Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Deal by Elle Kennedy

16 reviews

steve1213's review against another edition

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

codicheyenne's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

5.0

I read these books entirely out of order and in hindsight, I wish I'd stuck to the order the author intended, but I originally skipped this one because of the fake dating trope. Somehow, Elle Kennedy can make me, not just read even my most hated trope, but enjoy it immensely. I can't decide if I like this one or The Goal better.

I really enjoyed Hannah as a FMC. Her journey is relatable and she's so easy to like and feel for. She's also pretty badass and so strong. I don't know that I would be as capable of being a good person as she is after what she went through. I appreciate that while she was "Not Like Other Girls", it wasn't written in a way that put other women down for being "Like Other Girls," it was only used as a means in which to describe how Hannah just didn't fall for Garrett's charms. I also liked how Hannah had a whole journey outside of Garrett & her past - the upcoming showcase, her parents' money struggles, etc.

I also love how Elle can write men and be so true to who they are in essence. None of these boys feel "too good to be true" because they're all written like... well... boys. They're hockey players. They're horny. They're cocky and full of themselves. There's locker room talk and suppressed emotions and tempers and messiness and too much testosterone at times. But they're still so lovable. As the reader, you can almost feel yourself falling for their dimpled grins in the same way the FMCs eventually do (despite the fights they put up.)

I'm excited to finish the series - I literally only have The Legacy left - and then revisit the world with the Briar U series and The Graham Effect

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content

Moderate: Classism, Sexual assault, Violence, Rape, Child abuse, Alcohol, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood, Body shaming, and Panic attacks/disorders

edietz22's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

cait's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Violence, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Sexual assault

aleclghtwood's review against another edition

funny fast-paced

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

1.0

Why would an author take such heavy themes like rape and domestic abuse and simply decide not to deepen the subject or raise awareness, but to use as a tool to character development, like they need to have that experience to be who they are today? And even that is made poorly. And talking about character development: the only two characters in the book that she gave a personality are the main ones, the other ones are just shallow as this book as a whole - Justin, who is the main catalyst for everything in the beginning, is totally forgotten at some point, even with all the hints about his shady personality and potential he had for the overral plot. Hannah is the worst, she spends most of the first half of the book claiming that she's soooo not like other girls (istg she actually says the words at some point) because she's not interested in many guys and thinking that other girls are whores for it. Garret is actually a nice guy if you excuse the way he thinks how men and women relationships work in the first chapters, but Hannah and the narrative treats him like some sort of savior and I think it's disturbing when we are talking about a rape victim. She's not a strong female character when she needs to degrade other women to feel better about herself and needs the help of a man to overcome a trauma. And about the domestic violence, it was written a little better, but when Garret

sees that Cindy is a victim, he tells that "it's not his place to intervene"??? WHAT THE FUCK??? It felt so ooc after everything his mother and him went through.

I understand why we would like this book when it was released in 2015, but right now? I thought we're over the pick me trope, disappointed to see we aren't. The only thing I hope could be good were the smut scenes, but not even that, they're just a few and not satisfying. I started this book with low expectations, but it was worse than I thought, hope I never read Elle Kennedy again.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Blood, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Stalking, and Terminal illness

Minor: Grief

vj_thompson's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted sad medium-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Cursing, Misogyny, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Violence, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, Drug use, Bullying, Mental illness, and Blood

lilyyyy_b's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny inspiring tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Alcohol, Child abuse, Sexism, Blood, Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Body horror, Grief, Medical content, and Rape

one character (Hannah) was raped and doesnt like drinking in public as doesnt trust she wont get raped again. the other main character (Garrett) looks after her drinks to make sure shes ok. she went to therapy afterwards, also sees someone who testified against her saying shed given consent.

eule's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

Basic romance. Very cute. Deals with rape and sexual abuse. Good smut, still to little. Guys, take notes from Garrett Graham. If all of you would act like him, the world would be a better place. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape

Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders

zc2's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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? No

3.75

I hate his father end of story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Death, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Blood, Toxic relationship, and Sexism

culzean's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Grief, Death of parent, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Cancer, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Blood, Body horror, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Torture, and Violence