Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent

45 reviews

paperbacksandsnacks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

This book started off a little slow for me. I think because I loved the romance of the previous story I found it hard when they became enemies 🥲 and I had to wait for the love story to properly enter the building again. Although don’t get me wrong I loved the simmering tension underneath the hatred. 

When this picked up about the 50% mark though my goodness. It did not stop. I loved the journey of self discovery in this book for Oraya. The way Raihn started uncovering details of her family and the connections she made were a great wrap up element of this duology. The friendships like the previous book were also beautiful, and honestly I just can’t fault the romance. The bond between Raihn and Oraya was gorgeous and made my heart so warm. The way he loved her and would do anything to see her succeed or happy. Honestly what a dreamy man. 

Again, fight scenes though usually not my thing were executed well throughout this. I found myself holding my breath and getting really close to the page as I was so absorbed and anxious to see what would happen. 

The ending too, I just adored it! I liked that there was still a bit of mystery and tension for us to read about in the other duologies (I hope). And I’m excited to read about some of the other side characters as the series as a whole progresses. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, War, Violence, Death of parent, and Slavery

khymihr's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Grief

Minor: Rape and Slavery

romywrites's review against another edition

adventurous 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I was able to get a copy before it's official re-release through Edelweiss. I was absolutely ecstatic.

While there were a few technical issues I found to be perplexing or frustrating, I still enjoyed this journey. One issue I did not have was likeable characters. I'm still excited to read more. I read and needed to know more. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Slavery, Death, Torture, War, Body horror, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

vireya's review

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

I really liked it! Not as much as the first, but I’ll definitely read more of the books in the series/world. It was much slower than the first one. It wasn’t slow paced by any means but it was much slower than the first. It was a lot easier for me to put down than the first one. Which for me wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I could see it turning people off a bit. My favorite thing about it was once again her relationship with her father and the journey she goes on to accept who he was and the things he did while trying to pair that with the man she loved and looked up to. Watching her take off the rose tinted glasses and go through the different stages of grief was well done. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Death, Gore, War, Violence, and Sexual content

Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Child death, and Slavery

jax10124's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

It was a little bit long, but overall I liked the story and the development of the characters and the world and the story and how the two main characters played off each other. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Slavery, Blood, War, Death of parent, Confinement, Excrement, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

kenziekat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content

Moderate: Murder, Blood, Slavery, and Physical abuse

Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent

erinkellyreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Continuing from the first book in this duology, I am again conflicted in my review. I did get more about the gods and Vincent/Oraya's past, which is what I was looking for, but... this dragged. I just never felt the chemistry between Raihn & Oraya and so when they were fighting over what Raihn did (which - valid, girl, I don't know if I could be in the same room with him after that in the beginning) I wasn't super rooting for them to get back together. I found myself skimming pages to get to the good parts. The ending was, in some ways, expected and, in others, unsatisfying. Now the question becomes - do I do what I did to myself with the Hades/Persephone series and push to read the rest in this world to see if it gets better or do I cut my losses on this series? Time will tell. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, War, Child death, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Slavery, and Bullying

Moderate: Alcohol, Chronic illness, Cursing, Infidelity, Child abuse, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Confinement, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Body shaming, Colonisation, Classism, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

rubisbooknook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

It’s hard to explain all the feelings that this book made me feel because I felt so much! I completely lost myself in the world and the characters joy, fear, love, and pain all felt so real. And I had moments while reading where I absolutely SOBBED, which any reader will tell you is usually the sign of a great book.
I love both Raihn and Oraya and I’m so glad that this book showed their dual point of views because they were definitely both needed. They are one of my favorite fictional couples of all time now and this series has also definitely cemented itself in my list if all-time favorites!
I’m also really glad that I read Six Scorched Roses before starting this book because Vale and Lilith’s story was so relevant. If you’re thinking of moving onto this book after finishing book 1, stop and go back to Six Scorched Roses first, and then come back! 
I’m so happy I read this book because I truly loved every moment of the experience, but I’m also sad it’s over cause I still need more. I’m looking forward to whenever the next duology in this series is finally released!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Blood, Violence, Death of parent, and Sexual content

Moderate: Grief, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Torture

liv_brisson's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and War

Moderate: Slavery

Minor: Rape

bestturnip's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Slavery, Confinement, Death of parent, Gore, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Classism, Blood, Body horror, War, and Xenophobia