Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

54 reviews

caitlin_plotsandpints's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Murder, Domestic abuse, Violence, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

sposner's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

kat7794's review

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

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

zephania's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Death, Rape, Toxic relationship, Murder, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse

kerendu's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Murder

hannibanani29's review

dark emotional tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Death of parent, Cursing, Blood, Confinement, Gaslighting, Gore, Body horror, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Grief

Minor: Abortion, Vomit, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Murder, Child abuse, Suicide, Racism, Medical content, and Mental illness

eliserobinsonn__'s review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Medical content, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Stalking

Minor: Miscarriage, Murder, and Vomit

bronxgirlreading's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Loved the writing and the development of the characters. I honestly just wasn’t expecting it to get so dark!!! Like this was not what I was expecting but it made the ending so worth the journey. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Murder, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Violence, Physical abuse, and Kidnapping

danielleportal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Murder

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