Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - Sink or Swim

Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Sink or Swim by Maz Maddox

3 reviews

art_books_chemistry's review against another edition

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adventurous funny fast-paced

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

4.75

Content Warnings

shinyfox's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted 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? No

4.5

Grumpy x Sunshine
M/M

Content Warnings

galleytrot's review against another edition

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

4.75

FIRST READ: Feb 2023
SECOND READ: Feb 2024
FORMAT: Audio, digital

BRIEF SUMMARY:

In book two of this contemporary shifter action/romance series, Jackson approaches RELIC with an opportunity significant to Baha’s very identity: the chance to reclaim what might be the original Spinosaurus fossils, thought to have been lost in a fire. Jackson’s history as a fossil thief earns him Baha’s complete lack of trust, but Baha has to play nice – and pretend to be the infuriating man’s fiancé – while they’re stuck together on the pleasure cruise where the bones will be auctioned off.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 5 / 5⭐

I’ll say it: I was very worried that book two of the RELIC series wasn’t going to hit as strongly as book one did, with the novelty of the premise gone. I need never have worried. I loved this book every bit as much as (and maybe even more than!) the first, and I feel shame for ever having doubted. The plot was great fun, the characters were unforgettable, the dialogue was hilarious (I cackled! Out loud! On numerous occasions! It scared my pets!). Much like book one, I have read better romances, and I have read better heist/crime novels, but that did not impact my enjoyment of this bucket of fun in any way.

Baha and Jackson have excellent chemistry in that classic grump-meets-charmer way. Baha is stuck in his nostalgia for The Good Days, dreaming of a time and a world where he actually felt like he belonged; resisting his humanity and the need for connection that comes with it. Jackson is a bit of a thorn in Baha’s side, with his clever wit and his good looks and his likeability and his unexpected height advantage and his casual flirtation and his easier acceptance of his humanity.

TECHNICAL / PRODUCTION: 4.5 / 5⭐

There were a couple of small things in this book that made me go, “Wait, what are the rules of this world again?” but nothing that did any impactful harm to the story I was reading. There are more living witnesses to Baha’s spino-acts in this book than there were of Dalton’s raptor-show in the previous one.

I also want to know more about how these men move around in a world for fifty years while addressing their apparent agelessness. How would they choose to answer if an acquaintance asked them about their age in casual conversation? Do they pick an arbitrary human year and stick with it? That’s fine and good for acquaintances they may never see again, but what happens if they make a human friend or lover they might run into over the years? What about the humans who found them after their awakenings, and taught them how to people some fifty years ago?

Kirt Graves does another good job on the performance of this one, but the sustained accent for Baha in his narration didn’t feel entirely comfortable. Accents aside, his delivery was excellent and it felt like he was having a good time with the material again.

FINAL THOUGHTS - OVERALL: 4.75 / 5⭐

In summary: Yes. Yes, more of this, please. I am loving this. I am having such a great time. Put it in my veins. I am so frickin’ happy.

There is representation for the gays in this book. There is also decent representation for European nationalities, and one of the main characters is portrayed as Egyptian.

The following elaborates on my content warnings. These may be interpreted as spoilers, but I do not go into deep detail.

This book contains:

animal death (predators hunting prey); death, blood, injuries; violence (gun, assault); a previous relationship that was deceptive in nature; paid escorts; gaslighting; and, something of a sex pest. Also, can you culturally appropriate dinosaurs?? Because there’s a whole thing where – eh, never mind. Forget I said anything.

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