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dxisymitch's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-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
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Rape, and Death
Moderate: Slavery, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Vomit
emfass's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
3.75
3.5 stars rounded up.
Loooooved the emotions between these two and the way they grew to care for/need each other.
Did not likeboth of the main characters' sisters having been raped as fuel for their own stories, especially Davik's sister Devina. It's the basis of his origin story and once that was revealed (it's at the very end of the book) I was so incredibly disappointed, and it reduced my enjoyment a lot.
Loooooved the emotions between these two and the way they grew to care for/need each other.
Did not like
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery, Rape, and Sexual assault
now_booking's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
4.25
I really like this series and this book in particular, I found particularly page-turning. If not that I wished that the conflict wasn’t based around secrets the hero and heroine were keeping from each other, this would have been a 5-star read for me. But even not being a huge fan of the “secret-that-a-single-conversation-would-solve conflict” trope, this was a stellar romance read.
The premise is that Vienne is a human slave of the much-detested Ghertuns who is sent to the Dakkari king to win some concessions for her masters because it’s believed she has the power of persuasion. There she is mocked but she meets Davik, a horde king, who takes her seriously and sees her as a tool to get an inside track on Ghertun secrets in order to defeat them. Meanwhile, Vienne, is on her own secret timeline to find what the Ghertuns want and go back to save herself and her family.
I think this had a lot of great themes around grief and vulnerability and loss and bravery. I adored all the characters including the side ones- no internal saboteurs here. I also liked how with this addition to the series, there’s the beginning of a multi-species collaboration on the planet. This stands alone well but is much better when read in order as a series. Love this series and can’t wait to read the next one and more of this author’s work.
The premise is that Vienne is a human slave of the much-detested Ghertuns who is sent to the Dakkari king to win some concessions for her masters because it’s believed she has the power of persuasion. There she is mocked but she meets Davik, a horde king, who takes her seriously and sees her as a tool to get an inside track on Ghertun secrets in order to defeat them. Meanwhile, Vienne, is on her own secret timeline to find what the Ghertuns want and go back to save herself and her family.
I think this had a lot of great themes around grief and vulnerability and loss and bravery. I adored all the characters including the side ones- no internal saboteurs here. I also liked how with this addition to the series, there’s the beginning of a multi-species collaboration on the planet. This stands alone well but is much better when read in order as a series. Love this series and can’t wait to read the next one and more of this author’s work.
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Xenophobia
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