Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

La Lame du Roi by Melissa Blair

227 reviews

adventurous reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I liked the depiction of alcoholism and the inner battle. I liked that the two lovers had clear boundaries and consent. Did not link the way the main character thought something then always someone else would comment on the same thought. A little bit if a pick me. But overall good story and enjoyable lore. Makes me want to learn more and explore the world.

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

An interesting fantasy novel, which has a focus on self-improvement (with a lot of trauma)

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adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

After reading Filthy Rich Fae, I decided to dive deeper into the whole fantasy realm and since I wasn't ready to commit to Sarah J. Maas, I decided to try out A Broken Blade. 

Not gonna lie, I wasn't super hooked just because I think my preference is urban romantasy, but with that said I still finished it and still liked it. 

I like the world building and all the strategizing that they were doing, it reminded me of Mockingjay. But damn that ending got my blood pumping!! Definitely gonna continue with the series. 

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adventurous challenging dark emotional 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: Complicated

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book is so much fun. 
I have to admit that it took a little bit for me to truly be invested in the characters, but once I was I read the whole thing through without stopping. 
I think this is the perfect middle ground between romantasy and straight fantasy. There is a romance, sure. There’s even a few hints of spice. But there’s also really well done discussions of politics and race and marginalization. But the plot itself moves along briskly despite those deeper topics being woven in. 
I love Keera so much. In many ways I think her brilliance as a main character is that she’s allowed to be what so many male main characters have been in fantasy before. She’s not magically better than everyone else at fighting, she has been trained for decades until she is the best. She doesn’t hesitate to kill, but she does end up an alcoholic over it and has to drag herself to sobriety. She is harsh and calculating and doesn’t trust anyone. And yet, she can be soft and tender- with her Shades, with the halflings in general, with Gwyn. Her position as someone who technically has power and yet practically is controlled every step of the way by the king is also very well written. 
I didn’t like Riven until the very end, and I’m still not his biggest fan (he’s not worthy of my Keera yet) but he is very well written- the well intentioned revolutionary who is extremely slow to trust even when it would benefit him and wants the best for everyone but doesn’t always know how to get it. 
I did love Syrra. A woman who has devoted her life to being a warrior? Yes please. Give me more. Her scene with a very hungover Keera was one of my favorites in the book for sheer emotion- two women with blood on their hands struggling with the weight of it all. 
Oh, and Nikolai. Every revolution needs “playboy who is very smart but useless in battle.”
I’m really looking forward to how the complexities of revolution and racial equality are handled going forward. This book has set up the best discussion of those issues I’ve ever seen in fiction.
The only reason I’m not already reading the second book is that I have to wait for it on Libby, but it shouldn’t be too long. 

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adventurous dark mysterious 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

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Plot or Character Driven: Character
Loveable characters: Yes

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jazlynn_thebookwrym's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 10%

I got to chapter 4 and it was just too boring for me. The FMC is obviously an alcoholic and I don’t love that in a character. especially when they are supposed to be this bad a** bounty hunter/torturer. Just wasn’t for me.

 It kind of reminds me of TOG series - when Aelin is hanging out on rooftops drinking away her worries and being pitiful. But this drinking seemed like the characters whole personality. Again, it’s just not for me.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark mysterious 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: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings