Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - The Atlas Paradox

Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake

50 reviews

ellenwm's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.5

This is sadly a big shrug for me. It’s not that it was terrible, but it wasn’t good. It had so much potential with all the pieces and characters on the board but it didn’t amount to much. The voice actors in the audiobook were great, once again. But if I didn’t enjoy their voices in the background while doing chores I’m not sure I would have finished.

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allorah's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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kellieligon's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I'm not mad, just disappointed...
So pretentious, and for what?

The dialogue was confusing at times, it took soo long to get into (over halfway thru), and so much missing, while too much was said?

Overall, I wanted to know how this would turn out, so I continued to the end. Ezra and Atlas' story lines could have been fleshed out better, we spent so much time with The Six to end it that way?

The premise and magic aspects were so intriguing, but it just didn't hit quite how I was hoping. Dark Academia/ urban magic vibes were right up my alley, though!

Not continuing with the 3rd in the series.

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andougherty's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Definitely more plot development than the first and moved along by different things. Takes about 2/3 to pick up the pace. A slow burn, cerebral development rather than action-packed. She does a great job leaving the reader undecided on whether a character is like able or unredeemable.

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kwthor's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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stormeno's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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jupiter_56's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

The first book in this series was book club’s choice of the month for September, when I read it and it ended on cliffhanger, I knew I was going to have to read the next one in series.

This book is based on the Alexandrian Society who are the caretakers of lost knowledge from the civilizations of antiquity, and they are a secret society for the magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, knowledge and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only six of the most talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiations. In the last book, we meet the newest initiates: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona are the unwilling halves of the unfathomable whole, who can control every element of physicality. Then there is Reina Mori, she is a naturalist who can speak the language of life within itself. Parisa Kamali is a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious and navigate worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova is an empath easily mistaken for illusionist and he can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through any illusions to a new structure of reality – it's an ability so rare that neither him nor his peers can fully grasp its powers. All of them now must pick if they wish to preserve the world or to destroy it. The Atlas Six is revealed for what it is, and it is headed by man whose plans to change life as they know it is already under way. But the cost of knowledge is steep and as the price of power demands each person to choose a side, which alliances will hold, and which will see their enmity deepen?

This is another book where I was ignoring the hype on BookTok and was glad to ignore the hype on BookTok. I still don’t get the hype of it. I think my main issue with this book is I hated all the characters; I am all for rooting for the main character within a book. Due to this book having all six POVs, there wasn’t a good person who you knew was going to be safe. Libby should have just actually died instead of disappearing. Nico was still two-faced but then took Libby’s people-pleasiness and then just was trying to be friends with everyone. Reina has finally got some personality but now she wants to be a God and create a new world. Parisa drove me up the wall with how bitchy she was – the mean girls called, and Regina George wants her personality back. She was all about being open about sex and things which is all great but then she has all these love triangles and still sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. Callum still gives me a headache and I'm confused with what his part was in his book expect for the fact that he didn’t die. Tristan was the only one with his head on his shoulders last book, but then he lost his head in this book because Libby was gone. It felt like some characters were more favoured so had more of a personality and then others were literally there to remind us of information we already knew. I felt like the storyline and world building was a bit all over the place especially with the whole time-travelling and let’s make a new God.

The book was a bit calmer, where I felt like everyone had lost their head in this book. I loved the multiple POVs, I just wanted more from them. I was more interested in Gideon’s drama which hasn’t really progressed since the previous book.

Gideon and Libby are probably the only reason I might pick up the third book, just to see what’s going on and if Gideon’s drama is every resolved.

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sleepybythelake's review against another edition

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challenging funny slow-paced

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

3.0

Gotta be honest throughout the book I thought I was not going to give it more than 2.75 stars, but the last chapter made me all excited that I decided to give it 3 stars regardless of the nonexistent plot for more than half of the book. So take that as that... I'm bised here okay???
I'd say things got a bit interesting around 68% but then it fell flat again with some enjoyable moments here and there.

I started this book in January and DNFed it almost immediately. I couldn't get into it. Besides, I didn't remember much of the previous book, except that I liked it and planned on reading the rest of the series. I decided to leave it like that all year until I read somewhere that the last instalment is going to be released soon and I was like 'well damn, I'll give it another try'. Long story short I ended up listening to the audiobook.

Sometimes I didn't know what was happening and I didn't understand 90% of what they talked about (I'm dumb af) but, as someone else pointed out, the book felt dumb too at times. As already stated, the plot was sorta nonexistent. It moved forward terribly slowly, so much so that I wondered when something relevant would happen.

The problem I have with pov books is that there will always be povs I have no interest in reading. Unfortunately, Tristan and Reina's were the case. I don't remember much of my impressions of TA6 and didn't take notes, unlike this time, so I don't know if I couldn't stand them already.

Maybe I didn't pay enough attention, but from what I've understood Tristan is super essential- they all are of course, but he's particularly relevant. Reina. She has a god complex? Uhm okay.

Callum was a vibe tbh. Parisa, I liked her more in this second book, though she didn’t do much.
Loved my baby Nico. It took me two (2) seconds to decide that I was going to D!E for him and that didn't change in TAP. Enjoyed his scenes with Parisa, something I didn't know I needed;

I was sad he felt all alone tho I mean, without his bf and with his gf kidnapped :(((.

Libby was great. Loved her. Felt like some scenes were unnecessary, but since we didn’t get much of her I was excited every time her pov started. I'm interested to see her further evolution

especially now that she's back. *gasp bc that was such a girlboss entrance* Sadly, couldn't care any less about whatever was going on with Belen.

In general, I want more Libby content. PLEASEEE

Talking about ships:
I find this funny because lately I've been saying (a lot) that I don't care about romances. GUESS WHAT? That's a BIG FAT LIE. So, I love to bits NicoLibby. They have my whole heart. I don't know how to explain it, it just is. Their bickering had my curiosity, but they got my full attention once in TA6 I read:

"If not for her, Nico might not have noticed most of the things he did, and probably vice versa. A uniquely upsetting curse, really, how little he knew how to exist when she wasn’t there; his only mode of pleasure was in knowing she probably felt the same whenever she could bring herself to stomach the admission"

From that, I knew it was going to be them for me.
I know most people see them as platonic soulmates... but well, that won't change the fact I want them to be endgame. They have something going on, I just wished Olivie could have explored that more in this book. They need to talk. I feel lots is left unsaid. Constantly. At the end of the day though, it's okay if you disagree, to each their own. The thing is, which makes my heart feel conflicted, I'm completely convinced NicoGideon is more likely to actually be endgame. Don't get me wrong, I love them too and I guess I would be fine with that, but I NEED at least a NicoLibby explicit (not necessarily in a sexual way, more like something so obvious it can't be denied) moment. Stop with the ambiguousness. I'M BEGGING!!! But I feel like we all know how it is gonna go.

Lastly,
that last chapter took my breath away.

Nico & Gideon kissed (about time eheh) but then Libby arrives??? And Nico is rightfully shocked. "Gideon felt Nico's pulse stutter and quicken [...] - Her eyes were unfocused except for the way they met Nico's."
She comes back and immediately (well after killing(?) Ezra) looks for him??? Poetic imo.

I keep editing this review lmaooo messy review for a messy book (affectionate)

For a moment I forgot about the whole multiverse thingy. Something I didn't think about but that could possibly make everyone happy: nicolibby living happily and in love in another universe. It would feel like a sop... but better than nothing am I right? Whatever happens, I'm hooked.

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blueberry0531's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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