Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Broken Bonds by J. Bree

72 reviews

carsons1996's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It felt like the story really only started in the last 10 pages, but it definitely made me want to continue the series. The complexities of this society of magic users and their connections to each other was interesting to read and I'm left definitely wanting more. 
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maeflower's review

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

2.0

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readyourrights's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

I finished this book and still don’t fully understand why we care about the protagonist or anything about the world she lives in, what bonds even mean for society, who her enemies are and why we care about them. World building not there but lots of cursing and stream of consciousness in the present tense. I was annoyed mostly reading this.
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sfdogmom's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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antidietleah's review against another edition

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mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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laurenjackman's review

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dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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howboutjane's review against another edition

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

3.0

This was a nice read! The first chapter/ prologue really draws you in but then it kind of slows and gets a bit highschool/teen drama (but in a new adult/college setting) which didn't quite vibe well for me. It gets really good in the last quarter of the book which ends with an amazing set up for the next book in the series. 
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phlipsie's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

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ktmcd26's review

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

3.0

I am writing this review after I quickly read the whole series and don’t fully know when one book ended and the other began, so this review is more for a series as a whole.

The series has an interesting concept and some interesting scenes, however it suffers from very poor word building an extreme repetition. 

The series very much reads as the books were started without a plan for how they are going to end. So things that are set up in the beginning are ignored or essentially re-written later to make way for whatever the author wants later. One of the biggest problems with this is that the world is extremely under developed and I cannot tell you the motivations for a large handful of main characters. Often times this can be ignored if you don’t think about it too hard, but sometimes it is distracting. 

The series suffers from the same scenes being replayed over and over again. There seems to be a desire to always have these big dramatic moments, but not enough variety or explanation as to the differences. The repetition can also be seen in the spicy scenes and the wording. If I never read the word Bonded again, I think I will be all right.

I desperately wanted to focus more on the interpersonal connections of the characters and not these big threats. 

I also found the immaturity of the MC to be detrimental to the story. I think I would have liked it more if she wasn’t still practically a child. 

Half-way through there is also the reveal that many characters have a sentient parasite living inside them. These beings are not well developed, and that’s just no a troupe I enjoy.
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angelinanajel's review against another edition

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

3.75

I was captivated by this book. The suspense surrounding Oli's decision to run away kept me engaged. I'm a sucker for badass female main characters, and Oli nails that role perfectly. The inclusion of my favorite tropes, like "touch her and die" and forced proximity really enhanced my enjoyment of the book. I also thoroughly enjoyed the slow build up of sexual tension between Oli and her bonds. 

My only qualm lies in the sparse world-building and my strong aversion to Nox Draven.
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