Review: Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White

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Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White

Hell Followed with Us
Andrew Joseph White
Peachtree Teen
Published June 7, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Hell Followed with Us

Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with.

But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick, is gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot, and he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all.

Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own.

A furious, queer debut novel about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors. Perfect for fans of GIDEON THE NINTH and ANNIHILATION.

My Review

I don’t usually read horror, so this one is a little bit outside my usual book choice. I couldn’t resist checking it out, though. There’s something really compelling about the cover. I don’t know if it’s the pairing of the colors (obviously I have a thing for turquoise and orange) or the title, which references a Bible verse in Revelations? Either way, as soon as I saw the cover, I knew I needed to check out the book.

The plot: basically this cult takes the worst parts of humanity and clothes them in a twisted version of holiness. It’s bad religion taken to an extreme. Benji references all these scriptures he’s been taught as he’s trying to figure out what to do and what he believes. We get to see how they’ve been twisted for control or abuse. I felt like that was really powerful and also heartbreaking, especially when it was verses that I’ve also memorized and they were being used to cause such harm.

One of the things I liked, too, was that there are these moments where faith comes up and Benji really wrestles with whether God exists. He doesn’t believe what he’s been taught about who God is or what believing would command him to do. But he continues to pray, even if he’s not sure it’s doing anything. He has a conversation with another teammate who also is a person of faith. I liked that the story didn’t straight up demonize faith but created space to explore the difference between a religious terrorist organization and faith that uplifts or inspires people. That’s not what the story as a whole is about though. It’s just a moment in the book.

Character Elements versus Horror Elements

Benji is a pretty tormented character. He’s barely escaped what is obviously (mostly off-scene) a hugely traumatic upbringing in the Angels cult, so he still has a lot of processing to do about what happened to him. He’s only beginning to unpack what is actually true versus what he was told in order to control or manipulate him. The threads of thought he takes us through as he dismantles his abuse gripped me probably more than anything else in the book. That journey and the frank, in-process way that it’s related kept me locked into the story from beginning to end. Some of the cult exploration aspects of the book reminded me a little bit of THE PROJECT by Courtney Summers.

Would I have been more comfortable if there were less, er, slaughtering via teeth? Yeah. For sure. Ha. But I can’t help but be so glad I read this book. I get the hype about it. I love the ways it made me think.

Readers who enjoy fast-paced, post-apocalyptic stories or books that examine cults and recovery from being in a cult should check this one out. I don’t read much horror, but another in the genre that I enjoyed is IT LOOKS LIKE US by Allison Ames. If you liked the balance of character driven elements to horror elements, you would probably also like HELL FOLLOWED WITH US.

Content Notes

Graphic violence, transphobia, domestic violence and religious abuse, self-injury and attempted suicide.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Benji is a trans boy who grew up (and escaped) a radical cult. Nick is autistic. Other minor characters identify as queer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. One scene leads up to oral sex but doesn’t describe it.

Spiritual Content
The Angels cult is loosely based on Christianity but is pretty twisted. They’ve created and unleashed a fatal pandemic as well as a disease that causes awful mutations. They kill anyone who disagrees with them or their ideas. Biblical scriptures are warped and used to defend murder and control.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Battle scenes with graphic descriptions of injuries and death. Graphic descriptions of mutations and death caused by the Flood. Graphic descriptions of bodies rotting. Some scenes show or reference execution. One scene (referenced more than once) describes domestic violence. Several scenes show or reference religious abuse. Several characters exhibit transphobia. In some scenes, a character is misgendered and referred to by his deadname.

Drug Content
A few characters sip wine that someone saved for a “special occasion”. Benji does not and a Muslim character does not.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of HELL FOLLOWED WITH US in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron

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The Vanquishers
Kalynn Bayron
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published September 20, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Vanquishers

In the world of the Vanquishers, vampires were history . . . until now.

Malika “Boog” Wilson and her best friends have grown up idolizing The Vanquishers, a group of heroic vampire hunters who wiped out the last horde of the undead decades ago. Nowadays, most people don’t take even the most basic vampire precautions–the days of garlic wreaths and early curfews long gone–but Boog’s parents still follow the old rules, much to her embarrassment.

When a friend goes missing, Boog isn’t sure what to think. Could it be the school counselor, Mr. Rupert, who definitely seems to be hiding something? Or could it be something more dangerous? Boog is determined to save her friend, but is she ready to admit vampires might not be vanquished after all?

No one ever expected the Vanquishers to return, but if their town needs protection from the undead, Boog knows who to call.

Inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Watchmen, this adventure launches readers into an exciting new series.

My Review

I had a lot of fun reading this book. It hit all the notes I was hoping for. It had unforgettable friendships, silly antics, spooky shadowy things, and super hero vibes.

The history of the community with vampires had a great setup. Vampires used to be a real threat, so people adjusted by vampire-proofing their properties and learning social rules, such as not ever inviting a stranger into your home. Though Boog and her friends roll their eyes and barely tolerate their parents sticking to their anti-vampire habits, it made for a great way to introduce all that history and setup into the story without it feeling bulky or weird.

I really liked Boog and her friends, Jules, Cedric, and Aaron. They made a great team, and they were a lot of fun together. I also loved their families and the way they had regular get-togethers and stuff. It added to that post-pandemic feel, too, because it made me think of how we kind of settled into seeing a few “safe” families during the pandemic. We had our bubble, and Boog and her family had theirs.

The only thing I felt was a little bit heavy-handed was in the way the story dealt with one of the characters. It felt like there was an awful lot of emphasis on how creepy the guy was. I wish that had been a little bit more subtle. It was kind of a minor thing in terms of the whole story, though, and once everything came together, I didn’t really care about the way that character was handled.

THE VANQUISHERS is a fun, spooky story packed with fantastic friendships. I think readers who enjoyed THE DARKDEEP by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs should check this one out for sure.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Boog, Cedric and Aaron are Black. Jules is Latine and nonbinary.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Vampires exist but haven’t been seen since a team called The Vanquishers destroyed the last known group of them.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A couple tense, spooky moments.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE VANQUISHERS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch

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Spells for Lost Things
Jenna Evans Welch
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published September 27, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Spells for Lost Things

From the New York Times bestselling author of LOVE & GELATO comes a poignant and romantic novel about two teens trying to find their place in the world after being unceremoniously dragged to Salem, Massachusetts, for the summer.

Willow has never felt like she belonged anywhere and is convinced that the only way to find a true home is to travel the world. But her plans to act on her dream are put on hold when her aloof and often absent mother drags Willow to Salem, Massachusetts, to wrap up the affairs of an aunt Willow didn’t even know she had. An aunt who may or may not have been a witch.

There, she meets Mason, a loner who’s always felt out of place and has been in and out of foster homes his entire life. He’s been classified as one of the runaways, constantly searching for ways to make it back to his mom; even if she can’t take care of him, it’s his job to try and take care of her. Isn’t it?

Naturally pulled to one another, Willow and Mason set out across Salem to discover the secret past of Willow’s mother, her aunt, and the ambiguous history of her family. During all of this, the two can’t help but act on their natural connection. But with the amount of baggage between them—and Willow’s growing conviction her family might be cursed—can they manage to hold onto each other?

My Review

One of the things that I find interesting about this book is the fact that both characters have issues with their moms. Willow’s mom is emotionally absent. She’s there, but she’s so remote that Willow feels distant from her. Add to that the fact that she has this whole secret past life including a family Willow has never even heard of, much less met, and it only makes sense that she’d feel estranged.

Then there’s Mason, whose mom has been missing for the last few years while he’s been shuffled around in foster care. He clings to rituals they used to share about looking for signs and exploring new places together, but he knows she’s a mess. It’s part of why he feels like he needs to find her. To help her get her life straight. After all, that’s what you do for the people you love, right?

So mom issues on both sides. Which is an interesting choice because Mason is seventeen. It seems unusual (though not impossible) that a boy that age would focus on his mom in that way. I thought that made him an unusual and empathetic character.

Willow’s great aunts were a lot of fun. I liked that they leaned into the witchy-ness of Salem and the family lore. I also loved the things that came up as Willow and Mason began to look more into their family history and to try to understand what happened and learn about Willow’s potential family curse.

The historical setting and letters from Willow’s aunt about the past all added some nice layers to the story. I think those were my favorite parts, actually. I loved getting to piece all that together and the way things shifted the more we learned about the past.

SPELLS FOR LOST THINGS is the second book by Jenna Evans Welch that I’ve read. I enjoyed it for sure– I’ve been reading such dark (spooky!) books lately that it was really nice to take a break and read a fluffy romance. I think I liked LOVE & OLIVES a teeny bit better than this one. That might be because of the Greek setting and the amazing bookstore in the book. It’s hard to beat that!

I think fans of Jennifer E. Smith or Kasie West will like this sweet romance.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Mason is in the foster care system.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
The bulk of the story is set in Salem, Massachusetts. There’s some discussion about its history, specifically the Salem Witch Trials. The town has also leaned into its witchy history and there are lots of businesses that references witchy things. Willow’s great aunts also describe themselves as witches and celebrate rituals at the full moon. There are rumors that the women in Willow’s family are under a curse which Willow decides to investigate.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of SPELLS FOR LOST THINGS in exchange for my honest review.

2022 Summer Reading Recap

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For the last couple of years, I’ve been trying to post seasonal lists of the books I can’t wait to read. I love doing that, but I also want to post some kind of recap at the end of the season where I can talk about which books turned out to be my favorites that sort of thing. I’ve been struggling to find a format that feels satisfying to write up and read about, so here’s my first attempt: my 2022 Summer Reading Recap.

First, if you missed my most-anticipated summer release list, check it out to see what books started on my list. I also posted this Top Ten Tuesday list of backlist titles I hoped to read this summer, so I’ll include those in this check-in.

How many books did I read from my summer reading lists?

My most-anticipated summer reading list had 25 titles on it. Of those 25, I read 19 of them. I’ve started VALIANT LADIES by Melissa Grey as an audiobook but haven’t finished it yet. The other five–MASTER OF IRON by Tricia Levenseller, THE KING WILL KILL YOU by Sarah Henning, THE HONEYS by Ryan LaSala, MY IMAGINARY MARY by Hand, Meadows, and Ashton, and THE DRAGON’S PROMISE by Elizabeth Lim– are still on my TBR list for now.

I’ve read 8 out of 10 of the books on my backlist titles list. I still hope to get to ELATSOE by Darcie Little Badger and THE BLACK FLAMINGO by Dean Atta soon. I’ve heard amazing things about both.

So, in total, out of 35 books, I read 27. Not perfect, but not too shabby.

Favorite Summer Book by a Familiar Author

This one is easy, because there aren’t a whole lot of authors I’d read before on my reading lists for this season. My favorite book by an author I’d read before has to be THE STARS BETWEEN US by Cristin Terrill.

I love the description of the book as “Dickensian-inspired”, and it totally lives up to that, in my opinion. I also loved the characters and the sweet romance. It’s a book that still makes me smile when I think about it now.

The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl with an unexpected inheritance on a glittering planet. A mysterious young man who is always in her way. Secrets. Murder. An underground rebellion. A Dickensian-inspired space murder mystery romance.

Release Date: August 2, 2022 | My Review

Favorite Summer Book by a New Author

This is trickier because I read so many amazing debuts or books by authors that I hadn’t read before. I’m going to say my top favorite is BAD THINGS HAPPEN HERE by Rebecca Barrow.

I’ve bought some of Rebecca Barrow’s other books, but this is the first one I actually read so far. The characters felt so real in their small town setting. The disappearing girls gave me chills– I have chills now, thinking about it, actually. It was wow.

Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: An island with a history of unsolved murders. A girl whose best friend and sister were both murdered on the island will stop at nothing to find out why.

Release Date: June 28, 2022 | My Review

Favorite Summer Book from My Backlist

I’m a little torn about which book from my Top Ten Tuesday list of backlist titles that I’d call my favorite. I loved HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE by Diana Wynne Jones and THE POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo. I listened to both as audiobooks, and both were a great experience. THE POET X is read by the author, which I think makes a huge difference for a novel in verse. HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE was such a fun book to read. I loved the wacky things that happened and the way Sophie formed relationships with each of the characters.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This is one of those books I can’t believe I haven’t read. A young girl under a terrible curse. An oddball sorcerer with secrets. A magical castle.

Release Date: April 1986

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: From Goodreads: “An Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.”

Release Date: March 6, 2018

Book That Surprised Me the Most

I feel like this shouldn’t be true, because I probably would have said the same thing about the other book I read by this author, but I’m giving this one to BEFORE TAKEOFF by Adi Alsaid.

It’s strange. It juggles a lot of characters and elements that defy science or reason. There are so many reasons the book shouldn’t work, but it totally does! I remember being blown away at the moments the story changes point of view because it was so perfectly timed.

I got completely wrapped up in this story and each of the characters involved. I loved the social commentary. The bizarre-ness of the events unfolding at the airport. So good. I’m a huge fan of this book, and it only proves to me more that I need to catch up on Adi Alsaid’s backlist titles. I think I own all of them, so I have no excuse. Ha!

Before Takeoff by Adi Alsaid

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This one pretty much had me at “THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR meets JUMANJI.”

Release Date: June 7, 2022 | My Review

Goals for Fall Reading and Blogging

I probably should add a section like this to my Fall TBR post, but this whole idea is a work in progress. Anyway.

So. Goals for the fall. The truth is, I’ve WAYYYY overcommitted for my fall reading. I tried to be reasonable. I did. Really. I said no to a lot of titles. But there are SO MANY amazing books coming out in September especially, and some of the titles I requested earlier in the year only just now reached me, so it is kind of a perfect storm of too many books. (In case you missed them, here are my TBR lists for fall MG and YA releases.)

All that to say, I’ll probably increase to four reviews per week for the short term. It’s really too many. I can’t do that on an ongoing basis, but I want to clear my queue a bit before we get into the holiday season, and I get REALLY SWAMPED.

Four reviews per week means I would post somewhere around 48 reviews between mid-September and early December. That’s a lot of books, but my fall MG and YA reading lists are already a combined 37 books. Plus I’ve got some backlist titles and titles released earlier this year that I really want to get to, so those spots are already filled and then some.

I’m also hoping to continue seasonal reading lists plus jump into the Top Ten Tuesday meme now and then. I’ve marked a few topics on my calendar that I’m interested in. I will also be sharing a Spooky Season reading list. And I’m planning to do another seasonal recap at the end of the fall.

What are the highlights from your summer reading?

Did you find a new favorite book or author? Let me know in the comments so I can add more books to my reading list! If you’ve read any of the books I talked about here, let me know if you liked them, too.

Do you have reading goals for the fall? What are you most looking forward to reading?

Let me know if you enjoyed this recap and want to see more posts like this. If I left out something you want to know– stats about what format I read books in or other superlatives about the books I read– leave a comment! This is definitely still a work-in-progress post, so I would love to know what you want to see more or less of.

Review: The Other Side of the River by Alda P. Dobbs

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The Other Side of the River
Alda P. Dobbs
Delacorte Press
Published September 6, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Other Side of the River

From the award-winning author of Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, Alda P. Dobbs, comes a compelling new novel about building a new life in America. Strong and determined, Petra Luna returns in a story about the immigrant experience that continues to be relevant today.

Petra Luna is in America, having escaped the Mexican Revolution and the terror of the Federales. Now that they are safe, Petra and her family can begin again, in this country that promises so much. Still, twelve-year-old Petra knows that her abuelita, little sister, and baby brother depend on her to survive. She leads her family from a smallpox-stricken refugee camp on the Texas border to the buzzing city of San Antonio, where they work hard to build a new life. And for the first time ever, Petra has a chance to learn to read and write.

Yet Petra also sees in America attitudes she thought she’d left behind on the other side of the Río Grande―people who look down on her mestizo skin and bare feet, who think someone like her doesn’t deserve more from life. Petra wants more. Isn’t that what the revolution is about? Her strength and courage will be tested like never before as she fights for herself, her family, and her dreams.

Petra’s first story, Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, was a New York Public Library Book of the Year and a Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection.

My Review

After I read BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA last year, I knew I wanted to read more of Petra’s brave story and see what happened to her and her family. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER begins where BAREFOOT DREAMS ends, picking up with Petra Luna on the bridge, following her into a refugee camp, and on into a new life.

I love the way the story is paced. It gives time for readers to sink into the historical setting without lingering too long. I felt like I could picture what was happening and the streets of San Antonio in 1913. The relationship between Petra and her sister was also really great. She loves and protects her sister, but sometimes feels annoyed by her, too. I felt like the relationship played out in a very realistic way. Petra also feels very much her age at twelve, almost thirteen. She feels the pressure of being a provider for her family and keeping the promise to her father to keep the family safe. But she doesn’t feel like a tiny adult.

All in all, I loved this story– as much if not more than the first book. I think readers looking for historical fiction should absolutely check out THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER. I don’t think you’d have to read BAREFOOT DREAMS first, but they’re both really good.

Content Notes for The Other Side of the River

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Petra and her family are Mexican refugees living in Texas.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Petra meets a nun who helps her. Petra’s grandmother sometimes prays and shares some of her beliefs. Petra and her family celebrate Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Violent Content
Some racist and prejudiced statements.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Wishtress by Nadine Brandes

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Wishtress
Nadine Brandes
Thomas Nelson
Published September 13, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Wishtress

She didn’t ask to be the Wishtress.

Myrthe was born with the ability to turn her tears into wishes. It’s a big secret to keep. When a granted wish goes wrong, a curse is placed on her: the next tear she sheds will kill her. She needs to journey to the Well and break the curse before it claims her life–and before the king’s militairen track her down. But in order to survive the journey, she must harden her heart to keep herself from crying even a single tear.

He can stop time with a snap of his fingers.

Bastiaan’s powerful–and rare–Talent came in handy when he kidnapped the old king. Now the new king has a job for him: find and capture the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. But Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. When he locates Myrthe, he agrees to take her to the Well in exchange for a wish. Once she’s fulfilled her end of the deal, he’ll turn her in. As long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don’t compromise his job.

They are on a journey that can only end one way: with her death.

Everyone seems to need a wish–the king, Myrthe’s cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they’re ready to bully, beg, and even betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one of them, Myrthe would have to die. And if she tells them about her curse . . . they’ll just kill her anyway.

My Review

I remember that I really enjoyed ROMANOV by Nadine Brandes, so when I saw that she had a new book coming out, I wanted to read it. I really liked the way that she incorporated magic into her version of the story about Anastasia Romanov and her family.

The magic system and its origins also proved to be something I enjoyed in WISHTRESS. Basically, there are two possible sources of magic in the book. The Well can only be approached through completing four dangerous trials and may or may not grant a Talent or magical ability. And the Nightwell can be much more easily approached. Submerging oneself in the Nightwell guarantees that you’ll receive a Bane, a destructive magical ability such as poisonous blood or the ability to curse others.

The initial idea was that the trials would protect the Well from access by unworthy applicants, but in reality, it keeps the poor from accessing it. The rich hire warriors to complete the trials so they may approach the Well. Rather than truly being a test of character, the trials become a test of wealth. That metaphor certainly resonated– there are lots of systems touted as being meant to bring fairness but which really only amount to controlling access. And money buys access to a lot of things.

At any rate, some of the tension in the story comes from characters deciding whether they should attempt the trials even with the odds stacked against them or whether they should take a “shortcut” to accessing magic and visit the Nightwell. I liked that dynamic and the way different characters made those decisions and how that worked.

If there’s a place the story was a little thin for me, it was the character relationships. I didn’t understand Myrthe’s interest in Sven. Even to some degree her awe of Bastiaan didn’t resonate with me. Yeah, I liked him, too, but there seemed to be a kind of awe that felt… off? I don’t know if it was that it didn’t feel anchored in her body? Like, I don’t know if I was looking for more reactions to him being close or more of a spark between them? I’m not sure. I guess I didn’t sense a chemistry between them, and I wanted that.

Despite that, I loved the ending, and I want to see where the story goes. I will be on the lookout for the sequel.

Readers who enjoyed MERLIN’S BLADE by Robert Treskillard or UNBREAKABLE by Sara Ella will enjoy this book. I think the story is a little bit more like Brandes’s debut, A TIME TO DIE, so if you’re familiar with that one and liked it, definitely check out WISHTRESS.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Myrthe is disabled and has difficulty walking after having the pox as a child.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between man and woman.

Spiritual Content
The Well offers Talents (magical abilities) to those to drink from it, and a few others. The Nightwell offers Banes (ability to harm others) to those to submerge themselves in it.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Battle sequences. Brief scenes showing torture.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.