Reviews

What was even the plot of this? It seemed like the author mashed every horrible thing into this book and hoped it would get by on shock value alone instead of developed characters, relationships, and worldbuilding. Ghosts, zombies, vampires, creepy cults, deadly environmental hazards, you name it, it's in here--and none of them contribute to the plot in any way, except for a laundry list of things the characters must fix.

Which brings me to the cast and their relationships with each other. I don't know anything about any of these characters, except that they're full of tropes. Rovan comes off as whiny, cruel, and petulant when she doesn't get her way. Japha only seems to be there for comedic relief. Ivrilos is the broody bad boy with a soft heart. Lydea is...I don't even know, because nothing was said about her except that she hates men. The villain is evil just for the sake of being evil with no real motive, and Rovan needed someone to justify her hatred against. Instalove was so prevalent in this book and I almost had to pick my eyes up off of the floor from rolling them so hard.

The magic system(s) could have been interesting enough to save me from boredom, but it was wholly underdeveloped and for the most part, I had no true understanding of how it worked. It seemed like the "rules" were only there for them to be broken in the end by a deus ex machina like solution, which led me to believe the author also had no idea how these systems worked either. That's not to say I dislike "soft" magic systems; it's that I'd prefer if things were a little more explained than "wave your arms in the air with some blood and something happens"--especially since the author gave us a huge infodump about the so-called rules of bloodmagic in the beginning chapters.

All in all, this had great potential, but fell utterly short of my expectations, even with the diversity of the cast.

thereadernthebeast's review against another edition

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2.0

2.5☆ La construcción del mundo y el sistema de magia me atraparon inmediatamente, los personajes interesantes y creíbles cerraron el contrato. Mis expectativas se dispararon... pero nunca imaginé que una trama tan prometedora sería tan mal llevada. La historia se vino cuesta abajo. DNFed al 76%.

smellymiche's review

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

marieintheraw's review against another edition

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5.0

With a premise promising a pansexual and polyamorous blood-mage, I was both really excited and, to be honest, nervous. A book that sounds so up my alley? How can it end? Well friends, this one has the found family trope we know that I love. AND a really stinking cool magic system. Do not mind me, I'll be over here swooning still.

I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.

katherinareads's review against another edition

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4.0

i went into this book blind, as i usually do with my reads, and let me tell you, i have a knack for picking books based solely on their cover. i mean, just look at it – it's gorgeous! and the story lives up to it. it's dark and compelling, drawing me in right from the beginning. blood manipulation, a fascination of mine, was woven into the narrative, along with an exquisite magic system including blood and death magic, and a sinister underworld infiltrating the living.

when i say this book is action-packed, i mean it. there's never a dull moment in its 400 pages. you'd think with that length, there'd be some stalling, but nope. once you start, you simply can't stop. the main character never seems to catch her breath, but that's mostly by choice. what i mean is, unlike most main characters who tend to be boring, easily pushed around, and play it safe, rovan is unhinged. she acts on all her impulses, even if it lands her in trouble. you can never predict what she'll do next, and honestly, it's captivating. i lost count of how many times i wrote down 'you go girl.' she's a rebel, and a funny one at that. i laughed out loud multiple times at her jokes, which were usually poorly-timed and unhinged.

i thoroughly enjoyed the romantic aspect of the book. the main character's proud and open embrace of her pansexuality was refreshing. she confidently acknowledged her feelings without hesitation, and the support she received from those around her was heartening. speaking of which, the FOUND FAMILY in this one is PHENOMENAL.

the downside: this could have been a duology. the world was incredibly rich, filled with numerous captivating characters begging for deeper exploration. the ending felt rushed, as if the goal was simply to wrap things up hastily. plus, certain character decisions seemed abrupt, leaving me puzzled as to why they suddenly endangered themselves.

annuhfloor's review against another edition

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3.0

I really loved this book, i loved lydea even though her chemistry with rovan was lacking. However the last part felt too much as if it was for pushing the story forward.

rebecca_dee's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.75

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