Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa

50 reviews

isnt_it_pretty's review against another edition

inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Outing, Lesbophobia, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Biphobia, and Alcohol

Minor: Bullying and Sexual assault

portalpylon's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Drug use

Minor: Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault

mrowrow's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Drug use, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Bullying

bookslucyking's review against another edition

hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual assault and Chronic illness

cboddie's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

HS & up

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Drug use

Moderate: Sexual assault

myranda_the_bookwyrm's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

4.25

I found this rather compellingly told, with the structure of the tarot guide book used as you move through the arc, and with good depth for a YA romance/social fiction. If you are looking for a fantasy-romance or even romance-fantasy/paranormal, I wouldn't exactly put this in those categories. While the characters practice witchcraft, we aren't called upon as readers to believe it exists in this world (or ours) if that makes sense. There are some of the usual foibles of miscommunication that are standard for the romance genre, and I can see where there's room for improvement on the author handled Eleanor's response to heartbreak that could be interpreted as leaning into harmful stereotypes, but overall I also feel like that is countered by the first person narration, where readers also are reminded that how Eleanor sees and interprets other people's responses to her is heavily coloured by her own insecurities. Honestly, I was expecting a cutesy little fantasy romance for teens and instead got a YA romance with some surprising depth that cut me just right. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Stalking, Lesbophobia, Drug use, Biphobia, and Sexual assault

ari_bryce's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Bullying, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

caitlyn_drago_1226's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, Grief, Lesbophobia, Stalking, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Sexual assault, Blood, and Addiction

the_lesbrarian's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

While working in a witchy shop in Salem, high school outcast and skeptic Eleanor gets invited to join a local coven and quickly falls for one of the other girls, despite her best efforts not to. Eleanor is thrilled for a chance to start over, but as the difficult events of Eleanor’s last year are slowly revealed, she struggles to keep her present and past separate. The story is fun, if not a little uneven both in pacing and characterization. The main character can at times be frustratingly overdramatic, but in some ways her thoughts capture how important and messy everything feels in high school.  “Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches“ is another quick queer book to ring in autumn, with a lesbian mc and multiple established LGBTQ+ characters and relationships. 

Although the premise is cozy and solidly in the YA category, there are several significant triggering events in this book, so be sure to check tws before picking it up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Homophobia

julialudovici's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Drug use, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol

Moderate: Sexual assault, Stalking, and Chronic illness