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druzyquartz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Vomit, Hate crime, Blood, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content
amanda_reads13's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After surviving the fever as a child, the magic she developed has lead to her living with a 500 year old monster, Nightmare, in her head. Something she has had to hide for the last 11 years as her magic is illegal magic. The fever has been a blight over Blunder and is only getting worse. Now she must work to help collect the Providence cards... The key to the cure.
I really enjoyed the magic system in this book, it is something completely different than any other book I have read. I appreciated that there were consequences to using magic, and it wasn't just a free for all. I wanted more world building. We know a few things about Blunder, but not much.
As always, I wish this had been dual POV. I really wanted to get into Ravyns head so that I could better understand him. He is not what you expect him to be. As the Captain, you expect him to be brutal and harsh, but he is quite the opposite. Elspeth a strong and intelligent woman who has had to fight to keep her secret and stay alive for the last 11 years. Yet, she is also kind of a boring character, her banter with Nightmare is the more interesting part of her.
I really want more background on Nightmare, I find him very intriguing and the most interesting character in the book. I hope that we get more of his story in the second book. Is it weird that I wanted Elspeth to fall in love with him...?It was not a surprise that Nightmare is The Shepherd King. That was pretty expected from the beginning.
Tropes: fantasy, magic, slow burn, Found family, forced proximity
I really enjoyed the magic system in this book, it is something completely different than any other book I have read. I appreciated that there were consequences to using magic, and it wasn't just a free for all. I wanted more world building. We know a few things about Blunder, but not much.
As always, I wish this had been dual POV. I really wanted to get into Ravyns head so that I could better understand him. He is not what you expect him to be. As the Captain, you expect him to be brutal and harsh, but he is quite the opposite. Elspeth a strong and intelligent woman who has had to fight to keep her secret and stay alive for the last 11 years. Yet, she is also kind of a boring character, her banter with Nightmare is the more interesting part of her.
I really want more background on Nightmare, I find him very intriguing and the most interesting character in the book. I hope that we get more of his story in the second book. Is it weird that I wanted Elspeth to fall in love with him...?
Tropes: fantasy, magic, slow burn, Found family, forced proximity
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Death
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Sexual content
yilliun's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
I ate this up. I’ve been in a reading slump for the past few weeks and this officially rescued me not unlike Ravyn trying to save Elspeth .
Although the magic system is not completely an original idea, I like how the author developed it. I would have appreciated a glossary at the back of relevant terms and characters because I found myself often forgetting which card bestowed what power.
I appreciated that the romance was more a side plot than the main focus. The story would be able to stand on its own without the romantic elements. Out of all the characters, Hauth and Nerium both felt a little cliche to me and the most cartoonish villain figures. Besides that, I think all the other characters were well fleshed out.
Although the magic system is not completely an original idea, I like how the author developed it. I would have appreciated a glossary at the back of relevant terms and characters because I found myself often forgetting which card bestowed what power.
I appreciated that the romance was more a side plot than the main focus. The story would be able to stand on its own without the romantic elements. Out of all the characters, Hauth and Nerium both felt a little cliche to me and the most cartoonish villain figures. Besides that, I think all the other characters were well fleshed out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Violence
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Grief and Death of parent
meganpbell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
This popular gothic fantasy has some killer cards to play, with a unique card-based magic system, a steamy enemies-to-lovers romance, and a fantastically sinister monster living inside our heroine’s head. While the YA/New Adult prose didn’t always work for me and the first half is very slow to start, the world-building and plot made up for it. That said, I think I’ll wait till October to read the sequel for all the spooky gothic vibes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Medical content, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent and Child death
alexasolis98's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
This book was amazing. The story, the characters, the mysterious past. Keeping up with the Providence Cards was a bit challenging at times. Otherwise, this story was great. Raven, Elm, Ione, the Nightmare and Elspeth are all so interesting. I look forward to learning more about the Shepherd King and on how to save Blunder from the mist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, and Sexual content
tkatt20's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Sometimes I find that when I really like a book I don't have a lot to say review wise, this is exactly one of those cases. I finished this a couple of weeks ago and waited to do a review because I thought the words might come to me, but they never did. The writing was solid, I loved the characters, setting, magic system, everything. This is honesty all I want in a YA/New adult fantasy. For my Teen Wolf fans, this book reminds me of season 3 with the nogitsune, to try to give an idea of the vibes between the FMC and the "Nightmare", which was my all-time favorite season btw. This was def a vibe read for me and I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death
Moderate: Death of parent and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, and Alcohol
kinsportch's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Child death, Terminal illness, and Death
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
dkgreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I loved this book! It was dark and atmospheric and ridiculously imaginative! I absolutely loved the concept: the magic, the lore, and the quest of it all. Really unique world building, a smidge of romance, and a whole heap of danger. *Chef’s kiss*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
kal517's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
briannagriffin567's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Genocide, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, and Child death