Reviews tagging 'War'

Painted Scars by Neva Altaj

6 reviews

sineado's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional funny 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

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The writing was a little fast for me, I would’ve preferred there be more depth in some scenes, as a lot of the time it felt quite rushed. But nevertheless this book was a great book that I enjoyed. It felt like a filler book, like a book I’d read in between big series to give myself a break from trying to understand a lot of information 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Car accident, Sexual harassment, War

abicaro17's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I love Roman and Ninas banter omg!!! Nina, is an artist who is blackmailed into marrying the head of the Russian mafia after her father embezzled 3 million dollars. Roman, is the leader of the Russian mob who is learning how to walk after an explosion that destroyed his knee. I love this book. I was kicking my feet and giggling the whole time. My only issue is the whole "Nina is like a sprite she's so small" thing. It's weird anytime an author does this and Nina is not an exception unfortunately. Otherwise the banter, plot, and conclusion were all awesome and it was a fun read overall. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail

sameeha_r05's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, War

fnicholee's review against another edition

2.0

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, War

ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition

2.5

dark emotional funny fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content

Moderate: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Death of parent, War

keiwald's review against another edition

1.25

dark slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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The writing style is lackluster. 
No imagery, so descriptive narrative. Not spicy. 1/5 spice. 

While duel first person perspective, you don't get any emotional insight into the character unless they say "I'm angry" or "im sad". It's all tell, no show. 

I read this because TikTok mentioned

the man orders his men to sit when she walks into the room to midigate her PTSD response to tall men

. That scene is not in the book. The girl tell him she noticed he did that, but as the reader, we were never shown that. Had we seen it, it would have gone a long way into showing his protective and caring nature, but saying it doesn't have the same impact, especially with no other conversation about it.

That's one example, but the whole book is written that way. I am to believe she is a phenomenal artist, but the author describes her work in colors and items. 
A man with megaphone head. Mostly grayscale. 
That tells me nothing! What is the flow? Use words with different connotations! Does the shadows cast across the subjects face, obscuring the lift of his smile? Does the run radiate through the air and toss dancing sparkles through the ocean waves?

The author did not paint a single scene in that book. 

That's before the red flags in the relationships and the

divorcing because of legitimate trauma responses to the mafia life, then getting remarried because she loves him and can over come it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, War