Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Society for Soulless Girls by Laura Steven

38 reviews

librarymouse's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

5.0

This is very.much not what I was expecting from a book advertised as a retelling of Jekyll and Hyde, but overall, I enjoyed it immensely!

the society not being at the root of the deaths in the novel was also not what I was expecting, but I really appreciated the twist. The creation of a dark academia society with engraved name plaques is strange, but fits the setting. One thing I don't really get, but again, also do understand, is the headmistress not reading the investigation notebook before she burned it. However, I do understand her not wanting to learn about atrocities she may have committed. Lottie and Alice are adorable together and I love the bloody and devoted relationship that evolved from their semi-mutual animosity. One thing I would critique is the repeated refe ence to Lottie not being asexual with her newfound attraction to Alice. Asexuality is an umbrella term, and if she's only attracted to Alice, she may still be able to identify with a term under the umbrella.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Self harm, Gaslighting, Gore, Death, Medical content, Mental illness, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use and Terminal illness

haleybre's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Animal death, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Blood, Death, and Violence

izzyvioletgrace's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Grief, Sexual assault, Death, Violence, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Blood, Murder, and Physical abuse

oolymee's review against another edition

3.5

There are lot of things I really loved about this book. It is an excellent, eerie, and unsettling retelling of Jekyll & Hyde. Also it's sapphic. And the enemies-to-lovers is brilliant. The descriptions of rage are gritty and feel very tangible if that makes sense. 

The downside to this book is that there were a few ends that just weren't quite tied up in the ending. While I did enjoy the ending, I wish the ending had been just a bit longer with a heavier focus on where the characters go next. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Animal death, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Murder, and Suicide

Minor: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault

samanthaxjean's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

2.25

I wanted to like this more so badly. I listened to the audiobook and I think the narrators were not for me. The story was okay, kinda slow and confusing. Ending was disappointing. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Animal cruelty, and Blood

jaedyn's review against another edition

The writing felt forced and I couldn’t bring myself to care enough about the characters. After 134 pages, I had definitely read more than I should have. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Blood

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.0

 The Details:
 Narrated by Farrah Cave and Beth Easdown
Unabridged 

Absolutely adored Every Exquisite Thing, so was excited to see that Steven's debut was available through my library app.

This is a sapphic, modern gothic retelling of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
I'm not sure if it wad the share name of Lottie combined with the sapphic grumpy x sunshine, but it at first had a wholesome likness to The Rosewood Chronicles. It also reminded me of Claire and Elise from The Coldest Touch.

This was such a good story! 
I definitely see improvements in storytelling and writing style in the delivery of the modern gothic/dark academia genre, going back to this after reading Every Exquisite Thing, but it wasn't off putting.

The conversations did feel a little more juvenile than I'd expected but it was easily overlooked once I connected to the characters and got really invested in the story.

This inspiration of the classic has made me appreciate the themes of mental health that the original introduces.

I hope there are more in to come from these retellings, as I see these as becoming very beloved.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Sexual harassment, Murder, Sexual content, Bullying, Child death, Toxic relationship, Gore, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual assault, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

raye_charlie's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide, Sexism, Self harm, Death, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

raphynette's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Suicide, Animal death, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.25

    Lottie and Alice start at the newly reopened  Carvell College of Arts. But history starts to repeat itself as a new series of killings start, eerily similar to the ones from ten years ago that caused it to close its doors. 
    This book is reported to be dark and "funny". Dark yes, funny much less so. The animal murder is resolved in a way that makes it less traumatic to the reader, but at the time it happens it's very dark and disturbing. As an animal lover, I had to stop reading the book for the day after that scene.
    I get where the author was coming from with the message about female anger and how it needs to be accepted and we need to change the sexism in the world. I really wish the author had stayed away from harming animals. I'm a person who prefers human death to animal death in fiction.
    The book was decent. I liked the premise but the execution wasn't as good as possible. 

Extra ratings: Fluff - 0/5  Heartfelt- 4/5   Helpful-NA    Horror- 3/5    Inspiration- NA   Love aka Romance-2/5   Mystery-3/5    Predictability- 3/5    Spice- 0/5  Suspense- 2/5   Tear 3.5/5  Thrill- 3.5/5  Humor-1/5 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Murder, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Confinement, and Self harm

Minor: Chronic illness, Sexual harassment, and Dementia