Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Book of Night by Holly Black

128 reviews

delz's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

This was a slow burn for me, but I guess it’s ramping up for the series, with lots of world building. In this urban fantasy, shadows have power if they become separate entities, but remain attached, they provide power to the wearer, but If the shadows become completely separated they become a blight. Charlie Hall is a bartender/thief, and she’s kind of a screw up, from her love life to her choice of careers. She lives with her boyfriend, Vince, a kind of unknown entity and her sister Posey. Charlie and Posey’s mother had a string of loser boyfriends, but one, Rand, introduced Charlie to thievery. On  one unfortunate job, Rand and Charlie went to Lionel Salts house, Rand wound up dead and Charlie barely escaped. This is the beginning of Charlie’s story. Holly Black writes the most amazing urban fantasy and this series will not disappoint.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Vomit, and Murder

Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Incest

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Really interesting premise for a story. Fantasy with a badass, curvy, female protagonist who is a little rough around the edges but sharp as a tack. I’m excited for the second one…in 2024. Really starting to get into fantasy stuff more and more. Will also be checking out this author’s other books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kayladaila's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, and Blood

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Incest, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment

thayet's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Violence and Murder

Minor: Addiction and Death

ceruleanseas's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

4.5

Charlie Hall has never found it easy to live honestly, but she's trying. She's got a decent bartending job, a shadow-less boyfriend, and her magic-obsessed sister will be going to college soon (if they can scrounge up enough for tuition). But Charlie's past won't stay quiet, so when her boyfriend disappears and dangerous people start asking questions, she ends up embroiled in a scheme that could end with her dead or worse. 

Holly Black's first foray into adult fantasy is a fascinating story of magic, shadows, and the inescapable histories that make us who we are.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Domestic abuse and Sexual content

antimony's review

dark mysterious

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

fun! the magic system was super cool and i loved that it was set in easthampton because i love when books are set in places i know. and even though I don't actually know easthampton that well (this isn't like how the upside of unrequited is set in takoma park) it was still nice. i really enjoyed the past chapters about charlie as well

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Alcohol

hello_linzie's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Death, Gore, and Murder

Minor: Incest

micheala's review against another edition

3.25

So once again, this book has an unlikable main character which is not really my preference. The plot concept was interesting, however it took about 50% before it started to feel like things were actually happening. 

This is set in an alternative, magical USA in modern time. I would say that this is urban fantasy (but not Urban Fantasy - the romance is definitely a small side plot point rather than being about 50% of the plot). I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style, I felt like things were overly discribed (not always but on a reoccurring basis).

This is the author's first adult novel. I've previously read the Spiderwick Chronicles (many years ago) and DNF'd The Coldest Girl in Cold Town, so I'm not sure if the writing style is the same as their YA novels. 

Everything indicates that this is a standalone, however if it remains so, it has a very unsatisfactory ending. I'm not sure if I liked this book enough to want to read a sequel, so I probably won't be keeping an eye out to see if it does continue. 

Overall, this book was fine, but very middle of the road for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Vomit

eepemma's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood

maregred's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Incest, Sexual content, and Abandonment