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izzyproudfoot's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I haven't read any of JLA newer stuff, I read the Aplloyon one years ago and recently re read the first. My library got a copy of this, after wanting to read her newer stuff but not wanting to spend a fortune on them I picked it up.
This was not what I was expecting. It's incredibly smutty to the point where is pornographic. We can even have dinner without something smut happening.
So yeah, unoriginal plot smothered in smut. I didn't mind the writing so much and there was an actual plot there unlike other super smut books so it gets points for that. I didn't hate the characters another point. It was actually an enjoyable read. I would read the next one when it's out.
There is also a whole lot of graphic violence/gore and also torture so don't read if that's a problem for you.
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Gore, and Sexual content
ambzillius's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this so much, but the relationships between all of the characters were just 😘👌
I'm not usually one for Romantasy and also usually avoid the smut and head for the gore instead... but this had the perfect amount of both! Every other chapter was spicy and made you want more, but the scenes with the blood and gore were top-notch!!
Thankyou @books_and_boxes11 for lending me your edition, I now understand why you cannot wait for book 2!
If this ends up doing a Shadow & Bone I will be sorely disappointed. Let Thorne be the good guy, i desperately need this 😂
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse
deedireads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
- First, consent in this novel is EXTREMELY questionable. JLA tries to address the question head-on and make it clear that Calista is willing, but…is she??? It’s uncomfortable at least.
- Second, I couldn’t keep any of the worldbuilding details straight in my head. I kept forgetting all the different ranks and types of magical races, etc. I read a LOT of high fantasy and am pretty darn good at this; it was a book problem, not a me problem.
- Finally, I love spice as much as the next romantasy reader, but this is not really about romance, it’s just about sex (she uses the word “f*cking” every time). There is a lot of it (in public, no less), which is fine, but it got repetitive. And yet somehow it’s also a slow burn? The raunchiness completely overshadowed the worldbuilding and the plot (even the romance plot).
Graphic: Sexual content, Gore, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol
superunnatural's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence and Sexual content
purplepenning's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.25
"Good and evil are real. They always have been. Yet the weight of the realm has always fallen on those in-between. Ones neither good nor bad."
My experience with A Fall of Ruin and Wrath is that it's like the beginning of a Sarah J Maas story written by Katee Roberts. It leans into the theme of "morally gray" like it was the assignment and plays with the push-pull of "fated mates" and "star-crossed lovers" in a way that could get interesting if a lazy "chosen one" trope doesn't get in the way.
Parts of it were kind of a mess for me — sometimes in ways I didn't mind and sometimes in ways that I did. The world seems like standard high fantasy at first but then it's also sort of post-apocalyptic and maybe less fae and more seraphs and demons? I don't need the world building to be completely nailed down in the first book in a series so I wasn't too fussed about this. If anything makes me pick up book two it'll be wanting to figure out this fantasy world and system. I mean I did not have
Graphic: Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Torture
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, Classism, Murder, Physical abuse, Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Grief, and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, and Vomit
Physical compulsionanoelle896's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Sexism, Gore, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Violence, and Cursing
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit, Classism, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
gen_wolfhailstorm's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
This was my first Jennifer L. Armentrout novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I found the pacing to be great, with a focus on drawing our anticipation and action, never verging on being boring, whilst simultaneously not being overwhelming in content.
To accompany and complement the pacing, I appreciated the chapters being concise and manageable. It added to the desire of the every famous reader phrase of 'just one more chapter'.
I found the characters to be intriguing (especially our MFC) & I quickly grew ever more curious about these highborn lords particularly wanting to know what kind of immortal being they were. Would they fall more under the fae type being or a sort of energy vampire? I feel like this could have been called My Hyhborn lord, but not sure that would have been as catching a title for me.
I thought the lure of the deminyens was pretty cool with the idea of them radiating desire and their origin story was interesting too.
I would have loved to explore deeper the relationship between Lis and Grady. I was shown how their bond was so tight in the childhood but I don't think it was carried as strongly into adulthood enough in example. I would have also have loved to see more expansion between Lis and Naomi.
The romance was super spicy and I was blushing, let me tell you. I think that was one of my favourite parts about the book. It was definitely more romance than fantasy, but there was definitely more than enough magic and fantasy themed political intrigue to not fall too far behind the steamy scenes.
I cannot wait to see where book 2 takes Lis.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Violence, War, Blood, Body horror, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Genocide, Confinement, Cursing, Addiction, Gore, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Death of parent
kaelielily's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
I enjoyed the book, read it in one sitting and can’t wait for a sequel. I just hope the author doesn’t drag this series out the way she is doing with her other books.
The book took a while to actually get into the action and I feel I still know much about what actually is going on, so the book would’ve profited from some more world building.
I still liked it a lot though, it’s more of a guilty pleasure.
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
alisswift's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.0
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, and Violence
faefolkreads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Sexual content