that it has a very specific, very important, message that is probably uncomfortable for the targeted audience.   There are many guys just like Buddy Lee and Ike who are going to pick up this book for the vigilante justice and the war with a biker gang.  They are going to read it and they are going to hear that message over and over, starting out subtly but getting more direct by the end.

I wasn't a fan of the almost omnipotent point of view that happened during fight scenes.  Although there were multiple points of view throughout the book,  they were separated by scenes.  During the fight scenes I was overwhelmed by knowing what too many characters were thinking and feeling.  (Could be that I'm not the targeted audience.)

I recommend this book to people who like to read about vigilante justice and biker gangs.  Sons of Anarchy fans should pick this up.

My content warnings-
Violence 
Murder
Kidnapping
Torture
Racial slurs
LGBTQ slurs
Dead naming 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Murder, Hate crime, Blood, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gore, Torture, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Transphobia, Violence, Classism, Grief, and Religious bigotry