Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport

51 reviews

anna_333's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

Wtf have I read and why did I like it? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Bullying, Religious bigotry, Grief, Blood, Gore, Racial slurs, Cannibalism, Death, and Racism

Moderate: War, Slavery, Violence, and Torture

This is definitely not ya. Be prepared for graphic and intense content.

sahramahtab's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional slow-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

I’m simply speechless. This was a stunningly written book that is a guaranteed emotional roller coaster. The way it dealt with racism, misogynoir, sexism and their intersection with certain privileges was perfectly executed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

transquake's review against another edition

why did she go into heat

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, Torture, Cannibalism, Murder, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, and Classism

cheuksin's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

2.25

To be honest this book is the complete opposite of what I usually read action fantasy with a romance subplot. It’s was interesting to step out of my comfort zone. Considering I bought this book months ago and waited until after the sequel came out to read it I’m a bit disappointed. Ikenna is both overpowered and unlikeable the author really should’ve just picked one.

The way she treated Zayne (she was constantly gaslighting him and getting mad him for no reason) and Enoch and his sister (become she officially became a Praetorian) was so bitchy.

The plot was also pretty predictable. I wish the best for this author though, I probably won’t read the sequel unless it’s on sale for less than £1.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, War, and Torture

Minor: Death of parent, Slavery, and Vomit

taroroot's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-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

5.0

Ikenna is brilliant and I can't wait to read the The Blood Gift!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Murder, Misogyny, Sexism, Gun violence, Racism, Grief, Blood, Xenophobia, Torture, Cannibalism, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Transphobia, Classism, and Alcohol

Minor: Death of parent

hollyk's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

HOW DOES THIS NOT HAVE MORE READS???? Genuinely astounded. This is so good, it goes places other fantasy books with similar presences do not go. Some of the world-building is shaky and a bit cloudy/confusing, but with the more you read the easier it is to grasp. I would also say this is more new adult than young adult.

Ikenna is an absolute badass. She's also flawed, and I like that she's hotheaded, impulsive, and doesn't back down. Her resilience is commendable and I think she's incredibly complex. She shows a lot of growth, but I also think a lot of other characters show growth as well, which I think can often get lost in other books. Several characters have some big changes and I am glad to see that growth. 

The pacing is a little slow at first, but once the Trials start, they Start™. One of the twists is kind of obvious, but I think that the details of it are well executed and are shocking. I won't say more because spoilers. Speaking of, TW in spoilers:

racism, sexism, gore, violence, death, murder, body horror(?), cannibalism (?), mentions of slavery, death of a parent/parental figure, grief

I think that covers most of the major ones.

I loved this book and I will not stop thinking about it for the foreseeable future

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, Violence, Gun violence, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Medical content, Body horror, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Classism, Confinement, Racial slurs, Torture, and War

Moderate: Sexual content and Xenophobia

Minor: Pregnancy

tinyjude's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I love my female main protagonists filled with anger and a thirst for vengeance. I like them cocky, but capable, and empathetic. I like the deadly and reading fck everything, especially bigoted systems that are rotted to the core.

Even though some of the plots were predictable and there were inconsistencies with certain characters' behaviours (probably trying to rush a growth path), it was still an addicting read that tackles subtly interesting themes such as militarism propaganda, institutional racism, institutional sexism, duty vs rightness... with a compelling world-building (i especially loved the forest trial and getting to know these abominable creatures). I am eager to see where the story takes us next and if my theories about the next book are as correct the ones i made in this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, Death of parent, Violence, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Grief, War, Racism, Animal death, Gaslighting, and Torture

Moderate: Gore, Blood, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Colonisation and Slavery

headinthepages's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Racism, Animal death, Cursing, Child death, Death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Gun violence, Violence, Abandonment, Sexual content, War, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Xenophobia

abiofpellinor's review

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Blood, Sexism, War, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Death, Classism, Police brutality, Torture, and Self harm

the_one_krissy's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Cannibalism, Violence, and Racism