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rmconnolly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
I feel like this book moved a lot quicker than the first. Lots of stuff happening to tie in a lot of plot points. Casteel has thankfully grown on me!!! Poppy too. Kind of just a fun world to read and not necessarily have too much attachment to.
So Poppy is half-Atlantian, granddaughter of the Ascended, and now descendant of the King of the Gods (which is ??).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Sexual content
booklover0804's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
fast-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Murder, War, Sexual content, and Violence
meghan1111's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, War, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Hate crime, Child death, Physical abuse, Torture, and Slavery
howboutjane's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
So good! This second book really kicks things up and I LOVE the romance arc between the two MCs. The last several chapter go into overdrive and woll have you by the throat! Perfect set up for the 3rd book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Sexual content
ofmeganreads's review against another edition
It was too much yes and no. The I hate you and the Oh his eyes and that I want you. I don't like the sexual content. I always skip pages, but this just felt like horny characters that don't know how to control themselves and have a civilized conversation. Plus, the gruesome history of the kingdom is too much to handle. It just isn't a book for me and I normally enjoy fantasy novels with enemies to lovers. This book is a walking disaster of triggers that I couldn't continue reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Confinement, Cursing, Kidnapping, Blood, Body horror, War, Death of parent, Body shaming, Genocide, Child abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
babypancake's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual assault
beebowbabe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-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
5.0
Slower than the first book for sure, but you can definitely start to see the formation of bigger plot pieces.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: War
butilikeit's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Blood, Death, Confinement, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Kidnapping, and Sexual content
Moderate: War
Minor: Rape
mel_littleclarinet's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
3.75
First of all, I absolutely love this book. But still, it was quite the roller coaster.
Half of the book was really repetitive, nothing actually happened and then, it all went so quickly and now I'm confused with the ending.
I really love the romance between Poppy and Hawke. It just didn't feel rushed like in other books, especially afterHawke's betrayal towards Poppy. Poppy having to figure out her feelings and being in denial about loving someone that has so deeply misused her trust.. JLA has done an incredible job with their relationship and I have fallen in love with both of them.
The side characters - god they are amazing.
Many new characters are introduced in this book, and I especially love Kieran now. The banter between them all and new friendships developing was really great.And Poppy finally being able to actually make friends, just felt amazing in itself.
The plot itself didn't really move forward that much at first, in the second half, it started to pace up a bit and I'm really glad it did, because I had already started to wonder, if it was worth it to continue.
Now at the end of the book, I'm left on a major cliffhanger and I'm already so excited for the next book.. which I luckily already have laying right next to me :)
In conclusion, it's a really good book, but some parts of it was just too slow-moving for me. I'm glad I didn't put it aside, and I hope the next one will now continue a bit quicker.
Half of the book was really repetitive, nothing actually happened and then, it all went so quickly and now I'm confused with the ending.
I really love the romance between Poppy and Hawke. It just didn't feel rushed like in other books, especially after
The side characters - god they are amazing.
Many new characters are introduced in this book, and I especially love Kieran now. The banter between them all and new friendships developing was really great.
The plot itself didn't really move forward that much at first, in the second half, it started to pace up a bit and I'm really glad it did, because I had already started to wonder, if it was worth it to continue.
Now at the end of the book, I'm left on a major cliffhanger and I'm already so excited for the next book.. which I luckily already have laying right next to me :)
In conclusion, it's a really good book, but some parts of it was just too slow-moving for me. I'm glad I didn't put it aside, and I hope the next one will now continue a bit quicker.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: War and Gaslighting
Minor: Confinement, War, and Injury/Injury detail
itmakessenseincontext's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I'll be honest, it gets and extra half star for that ending (and the battle scene). Just wow. I have a feelings that if the 'romance' wasn't the man focus this could be an amazing epic fantasy series. The bones of it are there, and JLA uses some amazing descriptive language in the more typically epic fantasy scenes. But it gets really undercut by the romance being the focus I feel.
On the romance, it feels kinda juvenile at times? Despite the ammount of sex being had? I guess I'm just not convinced that Poppy and Casteel are in love and not just infatuated and theheartmates thing is being used to speed relationship development, rather than letting them fall in love naturally. Which is great if you like the trope! I tend to find it contrived and lazy writing.
I'll probably keep reading the books though, because that *ending* oh my god. That is how you drop a plot point to keep me engaged
On the romance, it feels kinda juvenile at times? Despite the ammount of sex being had? I guess I'm just not convinced that Poppy and Casteel are in love and not just infatuated and the
I'll probably keep reading the books though, because that *ending* oh my god. That is how you drop a plot point to keep me engaged
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Sexual content, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Vomit
While the sexual acts themselves are pretty vanilla, the context of them could be disturbing