Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

29 reviews

mothman19's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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: Deadnaming, Death, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

rebeccagatzlaff's review

adventurous hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

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

2.5

I didn't really like this book. The plot was all over the place. The book was trying to be multiple genres at once. I did like the culture in the book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Homophobia, and Self harm

pastelkerstin's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

On the one hand, the whole murder mystery was incredibly predictable, with grandma asking whether anyone has seen the plot device multiple times and there only being one person who has an obvious motif for using said plot device.
On the other hand I love these characters and they have all my uwus, so. 4 stars. A good time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Medical content, and Car accident

Fire, misgendering, gender dysphoria, mentions of deportation, mentions of gang violence, racist discrimination by police

ameronie's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

it took me a bit to get into the story but once the setting was properly set and more things started to happen, I had a great time and really rooted for the main characters. so glad this book exists! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Transphobia and Blood

Minor: Self harm

spiritedfaraway's review

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I listened to the audiobook and it was everything and more! I have so many feelings about this book and I don’t know even know where to begin! I fell in love with the characters and their stories and the friendships in this are just so lovely. I need to gather my thoughts better, but I will be back to write a longer review later.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Death, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Self harm, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping

There is also gender dysphoria, misgendering, strict gender roles and dealing with parental death.

readandfindout's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Style/writing: 4.5 stars
Themes: 5 stars
Characters: 5 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 4.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Blood

Moderate: Transphobia

Minor: Deadnaming and Self harm

felice's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• 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

Moderate: Death and Transphobia

Minor: Deadnaming and Self harm

kelsireads's review

adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Self harm

booksthatburn's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Cemetery Boys is one of my most gloriously happy things I've read in a long while. It delights in its spookiness, celebrating life while giving enough space to mourn when needed. I just want to hug them all, reading this book feels like being part of their joy.

I love everything about this book. I needed to read something positive right now and this took my breath away with how reassuring and celebratory it is. The MCs are working through some very tough things (one of them is a ghost, after all) but they build each other up in a way that has this wonderful oscillation where they're almost never sad at the same time and they keep helping each other and making things better. It's the right amount of spooky, extremely affirming

And that's before the ending, the truly amazing ending that I won't spoil, I don't dare. It just wraps up everything so perfectly in a way that fits with everything that came before while still blowing me away.

Usually when I'm reading a book that comes so highly recommended there will be some moment, some turning point where something clicks and I understand what's so wonderful, why everyone's talking about it at a level beyond just being written well. In this book that happened more than once, first early on as I was getting into the book, then again towards the end (that fantastic ending). The characters are great, with distinct narrative voices and solid personalities; I love the plot, it felt like I knew what was going on, what the goals were, and where the story was taking me, while still having room to be surprised in great ways; and the setting is sketched in way that gives me a feeling of how the spaces are connected to each other without bogging the story down in exact geographic detail.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Violence, and Grief

Minor: Ableism, Racism, Self harm, Blood, and Death of parent