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honeycupreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really enjoyed this book! I love these characters so much especially Remy. Remy is a such a wonderful character I was instantly attached to him. His struggles with his past, feeling as though he owes his father everything, the way he feels that no one loves him without needing something from him in return. My heart hurt for him immensely.
The only reason I’m not giving this book 5 stars is because of Zidan and Remys back and forth. How many times were really necessary to try and put something between them? I get it, in a way, it benefited Zidan and Remys characters to show some of their biggest flaws but at the same time it was kinda frustrating to watch it happen multiple times.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to read the sequel!
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, and Vomit
biobeetle's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Xenophobia, Sexual content, War, Body horror, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, and Pregnancy
bbygirl21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I think the writing and the plot is great. I liked the small bits of romance sprinkled in and the more action packed scenes. But it just didn't keep me interested between those action scenes and the romance parts. But I knew going in this might not be entirely for me. Fantasy isn't a genre I usually read and I usually like for more romance to be included when I do read fantasy.
I would absolutely still recommend this to the fantasy readers out there. It just wasn't for me personally.
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Alcohol, Medical content, and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy
grets_reads's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, Blood, Gore, Murder, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Cursing
Moderate: Xenophobia, Death of parent, War, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Child death, Animal death, and Slavery
Minor: Grief, Vomit, Pregnancy, Torture, and Religious bigotry
banannafox's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexual content, Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Body horror, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Bullying, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Minor: Animal death, Grief, Classism, Confinement, Vomit, and Miscarriage
tifftastic87's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Vomit, Blood, Child death, Body horror, Alcohol, Bullying, Confinement, and Cursing
Minor: Medical content, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, and Adult/minor relationship
panbread's review
- 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
Graphic: Hate crime, Gore, Body horror, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Child death
Minor: Grief, Murder, Confinement, Pregnancy, Vomit, and Child abuse
Wasn't sure what tag to use for this, but there is a relationship where an adult takes advantage of a teenager sexually. Exchanging sex for intel. This continues for several years, going into adult hood. It's not exactly asault or rape since it's consensual but there's definitely something traumatic about it. There is only brief mentions of the actual acts but the book spends significant amount of time handling the psychological after effects.wilybooklover's review against another edition
4.5
I am in DIRE need of the sequel though after that ending!! Also I wish we had the US cover in the UK, it's so much prettier.
Graphic: Sexual content, War, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Drug use, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Classism, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, and Animal death
lilifane's review
- 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
I had a lot of fun, mostly because of the characters, their dynamics and the writing style. I liked the main characters a lot and the way they interacted with each other. They seemed kind of one dimensional on their own, but I loved all the messy and complicated relationships and character dynamics they had between each other and the ones around them. There was my favorite love triangle trope, where all three of them are equally into each other. And although I'm not the biggest fan of NSFW scenes, they fit the vibe. I'm also glad they were short and mostly faded to black. I just wish this relationship was explored in a more nuanced way rather than concentrating on the desire and sex aspect of it. I still don't know how and why Xiaodan and Zidan fell in love with Remy this quickly. I definitely prefer a subtler development with slow burn. What I really loved were the discussions about consent and abuse, about trauma and self-worth, though. And I feel like these were in the center of the story more than the plot itself.
The plot was probably the weakest part for me. I was in the mood for a vampire story and liked these aspects a lot. I even liked there was a vampire zombie pandemic. I liked that there was a murder mystery and other mysteries as well. I just don't think they were presented well. There was a lot of telling instead of showing. Most of the reveals were pretty predictable. There were repetitions and things happening off page. Things only being hinted at. I wish we got more of those instead of the action/fighting scenes because these were my least favorite part.
The world building is interesting, it just wasn't explored enough for my taste. I'm definitely interested in more stories from this world because there is a lot of potential.
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Gore, Blood, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Child death, Drug use, and Emotional abuse
mandkips's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy, Animal death, and Adult/minor relationship