Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

47 reviews

tesshersh's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

4.0

Loved the first 75%, the last quarter could’ve been completely cut out and I would’ve been totally fine :P but all in all very enjoyable!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, War, Sexism, Mental illness, Gun violence, Dysphoria, Deadnaming, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Child abuse

michmoo's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.0

Such a sweet romance! I loved Viola so much and I wanted all of the wonderful things for her! Highly recommend if you're into historical romance- or maybe even if you're not, it might be a nice foray into the genre.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Violence

Moderate: Deadnaming, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Ableism, and War

Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Vomit

nicoleonbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad 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? N/A

5.0

A beautiful romance about love having the power to change you, and also being g loved as you are.

This is incredibly well written. It is the right mix of sad and hopeful. Viola is strong and Gracewood is tender, and they fit each other perfectly. The side characters feel like good friends and family. 

I think it's also worth noting that the sex scenes are very few but they're beautifully realistic. I want more talk around sex like this in books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming and Grief

Moderate: Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol

Minor: Gun violence, War, Kidnapping, and Blood

novella42's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was a delight and a joy, easily one of my top reads of 2022. As a queer cis person with PTSD and a disability, married to a genderfluid partner, I have often wondered what our lives might have been like in a different time. This story was a refreshing alternative to many of the "gritty" interpretations of queer history. The truth is that we don't know a lot about the queer or trans experience prior to the Twentieth Century—because it was hidden from view—and because we don't know, there is also space to speculate for happiness and acceptance just as there is for the usual tropes that assume all will encounter darkness and hate. 

I felt such a connection to the characters. The struggle with internalized ableism was believable and handled with more nuance than I expected. And just... The identity work in this book, not just about gender but on so many levels. It felt wonderful to witness. To see them work through their fears, their demons, to navigate all the uncertainties (without language for their identities or traumas), and all the ways they connected to heal. I was crying with pure joy at multiple points throughout the book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Sexism, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Mental illness, War, Deadnaming, Blood, Drug use, Dysphoria, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Ableism

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Classism, Outing, and Suicidal thoughts

mandaraffe's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Bullying, and Child abuse

Minor: Medical trauma, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Transphobia, Gun violence, Medical content, and War

kfmcf's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective slow-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

3.0

I want to preface this review with one thing that really holds it back for me personally - I *struggle* with historical romance. It's hard for me to get into and hard for me to stick with. I read this for a book club and I'm glad I didn't but the setting is just not for me.
I do appreciate what this book does and I think it's successful in many ways. It tells a story that is rarely if ever told and I can very much appreciate it.
I do think there are quite a few flaws. I don't think the characters really had time to be fleshed out enough for the sake of flowery regency writing. Well, it might just the Hall's writing as what I've read from him is all just a lot of "telling not showing" in a lot of ways and I get bogged down. 
I did get taken out of the book a bit for some historical inaccuracies but my main issue was the overly dramatic crux of the book. Yes, I know this is common in historical romances but I just don't do well with overblown drama 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, and Ableism

Moderate: Deadnaming, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: War

ashlikes's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Mental illness

Moderate: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual violence, Blood, Violence, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, War, Body shaming, Bullying, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, and Misogyny

Minor: Death, Infertility, Transphobia, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

ccouey's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Ableism, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Addiction, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, War, Death of parent, Gun violence, Transphobia, Homophobia, and Deadnaming

isotope_s's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

It was a bit slow and kind of… overly descriptive. But I still liked it and am glad I read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Gore, Violence, and Gun violence

Minor: Kidnapping

jaelovesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Sexual violence