Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo

14 reviews

quirkykay's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Transphobia, Gore, Religious bigotry, and Misogyny

Moderate: Animal death and Rape

helorenz's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-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? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Deadnaming, Murder, and Transphobia

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Animal death and Abortion

rosemina2016's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Transphobia, Sexual content, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Violence

Moderate: Rape and Animal death

I felt the tags weren’t enough of a warning so: I had to take a break with this one because the hellfire and damnation preacher was intense enough to make me nauseous. After a couple days, though, I made it through the rest in one sitting. Loved it.

ryanandrew23's review

challenging dark 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Deadnaming, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual content, Animal death, Body horror, Death of parent, Homophobia, Death, Transphobia, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

amandalachelle's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, Abortion, Blood, Cannibalism, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, War, Violence, Transphobia, and Rape

Minor: Excrement and Confinement

barometz's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Misogyny, Violence, Animal death, Death, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Cannibalism, Abortion, War, Cursing, Deadnaming, Fire/Fire injury, and Dysphoria

Minor: Lesbophobia

moonyreadsbystarlight's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.75

The main character, Leslie, is an invert traveling through Kentucky in the 1920s on duty as a nurse, to give vaccines and provide care around childbirth. This begins as more of a historical novel. Leslie is assigned to provide care and vaccines in a small town Appalachian. He receives unprecedented religious pushback in the town, which complicates his job and potentially his livelihood. But there are people he is determined to help before he leaves. 

The horror element slowly builds as the woods are clearly more than they seem. So much of the story culminates towards the end, making this a bit of a slower burn, but trust that it ends with a bang. 

The blurb promises "historical horror, trans romance, and bloodsoaked revenge" and most certainly delivers on all in more ways than I was anticipating (it gets gruesome and spicy, but also I can see where Madelo's writing style was impacted by the time in which he is writing.).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Homophobia, Violence, War, Gore, Abortion, Animal death, and Blood

Moderate: Ableism, Rape, Cannibalism, and Fire/Fire injury

fairytalefootnotes's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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? No

4.0

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes, etc: Small Town, Place Personified, Religious Persecution, Revenge, Transgender MC, Transgender Love Interest

3rd Act Breakup?: No

The Praise: This book gave an interesting glimpse into the experience of a transgender man in the 1920s and paired that with eerie horror and sweet romance. It was well-written and I really loved the ending!

The Critique: I would’ve liked to know more about Spar Creek and its whole deal.

Final Thoughts: This wasn’t my typical kind of read but I really enjoyed it! Especially the ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Gun violence, Deadnaming, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Blood, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Rape, Animal death, Abortion, Confinement, and Pregnancy

booksandteatime's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Vomit, Gore, Medical content, Abortion, Violence, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault

cuppasunshine's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Violence, War, and Sexual content

Minor: Abortion, Sexual assault, and Rape