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lucyblackbirdreads 's review for:

Old Wounds by Logan-Ashley Kisner
3.0

Old Wounds by Logan-Ashley Kisner
ARC via Netgalley
3/5

I love reading about topics I won't ever experience because, even if it's fiction, there's still enough to help me with just being a more understanding person, whatever the situation/lifestyle/mindset is.

I enjoyed Old Wounds, however there was one thing that just really frustrated me with the book and kept me from possibly enjoying it more. I don't know if this is a me thing due to being unable to understand fully the lives of Max and Erin and everything they went through in their lives. Max was almost insufferable at times, making it very hard to like him. Don't get me wrong, I don't have to like a character to enjoy the story, but he was just so frustrating! Is it likely due to things you find out about as the story goes on? Absolutely without a doubt. However, the way he treated Erin and the jealousy towards her really bothered me. Again, this may be due to my lack of understanding, but the jealousy of Erin's mother and Erin's looks just made me dislike him when I think I was supposed to feel sympathy, which I did feel at times- his mom and her boyfriend were horrible and I wanted to hug him. But there were moments where I just wanted to shake him and yell that it's not a competition. You can feel your feelings without the jealousy and toxic feelings towards a person you care about.

Erin, however. Oh, I adored her. She was bad ass even when she was scared. She was put through hell and was ready to fight the entire time. She was a bloody vengeful goddess. She also stood by Max even when he vanished from her life, and still cared about him. I. Loved Her.

One thing I did appreciate with this, is that it was a trans horror book but also it was just a horror book. It wasn't pushy, it wasn't suffocating, and it wasn't hate-filled like I feel can happen. This was just a horror book about two people who happen to be trans, and that isn't shoved in your face but is part of the story - if a Cryptid kills females, how does that work when a person is trans? Nonbinary? What will it hunt? That was such a clever idea, one I've never thought of or come across, and I had a lot of fun with what Kisner did with that. It did, however, focus more on the characters and their story, than it did the monster. If you read the title, that should make sense, but don't go in thinking this is going to be a non-stop monster ride.

I really did enjoy this, but I think Max's attitude just frustrated me a lot to where moments I found myself wanting to just move on and get more to Erin.

Read if you like: Cryptids and monsters, trans horror, a kick butt strong female, gruesome comeuppance