Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Last Violent Call by Chloe Gong

26 reviews

jessiereads98's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

These short stories are fine. They read like fanfiction and not even amazing fanfiction. Chloe Gong seemed to want to over-explain how we get from the events in Foul Lady Fortune to whatever is going to happen in Foul Heart Huntsman, and I don’t think it was necessary. These were also a little too fluffy for my taste, especially in comparison to the overall tone of the series to this point.

My biggest complaints are probably about This Foul Murder which is so clearly Murder on the Orient Express done much worse than the original. 

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aklovekorn's review against another edition

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

4.5


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kdailyreads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


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maple_dove's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was surprisingly cozy and lighthearted, despite all of the dark topics and content warnings. Juliette and Roma are no longer the same characters as they were in the These Violent Delights duology, but I'm glad they're living the lives they deserve, as well as Benedikt and Marshall. The banter is hilarious.

Favorite Quote:
"Hey," Juliette said. The word was muffled because she hadn't bothered drawing away first.
"Hmm?"
"We should have a fight."
Roma made a perplexed sound, thinking he had misheard her. "I beg your pardon?" (Pg. 91)

HAHAHAHAHHAAHAH 笑死了!

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booksthatburn's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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

5.0

"A Foul Thing" follows Roma and Juliette after the events of OUR VIOLENT ENDS, taking place during the events of FOUL LADY FORTUNE. "This Foul Murder" takes place almost immediately afterwards, starring Benedikt and Marshall.

As a sequel, LAST VIOLENT CALL addresses several important things left uncertain after OUR VIOLENT ENDS, specifically the fates of Roma and Juliette. It contains a new storyline related to their lives away from Shanghai, when someone approaches them for help. Technically the storyline related to the people they help is both introduced and resolved here, but so much of it is related to the broader context of FOUL LADY FORTUNE that it wouldn’t make very much sense without having read the first three books of the series. In "This Foul Murder", Marshall and Benedikt are on a week-long train ride at Roma and Juliette's behest when one of the passengers is messily murdered.  

LAST VIOLENT CALL is definitely not the last book in the series, The very premise of this book contains so many spoilers that it should absolutely not be read before the first three novels in the main series. 

I like "A Foul Thing". Given the broader context supplied by the earlier books, it is in turn sweet and deadly, surpassing any expectations I might’ve had for what an additional glimpse of Roma and Juliette could be. "This Foul Murder" has many very sweet moments between Marshall and Benedikt, giving a much better sense of their dynamic once they're officially a couple and away from Marshall's family. The murder investigation is lively and interesting, and I like how well the two novellas work as a companion to the main series, both individually and as a set.

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mayareadsxo's review against another edition

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

5.0


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angelsfw's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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jenny_librarian's review against another edition

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funny mysterious reflective relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Both stories were quick and entertaining, a good way to wait for the next instalment in the series.

I was happy to read about Roma and Juliette after Shanghai. I missed them and the ending made me hopeful for a small appearance in the next book.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Benedikt and Marshall’s story, but I definitely didn’t see the Murder on the Orient Express vibe coming. It was nice to read about them being happy together in those little stolen moments while trying to solve the crime.

Both stories fit well into the main plot line, to the point that I wonder if someone who doesn’t read the short stories will understand everything in the last book. I’m looking forward to it even more now that everything is falling into place.

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bazkrekker111's review against another edition

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

5.0


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breedawnwriter's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious medium-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

5.0

I only read A Foul Thing, so my review is only a reflection of that story. I chose not to read This Foul Murder because of the LGBT main characters and the fact that there would be more romance between them in this novella. So, if anyone wants to provide me with a summary of This Foul Murder with any important plot points that I’ll need to know before reading Foul Heart Huntsman, I’d be very appreciative!

I absolutely adored this novella. Ever since the end of Our Violent Ends, I’ve been anxiously awaiting more Roma and Juliette content. This was the perfect blend of domestic fluff + angst and a new, thrilling mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. 

As always, Chloe nailed the worldbuilding and I now want to move to this little village because THEY LIVE RIGHT ON THE WATER. LIKE HOW WONDERFUL IS THAT? 😭

Also, I love the tie-in to the end of Foul Lady Fortune because this really helps the reader have a better, more rounded sense of how this all played out from everyone’s perspective, which I loved.

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