Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Return by Rachel Harrison

34 reviews

heypretty52's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Minor: Blood, Death, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Grief, Vomit, Cancer, Violence, Gore, and Infidelity

slimepuppy's review

dark mysterious 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

4.5

Oh, this one was a gut punch, simultaneously scary and so, so sad. The definitive "sometimes dead is better" book.

The body horror is genuinely disgusting and disturbing, and I'm not someone who is usually fazed by it. The beginning of the book builds such an oppressive atmosphere, you can't help but start to feel like Elise's growing paranoia is spreading to you, too.

The characters are complex, multidimensional and flawed while still retaining enough of a charm that shows why they're friends.

My only complaint really is the very ending of the book - I wish we got more of an exploration of everyone's feelings and a real conversation between the characters instead of them simply acknowledging that they do, in fact, have feelings - it doesn't really seem like things changed between the girls, even if they say it did.

Also wtf did the authorities do about the hotel L O L ?????? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Vomit, Eating disorder, Cancer, Gore, and Death of parent

danyels_denouements's review against another edition

medium-paced

4.0

Unexpected but good!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Body horror

julsi's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

an interesting take of not being able to let go converging with a physical manifestation that no longer lets you avoid difficult and unanswerable questions; wrapped up in a horror story that everyone involved in wants to be a miracle.

  Well written and thought provoking even under the horror premise.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, and Grief

monstersinspace's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-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? Yes

3.0

Spoilers: The story sorta meandered around a bit and only really picked up like 75% through the book. It was like the author wanted to write both a coming of age story about out growing friendships and how life changes, but hey also this girl might be a demon. It was well written and I liked the characters I just think some of it got lost in the interpersonal relationships which isn't necessaryly a bad thing, but I went in expecting a horror book and I'm not sure if it fully delivered on that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Gore, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Vomit

ktdakotareads's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Stalking, Grief, Abandonment, and Infidelity

traa's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Murder, Mental illness, Alcohol, Grief, Cannibalism, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Stalking, and Violence

Moderate: Car accident, Fatphobia, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, Body shaming, Toxic friendship, Eating disorder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Racism, Bullying, and Xenophobia

lovesit1892's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

This book exceeded all of my expectations. After being drawn to the neon pink cover at B&N, I was surprised to read that the synopsis sounded similar to one of my favorite movies, Jennifer's Body, so I couldn't resist. I'm usually more of a gothic horror girl than contemporary horror, so I went into this book not knowing how much I would like it, but it blew me away. It is like Jennifer's Body, but somehow even more eerie.

There was a line in this book that gave me literal chills, and as a ghosty, ghouly, macabre-loving weirdo, that never happens to me while reading books. The small, blink-and-you'll-miss-them details that give a sense of something being "off" were so subtle and perfectly placed that it kept the creeping dread slowly escalating throughout the entire book. The setting felt so realistic--from

the try-hard, trendy/creepy boutique hotel to the dreary New England weather--that it was easy to imagine all of the absolutely unhinged occurrences actually happening.

I don't normally like dialogue driven books, especially centering around a young adult friend group like this one (the friendship dynamic usually feels forced and cheesy), but Harrison does a superb job of showcasing the individual voice and personality of each character. She really captures the emotions and growing pains that these women go through while navigating their friend's disappearance and subsequent "return," and the strain that it puts on their friendships. This is a great narrative on grief, friendship, growing pains, and social dynamics told through the lens of contemporary horror. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Eating disorder, Body horror, and Gore

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Death of parent, and Stalking

kt2e56's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Unlike most of the other reviews, I actually didn’t mind the buildup before shot hits the fan. I think it adds a lot to the story and makes the characters feel real, still a little annoying, but real. Some of their questionable decisions make sense because we spent so much time with them. The horror elements really work once shit kicks off. The tension is thick. The creature design is great. I really dug it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Confinement, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Violence, and Vomit

canthelpbutloveit's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Gore, and Eating disorder

Minor: Cancer, Vomit, Infidelity, and Death of parent