Reviews with content warning for Medical trauma - Butcher & Blackbird

Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

76 reviews

septi's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark funny

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

Content Warnings

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark medium-paced

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

4.0

You’ve never read a book like this before. 🔪🩸 Sloane and Rowan are both serial killers who kill serial killers. Ahhh, when psychos unite. 🪟 (That’s a ‘fresh air’ emoji 😆)

Some of the scenes were a little much for me and I really, REALLY could have done without them… 🥴 It wasn’t the gore so much as the… yeah, not even gonna go there. Although this book came with a full page of trigger warnings, so I must give the author credit for telling her readers to proceed with caution.

One thing I can’t give the author credit for, however, and a note for your next book, Brynne: Glocks don’t have safeties. 🤪 Did anyone actually edit this?!?

Am I gonna read the next book? Ok sign me up just know I might skip some parts. 😂

“I’ve tried to create the same safe place for him that he’s always made for me. Our own little realm where the outside world disappears for a while.”

Content Warnings

emilymazzara's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This book is so camp! The blasé approach to writing about LITERAL MURDER makes this read so much fun. That being said this is not for the faint of heart!! (That laundry list of trigger warnings at the start of the novel are there for a reason, heed them.) The premise of the story makes this book such a good time and the banter between Sloan and Rowan is truly delightful. I listened to the duet audiobook version and those narrators kill it (lol).

I ended up only giving this a 3.5/5 for a few reasons:
1) I thought the character development of both of our main characters and all of our side characters was a little lacking. I’m giving it a bit of grace because it is the first of a trilogy, but they hint so much at the complex pasts and give us absolutely nothing. A few more concrete details and a bit of internal self reflection could have gone a long way.
2) Again I think it’s a first of three problem, but the conflict was a bit lacking. I wanted at least one brush with the law. Even if it was a law that Rowan’s omnipotent older brother has in his pocket. Funny enough all that killing with no consequence got a bit bland.
3) All the talking of their murder hobby out in the open with zero filter or even a check of the surrounding area. Like IN A RESTAURANT on DAY ONE!! I for one listen to people conversations in diners all the time so I totally would have heard him call her Orb Weaver at least four times. I can suspend my disbelief pretty high, but this was pushing it.

Honestly a good read and I will be on the lookout for book two when it drops.

Content Warnings

greentearex's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.0

I had heard in several places that this was a great listen, and while booktok tends to lead me wrong- in this case they were right. Great listening experience. This is a dark romantic comedy about serial killers. Kinda like"Dexter" + "Deadpool" + a sexy Irishman.

TMI/TW:

The book starts with the FMC locked in a cage, starving, watching maggots eat the corpse of a man. As someone in healthcare, I've seen maggots like this, I've seen starvation far past the point of the FMC. But hearing her call the maggots an army of "orzo pastas" marching towards her & her growling stomach was...healing. A funny thought to replace a disturbing image.

Content Warnings

taleofabibliophile's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

4.5

Content Warnings

miniminxxy's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.25

I had so much fun reading this! I wasn’t ever sure what was going to happen next and I liked how the romance progressed.

(A few of the trigger warnings made me hesitate, but only for a second. If you’ve listened to or read any true crime, you’ll be fine. A lot of the mentioned triggers are going on in the background or aren’t too heavily detailed. Plus, there’s usually some comic relief!)

Content Warnings