Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - Drag Me Up

Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

onlyonebookshelf's review against another edition

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emotional reflective 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

3.5

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heather667's review

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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

5.0

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30something_reads's review against another edition

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medium-paced

3.25

This is a t4t, all Black, spicy Hades/Persephone retelling and the first in a series of interconnected standalones in this worlds.

The thing I always struggle a bit with is the world building in modern mythology retellings like this. Nothing is ever quite explained well enough- the power structures, the relationships. So you have to go in knowing it's a little confusing in that regard.

What I did love about this was Hades and Persephone as characters. Persephone is such a strong main character in this one. She has fought for her life and she is unrelenting in pursuing her dreams. Hades also had a well developed backstory that gave weight to the dark character he is always portrayed to be. I loved the fragility in Hades that Persephone got to see and how she gave him strength in her own ways.

And the spice was top tier.

I'll definitely be digging into the rest of the series.

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addydeejreads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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? Yes

I have a love hate relationship with retellings. There really is no in between so picking this one up was tentative but it was wholly worth it. I absolutely loved this from the writing style to the characters everything just felt right.

Sure this had all the fixings for someone familiar with the Hades and Persephone story but it really stood on it's own two legs. Set in an alternate modern day society in the "underbelly" that is beyond the River Styx in the biggest, best and most renowned casino owned by the myth himself, Hades. Truly, this man is so behind the scenes people literally question his existence. But for family, he'd do anything and by anything, it meant showing up to a production being put on in his theatre. Something new and fantastical and Dionysus would not have Hades miss it.

Enter Persephone, our badass aerial performer, the star of the show. She immediately catches Hades attention and the rest is history as they say. The story gives almost mafia type vibes where territories are sectioned off and everyone has their place. They don't interfere or there could be "war". I think fans of motorcycle club romances or mafia type stories would find a kinship with this story. I certainly did.

I loved this story so much, it's my favorite retelling to date and I can't wait to pick up the rest of the series.

The cast is unapologetically Black and Brown, there's some of the most wholesome Trans. rep I've read (I don't speak for the community I'm only going by what I know and have read in the past), and the spice gave in EVERY way. The relationships that are explored don't just stop at one thing and don't fall flat and not just of the sexual variety. Friendships, family and hierarchy dynamics are explored but weaved together so intrinsically that one cannot exist without the other.

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shaipanda's review

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fast-paced

3.5

This was a bit disappointing for me unfortunately. While I enjoyed it and liked seeing the relationships develop there were some grammatical errors that bugged me (especially with things that should’ve been in past tense and weren’t), i wasn’t quite as invested as I would’ve liked to be, and I didn’t love what happened at around the 90% mark, it was a bit instalovey for my taste, as well as some other issues with it I’m forgetting now

I enjoyed seeing the trans representation in this retelling and liked the relationships that developed but overall this was a meh read for me unfortunately

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thirdeyeangel23's review

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adventurous mysterious 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? No

4.5

There’s a reason why this book has been so hyped!!! I’m a complete whore for Hades and Persephone re-tellings and this is at the top for me. Drag Me Up is a more modern take on their story. We have Persephone who is a young black trans woman who’s been fighting to live out her dreams. As the star of a new cirque show Persephone is an instant star and immediately grabs the attention of the club owner, Hades. Hades is both the legend and backbone of Khaos Falls. As the eldest of his three brothers he’s become the most feared and known for being Zeus’s enforcer (and enabler). All of that changes when Hades chooses his love for Persophone. This was such a beautiful portrayal of both characters. While Hades is feared, we get to see a more bashful and genuinely precious side. He has such a true love for his mate and his family. Persephone is also such a force and it was a joy to see her uplifting and providing strength for her partner. The last 30% did move a tad too fast, but overall I found this story to be perfectly seductive, thrilling, and deliciously smutty. I can’t wait to read book 2!

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discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

3.25

I’ve read plenty of Hades and Persephone retellings. Often times the emphasis on spice can leave the plot lacking depth or the commitment to the mythology can leave the characters one-dimensional.

But I feel like so far, this is perhaps the most well-rounded version I’ve come across. I enjoyed the writing style, the pacing was mostly good (there was some info-dumping that felt like a slog towards the beginning but it was negligible), the spice was very good, and the characters were nuanced. Overall I really enjoyed this one! I even shed a tear!

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gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition

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dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

Loving the Hades and Persephone story, I was all but sold when I heard about this book. The representation, the story, and the spice all combined to create a fun read and series that I want more of.

On top of the main characters and seeing their lives and back stories, there is also a range of side characters to enjoy as you read along. Each bring their our little views and interactions to make everything more alive. The world is also intriguing but doesn't have a lot of development, as this is not the forefront of the book I didn't have any issues. This as the book is without a doubt a character driven story.

It really enjoyed seeing how Hades and Persephone help each other grow. I don't think there is enough books that showcase helping a loved one without having to change or give something up about yourself. You can change and grow with someone, but it doesn't mean you have to change for someone.

I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.

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