Scan barcode
ritabriar'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
5.0
Some things in this book happen by chance, like
Magic is common in this setting. The magic that really digs into the plot is a bit horrifying.
Graphic: Sexual content and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, Death, Body horror, and Infidelity
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Gore
Grace's husband is a piece of work. This is the source of the toxic relationship, infidelity, and panic attack tags. The horrible smooth men are the source of the body horror and gore tags. A young man has been pressured or brainwashed into making a really bad,miss_berry315's review
3.0
I dnf'd this book originally because of the scene where Stephen and Grace meet. It is fairly early in the book and I really felt like the author could have done literally anything other than have Stephen practically SA Grace.
IDC if this is a spoiler, it's really not done well and adds absolutely nothing to the story overall.
Stephen is walking back home when he hears someone running and he determines that the person sounds like they're in trouble, so he wants to help (paladin things). Grace approaches him near an alleyway and asks Stephen to help her hide. Stephen then grabs her, shoves her against the wall so she's hidden from the people chasing her, and begins dry humping her and acting as if he is having sex. She plays along with it, he's apologizing the whole time (super uncomfortable) and the people chasing her end up leaving them alone. It's important to note that this happens in an alleyway very close to this city's version of a 'Red Light District' aka a place where sex workers are known to be present and offering services. The author does not write about sex workers in a positive way. The language used is outdated, Stephen says he would 'never be involved with a sex worker' and Grace is relieved. Its just really not empowering and starts the relationship between these two off in a very uncomfortable place. Why couldn't Stephen help Grace into a crate or behind some barrels, or in a pile of trash or literally anything in the entire world that could have been realistically in the alleyway? Why did the author see the only option as borderline SA??
Other than that, the book was fairly boring in plot, characters, and romance. Grace is defined by her relationships and career. I felt like the perfume making stuff could have been interesting, but kind of fell flat. I understand it's hard to write about how someone may have a natural ability to create something and how they often will incorporate that into their lives however they can, but the way that Grace can differentiate smells within complex ones just came off like the whole 'chosen one' 'special-special' trope that protagonists often have.
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Death, Murder, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Stalking, and Panic attacks/disorders
The book starts off withaspyd05's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Gore
simothys'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
5.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content and Emotional abuse
Minor: Torture
maddymaddy9's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
Moderate: Gore, Emotional abuse, and Confinement
alexijai98'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Murder, Violence, Grief, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
lillimariexo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Body shaming, Murder, Blood, Emotional abuse, Violence, Cannibalism, and Death
jonie_rich's review against another edition
- 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: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Cannibalism, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
vanessaedwards1882's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Gore and Death
Moderate: Violence
puck_jay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Gore, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, War, Blood, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship