Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Carving Shadows into Gold by Brigid Kemmerer

9 reviews

vicg_b31's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

2.75

This was fine, it wasn’t difficult to pick up and read, but I also never found myself really getting into it. As a sequel, I think it fell a little flat and didn’t add anything too new to the story or the characters. Most of the conflict between characters could have been solved with a simple conversation (one of my biggest pet peeves) and the overarching fantasy conflict never felt high stakes.

I only cared about Tycho and Jax, and wasn’t super interested in anyone else. This is also so random, but I felt like characters were always sparring or “tussling” (like a DnD session when you don’t know what else to do) and it got so boring to read and kind of annoying. Like do something else, please. Most of the scenes began to get repetitive.

There will likely be a next one, based on the ending, and I probably will read just because I want to know what happens to my boys.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Gore, Sexual content, War, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Infidelity

bailey63's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful tense 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

4.0

I just want morrree.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Torture, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, and Alcohol

allisonknuth13's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, and Confinement

Minor: Sexual content and War

theespressoedition's review against another edition

adventurous tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Vomit and War

Minor: Homophobia and Miscarriage

ntr42's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious 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: Gore and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content

eventidebrine's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Gore

Minor: Alcohol

addr_07's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted sad tense 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

4.5

don’t mind me kicking my feet and giggling 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Grief, Murder, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

theboricuabookworm's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.5

There is something about a Brigid Kemmerer sequel/second book that stands out from other fantasy sequels. I loved returning to Syhl Shallow and Emberfall and this merry band of broken misfits. I loved exploring Callyn and Jax as they grappled with so much of their beliefs getting turned on their heads. There were certainly times when I wanted to shake them but then I told myself "okay but this is a very human response even if you're cringing". Malin, I love you. Alek, I still don't trust you. Lia Mara, let me give you a hug. Grey, let me also give you a hug. Rhen, you're doing the best you can. Harper, great to see you bestie. And Tycho. My Tycho. You're so much more than everyone deserves. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol

sorina_boeriu's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative mysterious 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

4.0

“Carving Shadows into Gold” is the second book in the “Forging Silver into stars” series. As this is a spinoff series, I recommend reading the “Cursebreakers” trilogy before. 

This book has the same POVs as the previous one (Tycho, Jax and Callyn). The start is slow and follows the relationship between Tycho and Jax, after they get to Emberfall. Unfortunately, they do not get to spend much time together. 
On the other side, Callyn’s time at the royal court is full of complications and she doesn’t know who she can trust. She needs to hide her magic and does her best to help the queen. Her relationship with Alek is complicated and I still do not know if I like him or not. 

You can expect magic, a lot of action and dangerous situations, politics but also emotional moments and a lot of character development. 
We get more information about the scravers and what they are planning. This is the book that prepares the way to the inevitable war. The wait until the next one will be hard. 

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for an advanced copy of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Minor: Miscarriage