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the_novel_approach's review against another edition
4.0
What do you do when everything is taken away from you in the blink of an eye? How do you pick up the pieces and move on when your foundation is shaken and nothing feels the same anymore? We watch Donald, the main character in Rick R. Reed’s Bashed, struggle with these very questions.
This is the most powerful book I’ve read from Rick R. Reed yet. Intense and gripping from start to finish, Bashed tells the story of Donald and Mark, a gay couple in love, who are the victims of a vicious hate crime while on their way home from the Brig, a leather bar they frequent. The beginning of the book is tough. Rick’s writing style lends perfectly to setting the stage, taking us through the details – as much as we don’t want to know – of the horrific attack. In fact, the entire story is so well written it’s obvious that along with the more lighthearted love stories in his catalog, Mr. Reed is a master at suspense.
In tandem with the actual event of the bashing and Donald’s story of how to go on with his life afterwards, we also see the POV of Justin, a sixteen year old kid who participated in the attack that night. Getting a glimpse into the minds of both Justin and Ronny, the main antagonist in the bashing and the one that causes the injury that kills Donald’s partner Mark, is a truly disturbing and scary thing. Justin is very much a scared kid who gets sucked into activities that he doesn’t entirely have the stomach for…But, Ronny is truly filled with hate and epitomizes the quote I chose to use above.
The way Rick ties everything together is very compelling, and I really enjoyed the paranormal aspect to the story. In fact, my favorite scene in the book is one in which Donald talks to his sister Grace about some things he has been experiencing, and instead of thinking him crazy, as he is convinced she will, she completely stands by him and offers him some amazing words of support.
This is definitely a recommended read. And, don’t miss the Afterword, wherein Rick gives insight into where the story idea came from. For me, reading it made this powerful story even more so.
This is the most powerful book I’ve read from Rick R. Reed yet. Intense and gripping from start to finish, Bashed tells the story of Donald and Mark, a gay couple in love, who are the victims of a vicious hate crime while on their way home from the Brig, a leather bar they frequent. The beginning of the book is tough. Rick’s writing style lends perfectly to setting the stage, taking us through the details – as much as we don’t want to know – of the horrific attack. In fact, the entire story is so well written it’s obvious that along with the more lighthearted love stories in his catalog, Mr. Reed is a master at suspense.
In tandem with the actual event of the bashing and Donald’s story of how to go on with his life afterwards, we also see the POV of Justin, a sixteen year old kid who participated in the attack that night. Getting a glimpse into the minds of both Justin and Ronny, the main antagonist in the bashing and the one that causes the injury that kills Donald’s partner Mark, is a truly disturbing and scary thing. Justin is very much a scared kid who gets sucked into activities that he doesn’t entirely have the stomach for…But, Ronny is truly filled with hate and epitomizes the quote I chose to use above.
The way Rick ties everything together is very compelling, and I really enjoyed the paranormal aspect to the story. In fact, my favorite scene in the book is one in which Donald talks to his sister Grace about some things he has been experiencing, and instead of thinking him crazy, as he is convinced she will, she completely stands by him and offers him some amazing words of support.
This is definitely a recommended read. And, don’t miss the Afterword, wherein Rick gives insight into where the story idea came from. For me, reading it made this powerful story even more so.
jkh107's review
3.0
After he is injured and his lover is killed in a gay bashing incident, Donald Griffin knows he needs to grieve and move on--but why does his lover seem to still visit him? Meanwhile, his neighbor unknowingly has a connection to the assailants--and starts to develop a relationship with the reluctant Donald. This is NOT repeat NOT m/m romance. It is more a story of grief and violence, with paranormal touches and a hint of potential romance; and pretty good for what it is (3.5 stars rounded down).
charkinzie's review
4.0
Donald and his partner Mark were leaving a gay club one night - the Brig - when they were victims of a hate crime. A car follows them, some young me get out and they have a baseball bat. What happens is terrifying and the descriptions are visceral, authentic, and disturbing.
The next time Donald regains consciousness he's in pain, and his sister is the one who has to tell him that his partner is dead. When he returns to his apartment, he sees his dead lover. He's not sure if it's an apparition, his meds, or his conscience - why couldn't he save his partner? - but he's oddly comforted. At the same time as he longs for the appearance of Mark, Donald suffers greatly with flashes of the night that they were attacked.
One of the things that I always admire about Rick's writing style is that way that he manages to convey emotions. Grief is such a real presence in this book. When Donald is mourning his partner... the shock and the way he finds himself almost unable to feel or act is very realistic. The way that Donald finds himself moving through the days without really being able to tell if he is awake or asleep... if things are real or a dream.
The book switches POV to Justin... he's a teen with a troubled home life. It seems as though one of the only places that he is settled is at his Uncle's home. Even though he can't relate at all to his Uncle being gay... he seems to want to spend time there. It's home. It's someone who cares about him. Justin's Uncle Walter doesn't know that things are about to get very tangled up when he goes downstairs to borrow some bay leaves from his new neighbor.
In this story, the lives of Justin, Donald, and Walter are tangled together by chance and by choice. There's a surprising amount of tension built up in this short novel...I would recommend it if you're okay with the warnings.
The next time Donald regains consciousness he's in pain, and his sister is the one who has to tell him that his partner is dead. When he returns to his apartment, he sees his dead lover. He's not sure if it's an apparition, his meds, or his conscience - why couldn't he save his partner? - but he's oddly comforted. At the same time as he longs for the appearance of Mark, Donald suffers greatly with flashes of the night that they were attacked.
One of the things that I always admire about Rick's writing style is that way that he manages to convey emotions. Grief is such a real presence in this book. When Donald is mourning his partner... the shock and the way he finds himself almost unable to feel or act is very realistic. The way that Donald finds himself moving through the days without really being able to tell if he is awake or asleep... if things are real or a dream.
The book switches POV to Justin... he's a teen with a troubled home life. It seems as though one of the only places that he is settled is at his Uncle's home. Even though he can't relate at all to his Uncle being gay... he seems to want to spend time there. It's home. It's someone who cares about him. Justin's Uncle Walter doesn't know that things are about to get very tangled up when he goes downstairs to borrow some bay leaves from his new neighbor.
In this story, the lives of Justin, Donald, and Walter are tangled together by chance and by choice. There's a surprising amount of tension built up in this short novel...I would recommend it if you're okay with the warnings.
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