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maresuju's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Blood
Moderate: Violence, Grief, Confinement, Death, and Murder
Minor: Suicide and War
hmbrokaw's review
adventurous
dark
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
3.0
Teenage me would have loved this more. Now? The whole centuries age gap thing is icky
Pretty cover, though
Pretty cover, though
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Blood
ellezmera's review
adventurous
dark
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
5.0
I haven’t read a book in a few months and I finished this book in 3 days!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Self harm
This book features a lot of self-harm (cutting oneself but not with The purpose of hurting themselves)evs721's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is essentially a fairytale retelling that blends red riding hood with beauty and the beast. There's a danger of it feeling like fanfiction for that reason but there is enough originality here for the book to have its own identity.
I wasn't immediately hooked but mainly I struggled with a supporting character being called Lyra (for me there is only HDM's Lyra). But from half way I was fully invested in the world, characters and plot. I will be moving straight on to book 2 (despite my long TBR list not previously including For The Throne).
I loved the magic being linked to the forest and the idea that not everything needs to be clearly good or evil.
It was an engaging read that had me up late trying to finish it.
I wasn't immediately hooked but mainly I struggled with a supporting character being called Lyra (for me there is only HDM's Lyra). But from half way I was fully invested in the world, characters and plot. I will be moving straight on to book 2 (despite my long TBR list not previously including For The Throne).
I loved the magic being linked to the forest and the idea that not everything needs to be clearly good or evil.
It was an engaging read that had me up late trying to finish it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm
I'm not sure if there should be a self harm content warning here as the cutting is not about coping or struggling emotionally. It's just part of the magic system. I have a history of self harm but I didn't find it a trigger as it is handled well.livrosnstuff's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Self harm
tifftastic87's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
First off, this book needs content warnings (I know they're below but they need to be here too).
⚠️ Self-harm (cutting)
When presented with her destiny as a human sacrifice, Redarys appears to take it on the chin. Really she's hiding from magic that wants to consume her. Eammon, the Wolf, is Warden of the Wilderwood where Red is destined for. But the Wilderwood is dying and Eammon is determined to save and Red and he is not accepting applications for assistants.
Supposedly, this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but I fail to see it. The only similarities is a curse that makes the town think a man is a monster and love breaking that curse. The two main characters are both stubborn martyrs and that is where most of the conflict comes from. If they could be honest and communicate from the beginning things would have been better. But the main story is politics and religion.
The actual plot of the story, which is shadowed a bit by the romance plot, is one of religious fanaticism that is actually really well done. There's a dark versus light magic trope used where the religious use the dark magic and are out for power. The damn athiests only wantinf peace, love, and healthy trees.
That being said, the magic system was a little confusing. Its clear that is blood magic but it reacts different in different settings and different people. It isnt predictable unless it is. I would have liked to have seen this worked out a bit better.
Oh ya and the age gap, centuries to 20 years....
⚠️ Self-harm (cutting)
When presented with her destiny as a human sacrifice, Redarys appears to take it on the chin. Really she's hiding from magic that wants to consume her. Eammon, the Wolf, is Warden of the Wilderwood where Red is destined for. But the Wilderwood is dying and Eammon is determined to save and Red and he is not accepting applications for assistants.
Supposedly, this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but I fail to see it. The only similarities is a curse that makes the town think a man is a monster and love breaking that curse. The two main characters are both stubborn martyrs and that is where most of the conflict comes from. If they could be honest and communicate from the beginning things would have been better. But the main story is politics and religion.
The actual plot of the story, which is shadowed a bit by the romance plot, is one of religious fanaticism that is actually really well done. There's a dark versus light magic trope used where the religious use the dark magic and are out for power. The damn athiests only wantinf peace, love, and healthy trees.
That being said, the magic system was a little confusing. Its clear that is blood magic but it reacts different in different settings and different people. It isnt predictable unless it is. I would have liked to have seen this worked out a bit better.
Oh ya and the age gap, centuries to 20 years....
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Eating disorder, and Murder
zuha_kh's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
paguroidea's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Self harm
Moderate: Religious bigotry
hbae's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Self harm, and Death
jaymehunt's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The writing is super pretty and I was kept intrigued, but the world-building was confusing, and all the action was packed into the last 30 pages. It felt like the author just went with the vibes as she wrote. Was it a Red Riding Hood, Beauty & the Beast, or Snow White retelling? Your guess is as good as mine. The characters got on my nerves most times.
Also CW - the way they access their magic is with blood, so be prepared for a large portion of the plot to revolve around self-harm.
Also CW - the way they access their magic is with blood, so be prepared for a large portion of the plot to revolve around self-harm.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm