Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

81 reviews

just_klaudia'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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

teachreadrepeat's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

Holy wow! I saw a TikTok that said, "Instead of reading IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover, you should read LONG SHOT by Kennedy Ryan." Boy am I glad I listened to that recommendation?? I devoured this book in less than 2 days.

First and foremost, let's get the elephant out of the way. There are graphic, on-page depictions of DV and SA throughout a large portion of this book. This violence is not between the end game couple and is very difficult to stomach, so take care of yourself while reading this one if it's a trigger for you. However, I am so impressed with Ryan's ability to shed light on this very real issue with such care and dignity for victims. DV is an issue that still goes largely ignored and is so often twisted by a society of people who have never experienced it themselves and are unwilling to empathize with those who have. While these scenes are challenging to get through, I think Ryan did a phenomenal job of digging deep into the manipulation tactics that often keep partners trapped in this cycle of abuse. I hope this book also helps victims reconcile what has happened to them OR helps them finally find the courage and ability to walk away for good.

Next, let's discuss August. Oh my good golly gosh!! He is seriously the perfect "man written by a woman." Basketball is one of my favorite sports and it was refreshing to read a sports romance that wasn't hockey (even though I do love me some ice boys as well). August's devotion to Iris was beautiful and heartwrenching and the long journey to the HEA was well worth it in the end.

This book earned 4.5 stars from me simply due to the amount of typos/errors in the KU digital version I read. Even so, I am very excited to continue reading the rest of this series!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Confinement, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cursing, Blood, Police brutality, and Abandonment

sarahmcg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

*Before you start this book, check the trigger/content warnings! I will put more detail regarding these later in my review.

I’m not going to lie - when I saw the cover of this book, I thought it was going to be a light, smutty sports romance (which is what I was in the mood for). I knew it would probably have some depth because I read Kennedy Ryan’s book “Before I Let Go” and that was a mix of serious, humor, character growth and spice. 

However - this book shocked me. I wasn’t expecting the amount of graphic, on-page ⚠️

domestic and sexual abuse, rape, emotional abuse/manipulation, impregnating without consent, blackmailing, and gun violence (not involving the “hero,” August).

I do think Ryan handled these difficult topics very well - she interviewed domestic abuse survivors, social workers, and women’s shelters before writing this book. I think she helped to give the survivor’s perspective of why people often can’t “just leave,” especially when there’s a child involved. 

I could really feel the depths of Iris’s fear, hopelessness, isolation, and despair, and that made her moments of joy even more meaningful when she could find them. I think one of the most disgusting parts of this book (obviously besides Caleb’s actual abuse), were the complicity of those in Caleb’s life who knew what he was doing - the bodyguard Ramone, his cousin Andrew who would come “fix up” Iris each time after Caleb hurt her, and his dad using his money and power to sweep his horrible actions under the rug. It made me so mad that no one else saw through his golden boy act - but we all know this does happen in real life, and that’s heartbreaking. 

Iris & August were open and vulnerable with each other from their very first conversation. It was a little bit *too* insta-love for me, but they truly did have great chemistry and connection, and kept thinking of and coming back to each other. Even without knowing exactly what Iris went through with Caleb (due to that damn NDA), he was patient and respectful with her, as a good partner should be. I didn’t always love the descriptors used during spicy time, but that might just be a personal problem between me and the word *folds.*

One last thing - I loved her relationship with her cousin Lotus (and look forward to her story!) and her time with great grandmother Mimi. I think that was so essential to the start of her healing. 

I think this was a very good book, it just wasn’t what I expected and I’m not sure I was in the right headspace for it! So I wanted to give others a heads up so they could decide whether or not they are!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

jjohnston_05's review

challenging emotional inspiring 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

This was hard. It's hardtop read something that is so important and so typically glossed over. "your body is yours to keep and yours to share." Incredibly beautiful story with two characters who are so in love and simply meant to be together, but gosh the road to each other was really tough to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Blood and Gaslighting

Minor: Death

bookshelf1792's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood

orangeaiya's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

4.0

The main character grew on me for sure. Very tough read due to the violence both occurring and referenced. Happy ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

alexamellon's review

dark emotional tense

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

jonezzzing's review

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Grief and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit and Abandonment

shaipanda's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad 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 is a dark story. That needs to be made absolutely and incredibly clear. I know a lot of other reviews have mentioned it (as they should) but I couldn’t not mention it in mine as well because as amazing as this book is and as loving and amazing as Iris and Autumn’s relationship is, the most important thing to know going into this is how dark, graphic and difficult to read it is for a large part of the book. 
That being said though the book is also amazing and thought it was incredibly well done for the super heavy topics it covers 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Infidelity

ecravens's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy