Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Near the Bone by Christina Henry

69 reviews

elitheradguy's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

This story was sold to me as a creature feature, and it very much is, but the creature is not the forefront of this story by any means and is more of a metaphorical device than something that is dived into in detail. The story centers a lot more on our main character and the abuse she suffers at her "husband". 

We learn later that this was actually her mother's boyfriend, and he kidnapped her when she was eight years old in order to groom her.

All in all, I feel like this was a beautifully done story. I've never suffered abuse myself, but it seemed like a liberating story to me about an abuse victim who finally manages to break free of her situation and find something better. I would hope that, if an abuse victim read this story, they would have the same hope for something better that I finished the story with. Fair warning that the emotional and physical abuse in this story is explicit, and I'd imagine that this would be an incredibly hard read for somebody who's been through abuse like this before. Take care if you intend on reading this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Animal death

sonygaystation's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

I had so much fun with this omg it reminded me so much of Until Dawn and that video game is a blast!! Love me a good creature feature horror and this did not disappoint. My only wish is the ending was a little more fleshed out  but it definitely does leave an air of unsettling to have it end the way it did

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Miscarriage, Vomit, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

batcaves's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

wild_sazzy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Fantastic book. 
Christina Henry addresses modern day issues in a horror context and I am here for it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

jasminechocklettslee's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Blood, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Child death and Murder

Minor: Gore

nicole_cob_reads's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

e_gracereads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.0

Holy WOW was this book fast paced. It starts off HARD and FAST. It was a very quick read, and steeped with action throughout the entire novel. I really enjoyed the “two villains” aspect of the book; however, I do wish we’d gotten more of the creature in this creature-feature. The horror in this book is really a lot less because of the creature, and a lot more because of the people. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

terry9375's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Blood

Moderate: Violence and Vomit

Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual assault

Just for trigger warning. The sexual assault is all off page, and more of a reference to it, not graphic or on page descriptions. Kind of a fade to black style.

joy_ong's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

nrogers_1030's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement and Miscarriage

Minor: Cursing, Infertility, Pedophilia, Rape, and Torture

Rapes are not detailed.