Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

18 reviews

ess_x's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I literally could not put this book down at all. It was such a quick read and was interesting when I read the first page. The book grasped me immediately and kept me all the way to the end. I’m hoping to see more from this author. Thank you for making this Black, trans queer person’s day. A story I’ve always needed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mass/school shootings, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Racism

ehmannky's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

3.0

 I think that if this book had been like 60 or 70 pages longer, it would be one of the best YA horror books I've read. The ghost stuff is genuinely chilling, and Douglass has a talent for writing some very creepy scenes with great social commentary. I felt like I needed more of Jake with the two friends he gets over the course of the book. It felt like Douglass just speed-ran them into being best friends (I think if maybe the book started off with them all being friends I would have bought it more). Again, the paranormal stuff is excellent, it's just the connection between the main and supporting characters that felt a bit lacking. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Child death, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Toxic friendship and Abandonment

wrensreadingroom's review

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Bullying, Incest, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Cursing, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Classism, Medical content, Car accident, and Child death

brookey8888's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

3.0

This was fine. There was a lot I liked about it but a lot fell flat for me. I liked the discussion about racism, bullying, sexual assault, coming out, and family trauma/heritage. I liked how slowly Jake started to accept himself and the friendships and relationships that formed as well as the strengthening of the family. I just felt the the plot and the horror aspect was boring and it didn’t keep my attention sadly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Hate crime, Car accident, Outing, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, and Violence

thebookpaiges's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Death, Grief, Body horror, and Racism

Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Sexual assault, Rape, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Alcohol

aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

There are def some difficult topics in this book so check out content/trigger warnings before reading!
Overall, thought the book was solid. I enjoyed the paranormal aspects of it and how it also spoke on trauma. I would've liked to see more of Jake learning/accepting his power thought. I enjoyed reading about his interpersonal relationships growing and how his intrapersonal relationship grew as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Suicide, Blood, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Outing, Pedophilia, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Grief, Vomit, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, and Rape

lthumphrey's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Bullying, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, War, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Pedophilia, Slavery, Alcohol, Cursing, and Rape

schausjk's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Pedophilia, Blood, Gore, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Mental illness, Hate crime, Grief, and Child death

Minor: Drug use and Body horror

ecn's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Homophobia, Blood, Child death, Bullying, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicide, Vomit, Body horror, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Outing, Hate crime, Incest, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

jo_lzr's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Gore, Murder, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Violence, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Rape and Pedophilia