Reviews tagging 'Incest'

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

64 reviews

no_one_important's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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

4.25

I really enjoyed the book even though it was quite dark and different from what I would usually read. I loved the fairy tale aspects of it and how Marlinchen used them to understand the world. Even though there wasn't much action, I still found myself unable to stop reading at times, and I kept wanting to read more. This book in my option is well written. At times I  felt like I was in Marlinchen's head. Hearing her thoughts, smelling the food, and feeling what she felt. Other times I felt like an outsider intruding on her story, but too invested to look away.  The only bad things I can say are the I feel there was a bit too much of Marlinchen and Sevas. I wish there was more about her mother and their life while she was still alive. I also would have liked to read a bit more about Undline and Rose because they also suffered their fathers abuse but that wasn't really talked about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Medical trauma, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Vomit, and Self harm

Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, Animal death, and Xenophobia

Minor: Incest, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

myweirdnormal's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Literally one of the best things I've ever read. Really proves why Ava is an insta-buy for me.

I really wish people would be more open about some of the triggers. I put off reading this so long because I was nervous about the incest warning. The warning is for her father watching/facilitating a pedo doctor molesting her for money. Which is obviously awful enough to read but I guess I was scared it would be more graphic, but it wasn't and I wish I had known that like a year ago when this book came out. So I hope that helps someone else.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Pedophilia, and Incest

itsheyfay's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Confinement, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Murder, Self harm, Body horror, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Death, Gore, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Cursing, Gaslighting, Animal death, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Incest

slim's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective relaxing 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

I really enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend it if you're interested. 

I felt that the characters were well-developed: each had their own unique characters and the decisions they made were sensible for their context. The world itself was also quite vidid in detail. The central story is satisfying and unique, and an accurate portrayal of the feelings, thoughts and emotions that victims of abuse experience (e.g. shame, guilt, love, remorse, hatred, anger, etc.), and the complex interplay between each.

The kinda novel that grows you as a person. Well worth the time. 

My only gripe was I felt that the author was building towards the main character having found new magical powers, but instead it was all explained that her father was orchestrating her memory loss and her new "powers" were, in fact, all explainable because of this. I guess it's not that kind of book though where there is an escalation in power and a final epic confrontation.

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4/5 for writing, 4/5 for story and 4/5 for impact. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Animal death, Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Eating disorder

Minor: Incest

tateytots's review against another edition

dark emotional tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Cannibalism, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Incest, Antisemitism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Murder

charming_killerqueen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Body horror, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Eating disorder, Incest, and Vomit

Minor: Antisemitism and Xenophobia

puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This book sits at the exact intersection of dark fairytale and gothic horror. I absolutely loved it and will definitely be reading Ava Reid’s other books! You will love this if you enjoy gothic atmospheres, monstrous women, unreliable narrators and a bit of body horror.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Cannibalism, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, and Gore

Moderate: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Body horror, Body shaming, Grief, Vomit, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Pedophilia

Minor: Infertility, Gun violence, and Incest

tofunmi_xo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I liked this book and the prose is beautiful, but I only rated it 4 stars because it lost the gothic atmosphere and energy towards the end and the end ended u being a letdown in general. Overall great writing, characters/character development, plot, and retelling. The writing does a great job of immersing the reader. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Incest, and Pedophilia

coffeepotoo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

i've never fucking felt so goddamn seen by a characters (very mentally ill) thought process before. also wonderful usage of theming and prose and i read it all in one sitting and it was very excellent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Incest, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Violence, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexism, Death, Body shaming, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Body horror

Moderate: Antisemitism, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, and Torture

currantcat's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

This book is deeply embedded in the world of fairy tales, the dark ones that preceded the sanitized versions we learned as children. I liked the main character's comments on fairy tale "rules" and how the narrative ends up confirming or twisting them. The prose was probably one of my favorite parts of the book. Marlinchen, our narrator and point of view character was compelling, though a little frustrating at times. Though she was not nearly as infuriating as many other characters. There are heavy themes of abuse explored in this book, along with other things that may be disturbing to some readers. Check trigger warnings. Personally, the book being a horror did elicit a disturbed feeling from me while reading. So, if you want a fantasy horror that unnerves you slowly, this is it. Also, it is a fair bit hornier than I expected. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Cannibalism, Violence, Murder, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Misogyny, and Body horror

Minor: Incest, Pedophilia, and Xenophobia