Reviews

Wounded by Greta T. Bates

slayreads's review

2.0

Typically when I see a book with trigger warnings I expect it to be much more graphic. The overall story wasn’t bad but it feels like more of a young adult/teen read. I found the ending to be very abrupt as if there should be a following chapter or possibly another book to the series. In the sense of horror this was a pretty tame read as far as gore and spookiness goes. Personally, I expected more when I saw trigger warning.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

delliomellidom's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

 

Wounded is a quick to read psychological thriller/horror novella by Greta T Bates that truly thrusts you into the point of view of its first person narrator, Elia. She is a seventeen year old who has endured abuse at the hands of her mother, abuse that has been generational. The Horrifying Women haunt her in many senses, even once her mother is no longer there. She turns to the help of her friends to rid herself of the lingering unrest, to truly move on. Yet things do not always go as planned, especially when witchcraft is involved.

While the novella does not have extreme horror, it still contains moments of suspense and a few key scenes that etch themselves in your mind. It fits the genre while remaining accessible to older teens and adults alike.

Having read a short story from this author in the past, I was greatly impressed with how she crafted Elia’s voice. It bleeds onto the paper beyond the dialogue exchanged between characters. We’re shown flashbacks and current events in a chain that flows well. The scenes are easily pictured without being overly descriptive. It’s a fantastic quick read.

I appreciated how the characters were developed as well as the way witchcraft was handled. The ending was satisfying for me. I could pick up more for this story or have it remain as a standalone. The exploration of other tales, such as Cinderella and Persephone, helped bring these characters to life. I love comparisons such as those; seeing how characters view themselves and their situations.

This novella earned its four stars from me, based on the genre and my enjoyment levels while reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Child abuse

bucher_freund's review

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

4.0

Elia is nearly eighteen, and is spending the summer taking summer school, hanging out with her best friend T, and dipping her toes into witchcraft. See, the women in her family are prone to mental illness and tend to treat each other poorly. Rather than join that cycle, she's hoping to find a way to break it. But are the powers she's tampering with going to help her heal, or will they come with unexpected consequences?

Bates's debut novella is a heartfelt and heartbreaking examination of generational trauma, the false comfort of self-harm, and the importance of friendship. It also has some fun witchy vibes. Recommended for readers who like young adult protagonists and stories about magic.