Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens

10 reviews

midsummerbri's review

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual violence

dimcmill's review

adventurous emotional 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

4.5

Fun! I love a well written Western - add some Queer attraction and pure fun!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, and Sexual violence

kochi's review

adventurous challenging 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual content, Cursing, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, Sexual violence, and Blood

shay_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Sexism and Sexual assault

Minor: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Addiction

siriface's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Murder, and Sexual content

olivia_piepmeier's review

adventurous fast-paced

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

4.0

I wouldn't say I'm into westerns, but when I see a new one described as being a bit out of the ordinary in terms of gender, I feel inspired to pick it up. This feels very historical-fiction-like but certainly your typical western gunslinging is included. It mostly takes place in a brothel and shows the ladies in a very emphatic light, just trying to make a living. The queer "twist" was a highlight just to make it different and the story went in a way I couldn't have guessed. I was entertained! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Violence, Gun violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual assault

jesselynn's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What a debut! I am so impressed. I adored this book, and it is definitely a new favourite of mine.

Lucky Red is a sapphic western adventure set in 1877, that is narrated from the perspective of Bridget, a young woman who finds herself working in a whorehouse in Dodge City, Kansas after the death of her father. 

I do not usually enjoy first person narratives, however the first person narration in Lucky Red is an exception: it is utterly captivating and the story could not be told any other way. Bridget’s voice is fascinating, and we read her perspective of her life since the death of her father, as she navigates her new life alone, as she becomes a whore, and as she forms relationships with her tricks and other workers. As she meets the mysterious Spartan Lee, a female bounty hunter that sweeps Bridget off her feet. We see all sides of the young and naive teenager, how she is easily swayed, how she can be entitled and how she unintentionally wreaks havoc on those around her for her own selfish reasons. Bridget is a wonderful heroine, but all the side characters are just as brilliant. Lila and Constance were standouts to me and I would love to read their life stories! And of course, Spartan Lee was a dreamboat. What a woman! 

Unsurprisingly, themes of luck and fate are very prominent and are very successfully explored here. The novel asks questions about luck and fortune, about the place of women amongst men in history, about sex work and women’s bodies, and about the intensity of queer infatuation. 

The plot twists are well written and the pacing is fantastic, the events are the perfect mix of believable yet dramatic. This story is entirely immersive and Cravens paints a very detailed picture with her words, the writing style has such strength in both identity, environment and atmosphere. It’s rich and exquisite and spectacular.

I cannot stop thinking about this book. It could easily be expanded upon as a series, with perspectives and stories of all the different characters, and I would eat it up. But it also works perfectly as a stand-alone. If you like sapphic stories or historical fiction or westerns or women’s fiction, I would highly recommend this book to you. 

10/10, five stars, absolutely perfect.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Alcohol, Cursing, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, Blood, Drug use, Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Pregnancy and Abortion

booksdogsandcoffee's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

4.0

Lucky Red is debut that I was not expecting to love. Think Kissin Kate Barlow from the moving Holes, but make it her origin story AND SAPPHIC! 

Craven excels at depicting an orphaned Bridget and her journey in the brothels at the Buffalo Queen. I am not usually a western fan, but apparently I love a good story when queer people are at the center. This was a stunning and articulate debut that everyone should pick up. 

Cw
Domestic abuse
Sexual content
Death 
Murder
Sexual assault 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Murder

missb_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Sexual content

Moderate: Murder, Blood, Alcohol, and Grief

caseythereader's review

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Thanks to Dial Press for the free copy of this book.

 - LUCKY RED has that perfect blend of gorgeous writing, deep emotions, and edge of your seat action.
- I adored Bridget and the crew of the Queen, rooting for them to make the best of impossible situations.
- The summary of this book promises lesbian gunslinging, and while it does have that (holy cats those last few chapters! I was riveted!) but it comes near the end of the novel. It's a slightly different book than is promised, but wow, the book you get is truly a special one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol

Moderate: Murder, Addiction, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, and Vomit

Minor: Sexual violence, Lesbophobia, and Domestic abuse