Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Muted

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

cc_shelflove's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Denver’s goals are simple: Be bold. Get seen. Be heard. When she is met with the chance of a lifetime—the possibility of being the next rising R&B star—she gives up everything in her old life and doesn’t look back. While this book reminded me of the pretend concerts I used to have on my Gram’s pool deck every summer, it certainly was not all sunshine and rainbows. Charles draws from her own experiences to shed light on the utter deceits of the music industry. It was real and raw, and I am still heartbroken at its ending. All I can do now is hope all of the real Denvers and Dalisays of the world make it home safely.

Side note: Does anyone know which R&B group the author was in? Apparently my self-taught FBI skills are not working atm! 🤪😵‍💫

Content Warnings

cranedphoenix's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Read this because I had read Tiffany D Jackson's "Grown"
And this book is absolutely heart wrenching like finishing I feel like throwing up more than I did while reading it

I cannot believe that Denver got murdered though like I wasn't expecting that ending it's absolutely heart wrenching especially when you just want Denver and Dali to be together and safe

Do love when they include the social media posts

even though Denver never got to see some or most of them

Not to much to say besides it's a must read imo but one where you have to take the trigger warnings very seriously

Content Warnings

thenovelmaura's review

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dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Please review the intense content warnings before picking this one up, but this book is worth the read if you can stomach it! I would describe this novel-in-verse as "Grown" crossed with "Clap When You Land" (two faves of mine), and it also has sapphic representation.

I love a good novel-in-verse and it was an apt stylistic choice for a book centered around music. Denver's love for her music, lyrics, and friends shone through every page. Friendship and love were so integral to this story that is otherwise filled with manipulation and deceit, appearing as bright spots in an incredibly dark novel.

To that end, this is also a book that leaves you frantically turning pages to try to outrun the sinking feeling in your stomach. When I say this reminded me of [book:Grown|49397758] by Tiffany D. Jackson (and I know I'm far from the first person to make this comparison), I mean they had similar themes and plot points. I don't say this to be negative; Jackson and Charles have very different writing styles and, honestly, the similarities just go to show how these predators have the same tactics and use them over and over. This is more of a heads up for my fellow Jackson fans who might be interested in reading this one (I found the similarities to be distracting at times)! It's a stunning book and should be judged on its own merits as a heart-wrenchingly powerful novel.

Content Warnings

graciffer's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

library_kb's review

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challenging dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

3.25

It took me a long time to read this book--I started it a couple weeks ago, got 50 pages in, then took a break from it for weeks until I finally picked it up and finished it in a day. It reads a little bit like a thriller in verse, but its a hard read because of its current event connections--it was hard to keep it as a fictional story in my head (that is a credit to the author for sure!). It is a story about grooming and abuse, and I just felt so much for our main character. Recommended for high school and up, but check content warnings.

Content Warnings

yeojinqueen's review

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challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

bibliocinephile's review

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dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

oh what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck this was so good. it was riveting it kept me up until midnight racing ti finish it. it was intoxicating, it was grief and it was love and i'm shocked and stunned. i gasped out loud. characters bright to life so well with poetry???? when i put this book down i noticed that my heart was RACING

Content Warnings

_thelitlibrarian's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.5

4.50 star
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TW; Rape, Sexual Assualt, Emotional Abuse, Kidnapping, Gun Violence, Adult/Minor Relationship, Body Shaming
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This book was my ultimate downfall, the number of tears I shed was unreal. I picked this book up on a recommendation and I'm SO glad that I did. Muted follows a trio of high school students who have the same dream - to make it big. After a chance encounter with R&B artist Merc, the ladies are led to believe he'll be their claim to fame. As anything goes, things aren't always what they seem. After many trials and tribulations, the story shifts from a girl group vibe to a solo career for Denver, the mastermind behind the lyrics.

My heart ached for Denver, by the time she had realized she needed out, it was too late. I love how this story could easily be applied to today's industrial age. The fact that the obsession over making it big could ultimately lead you to things you would never consider doing prior to fame. This book itself was pure lyrical bliss, I often found myself stopping to think about passages I had just read. Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. If you're looking for a touching/make you cry YA book, I recommend this one highly.

Be bold. Be Hear

Content Warnings