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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Yet another hit by Cate C Wells! I’m starting to think that she can’t do wrong. This is the third instalment in the Steel Bones MC series, and we get to meet Scrap and Crista and follow their second chance at love. This book moves forward some of the MC plotlines, and I’m getting a better sense of who all the characters are and how they relate to one another. I love the tone of these books–while this one is dark and deals with difficult subject matter, it still has that feeling of hope interwoven into the narrative. It’s a lighter dark romance.
5 stars!
5 stars!
dark
fast-paced
All the trigger warnings.
A lot of books deal with "dark" content these days. There might be abuse or noncon or a past sexual assault -- horrific things -- but these topics often end up being handled in a very superficial way. If you're someone who isn't triggered just by reading those words, these so-called dark books end up being pretty "light" reads (it's all relative).
This book is actually quite dark, delving into the ugly aftermath of a brutal attack and sexual assault. At the same time, certain aspects of it were superficial mostly in that things moved a little bit more quickly than I found realistic. All in all, I can't say that I personally enjoyed it all that much, but I appreciate what the author did here. 2.5 stars.
A lot of books deal with "dark" content these days. There might be abuse or noncon or a past sexual assault -- horrific things -- but these topics often end up being handled in a very superficial way. If you're someone who isn't triggered just by reading those words, these so-called dark books end up being pretty "light" reads (it's all relative).
This book is actually quite dark, delving into the ugly aftermath of a brutal attack and sexual assault. At the same time, certain aspects of it were superficial mostly in that things moved a little bit more quickly than I found realistic. All in all, I can't say that I personally enjoyed it all that much, but I appreciate what the author did here. 2.5 stars.
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
tense
fast-paced
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have mixed feelings about this one. I liked it on the balance, but I think it battled with unnecessary fatphobia that became a part of the plot in a way that could have been more positive than it was . For me, the plot of Crista suffering from severe mental health issues ten years after a brutal attack as a teenager and meeting newly out of jail, Scrap, who murdered her attacker, was captivating. I liked the way the author dealt with the theme of gratefulness and the expectation that Crista would automatically be all over Scrap out of attitude. This book subverted that expectation and indeed became a story about healing, even if a disjointed one. I didn’t really buy Scrap and Crista’s connection or why he liked her. I suppose Instalove can explain it but it really wasn’t supported by anything else. This was okay and I liked the characters even the secondary ones. But I don’t think it was necessarily as sensitive as it could have been.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Drug abuse, Infertility, Grief, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Dysphoria
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Eating disorder
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Emotional roller coaster, that is me reading this book.
I knew going into this book that it was going to pull at my heart strings and boy did it ever.
Scrap and Krista are made for each other.
What happened 10 years ago is devastating but they both survived and I feel like this book it about them both not just being survivors but learning to live again.
It’s not often a book leaves me speechless and pulls at my heart strings the way this book did, they way these characters did or how much support they got from everyone around them to helping them heal.
I freaking loved this story. That is all.
Would I recommend this book? Hell yes! Just grab your tissues.
I knew going into this book that it was going to pull at my heart strings and boy did it ever.
Scrap and Krista are made for each other.
What happened 10 years ago is devastating but they both survived and I feel like this book it about them both not just being survivors but learning to live again.
It’s not often a book leaves me speechless and pulls at my heart strings the way this book did, they way these characters did or how much support they got from everyone around them to helping them heal.
I freaking loved this story. That is all.
Would I recommend this book? Hell yes! Just grab your tissues.