Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Blood Bonds by J. Bree

10 reviews

witcheep's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

1.5

I really should stop trying to give this series new chances. It isn't for me, even if the bonds getting personified and getting interaction as POV chapters is somewhat interesting.

I find the plot as a whole too superficial to really care about. The motivations for the resistance aren't very clear or well-articulated: what are they resisting, if they are represented as super evil powerhungry

torturers, mindwashers, and child-abductors/killers

? The resistance's main role seems to be the BBEG organization that is there to cause shock and horrors. The worldbuilding begins crumbling down when every action seems just like a rushed reaction to something, without the reasoning being shown properly. So much of the reasonings is only briefly mentioned (not even properly told) rather than shown, which makes the plot feel very shallow.

My main icks with the series are the same as with the previous books, though:

• The bonded group is way too possessive in every way. One bonded would like to lock Oleander away so no one else can even look at her, and another would prefer parading her around to show everyone that she is his. Oleander isn't much better herself.
• The men of the bonded group try to take away Oleander's agency in turns, and they often overlook the consept of consent completely in more than one area of life. They also joke about it (in the lines of "maybe you should have a gps chip again", for example). The bypassing of consent is represented as somewhat acceptable because it stems from the possessiveness and a want to keep the central bond safe. This is very offputting and problematic to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Sexual content, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

Minor: Vomit and Gaslighting

laurenjackman's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, War, Death, and Domestic abuse

onyxghost's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

There is significantly more spice in this book but still less than you would expect from the third book in a RH

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Body horror, Bullying, Kidnapping, Murder, and Torture

litwitchcore's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Sexual content

Moderate: Cursing, Bullying, Confinement, and Death

noellelovesbooks's review against another edition

4.5

 Content Warnings: sexual content, kidnapping, torture, blood, body horror, sexual harassment, bullying, classism, toxic relationships, and toxic friendships.

I am devouring these books. Like serious I can't stop. I love the way J. Bree adds characters and lore in a way that never overwhelms you with info. She really paces it so it all feels natural and seamlessly given to you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Blood, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Torture, Kidnapping, Sexism, and Classism

amre23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Violence, Torture, Blood, and Sexual content

Moderate: Gore, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Bullying, War, and Body horror

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Vomit, and Kidnapping

ashatroyal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

This book was just okay for me. This book we finally get multiple POVs. We learn a lot about Atlas, which also confirmed my suspicions. So happy for Sage. 

It didn’t appear that she had been taken for weeks.  How selfish are the healers to not work without pay when they’re being housed and fed? Especially during dire times. We already know how peoples minds can be manipulated, so I’m not counting Sage out. 

More small inconsistencies. Oil’s bond doesn’t call her bonds by their name. She called him Gryphon instead of “My Bonded.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Violence

lotte5322's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, and War

Minor: Kidnapping, Child death, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Bullying, and Sexual violence

gnlee26's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

i’m upset. first the ending of this book. then my cat made delete my good long review and i don’t want to rewrite it. 
this was my favorite book in the series so far. a little slower on the plot but still amazing none the less a lot happened in the beginning and the end but the middle dragged a bit. the character development was amazing i love oli she’s such a badass and i love her bond she’s sassy and savage. right now my order is north, gryphon, gabe, atlas, nox. 
i’m so hurt by the ending. there really has to be some explanation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Sexual content, Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying and Sexual assault

samantha_ellen's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

4.5 ⭐️

A similar formula in plot to b2, so parts were predictable … but the relationship development , the spice & the final twist were outstanding! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Child death, and Vomit