Scan barcode
emilygibbs's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Sexual content
mirandanoel's review against another edition
3.75
Overall this book was a good version of what it was trying to be. It was entertaining, it was emotional, and the writing was propulsive. It’s definitely not setting out to reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t suffer for that.
I did not realize until I came here to review it that it is being marketed as YA, and I would caution you that it is definitely mature for YA. There are some explicit scenes but, beyond that, I think the book gets into murky water when it comes to sexual consent (ie some seduction under false pretenses).
I think the biggest shortcoming is the ending - the author seemed to sacrifice a satisfying ending in order to set up her sequel. Had I knows this, I likely would have waiting to read the book until we were closer to the sequel’s release. IMO, the first 350 pages were leagues better than the last 50.
I did not realize until I came here to review it that it is being marketed as YA, and I would caution you that it is definitely mature for YA. There are some explicit scenes but, beyond that, I think the book gets into murky water when it comes to sexual consent (ie some seduction under false pretenses).
I think the biggest shortcoming is the ending - the author seemed to sacrifice a satisfying ending in order to set up her sequel. Had I knows this, I likely would have waiting to read the book until we were closer to the sequel’s release. IMO, the first 350 pages were leagues better than the last 50.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape
randi_jo's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
Jesus, I don't know where to begin. I feel lied to and cheated - whoever marketed this book was probably a court assassin in a past life or something, slipping poison into goblets at celebration feasts.
Anyway there are so many trope icks in this book for me. I feel like the author singled me out, asked everything I hate in a book and then made this book but added playing with period blood. Just to list some of them:
🚩 Obviously the use of period blood, like ew. But ok plot reasons; don't do blood magic using self harm cuts because it makes you a target for witch hunts. Still ew.
🚩 Love triangle/hinge. MC must choose, oh no! One is the tall, dark, and brooding with a tragic past - physically strong! The other is lean, blonde, intellectual - her childhood friend! Ahh smell those tropes.
🚩 Oh yes, those two are brothers! Yesshe kisses them both!! And more! .
🚩 There is no mention of using protection in the smut scenes! This is YA! She lost her virginity! I don't care if it's not "realistic" it's fantasy! Use fake magic to prevent STDs! Sex safety for the Youth.
🚩 The fact that brosef Gideon feels the absolute NEED to have sex with someone to PROVE she has no scars is weird. Weirder, and CREEPY is that random ass chick Harrow keeps PUSHING FOR HIM TO HAVE SEX WITH HER? I know it's for PLOT AND ROMANCE reasons, but how fucking creepy?? Peer pressuring people into doing the deed is ew.
🚩 Why is there a duo named Gideon and Harrow, anyway? Is this a hat tilt to Muir's Locked Tomb series? It's distracting as fuck.
🚩 A bro literallydies and all people can say is "oopsies" and they leave it at that? Like no one blames anyone for this outright murder ? Not even a why the fuck did you DO that?? Just "she wasn't paying attention"? Christ.
🚩 The font! It's huge! I thought I had a large print book! Nothing crazy, but what a waste of paper. This book should not be anything over 300 pages. It's THAT large.
🚩 Short chapters. I don't think a single chapter was over 10 pages long. WITH HUGE FONT. I accidentally skipped an entire chapter because two pages got stuck together. Weirdly upsetting.
🚩 The plot was ridiculously easy to predict, and as much as I like to be right, reading for plot heavy books (because let's be honest, the characters here only exist to bang) is not one of them. To go into more spoilery areas...
Anyway there are so many trope icks in this book for me. I feel like the author singled me out, asked everything I hate in a book and then made this book but added playing with period blood. Just to list some of them:
🚩 Obviously the use of period blood, like ew. But ok plot reasons; don't do blood magic using self harm cuts because it makes you a target for witch hunts. Still ew.
🚩 Love triangle/hinge. MC must choose, oh no! One is the tall, dark, and brooding with a tragic past - physically strong! The other is lean, blonde, intellectual - her childhood friend! Ahh smell those tropes.
🚩 Oh yes, those two are brothers! Yes
🚩 There is no mention of using protection in the smut scenes! This is YA! She lost her virginity! I don't care if it's not "realistic" it's fantasy! Use fake magic to prevent STDs! Sex safety for the Youth.
🚩 The fact that brosef Gideon feels the absolute NEED to have sex with someone to PROVE she has no scars is weird. Weirder, and CREEPY is that random ass chick Harrow keeps PUSHING FOR HIM TO HAVE SEX WITH HER? I know it's for PLOT AND ROMANCE reasons, but how fucking creepy?? Peer pressuring people into doing the deed is ew.
🚩 Why is there a duo named Gideon and Harrow, anyway? Is this a hat tilt to Muir's Locked Tomb series? It's distracting as fuck.
🚩 A bro literally
🚩 The font! It's huge! I thought I had a large print book! Nothing crazy, but what a waste of paper. This book should not be anything over 300 pages. It's THAT large.
🚩 Short chapters. I don't think a single chapter was over 10 pages long. WITH HUGE FONT. I accidentally skipped an entire chapter because two pages got stuck together. Weirdly upsetting.
🚩 The plot was ridiculously easy to predict, and as much as I like to be right, reading for plot heavy books (because let's be honest, the characters here only exist to bang) is not one of them. To go into more spoilery areas...
It was obvious from early on that Cressida wasn't dead because Alex didn't kill her. She was literally the only character ever posed to be even a POSSIBLE villain. Literally who else could it be? The only other witches in the whole fucking story are Rune, who we have the POV of, and Seraphine who's in fucking prison lol. There was zero chance of Alex surviving this trope heavy book. Obviously he is an obstacle to the Rune/Gideon pairing and he needed to be gone! The second Rune accepted his proposal I knew he was dead. And I was right!! I'm a wizard! Verity was so obviously Cressida the second Cressida's mark appeared at the dinner scene. The entire book the prose was "he is so tempting but he is my enemy! I must save witches to atone for my grandma! Verity's perfume is stronk af. Why is Gideon so hot and dark and spicy? Wowowow." Like the second something other than sexual frustration and the repetitive BS about Rune trying to get herself killed or whatever, the foreshadowing hints become like BEACONS. This was solidified the very second it was Verity's face in the criminal sketch, making the probability of her being the villain from like 80% to 100%. Ugh.
The ending was ok. . . it left a lot to be answered in book 2, but to be honest I'll probably just mine reviews and summaries for what happens next, if I even remember by the time it comes out. I am just not interested in carving out even another day of time for this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Torture, and Rape
bprdy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
It’s a fun fantasy read with an enemies to lovers/forbidden love trope. There’s also some surface level references to class struggles and prejudices. Unfortunately the story was predictable and by 1/3 of the way through I guessed the main plot point which took away a lot of the suspense. The world building was intriguing but lacking in detail. I’m curious to see if the sequel will bring more of it to light.
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape and Murder
More...