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anoelle99's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence
Minor: Rape, Child abuse, and Animal death
sakusha's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
3.0
I liked the first book in the series, but the books seem to get worse as they go on.
This one was annoying and hard to get interested in, because so many different characters are introduced, and they all have weird names that are hard to remember, pronounce, and spell (like Myl’lynian’ir). I think it would’ve been better if the author stuck with what’s going on from Elloren’s point of view, rather than show all the perspectives of different characters who are in different locations interacting with different people.
Thierren and Sparrow’s story was interesting and relevant (because these characters later interact with Elloren), and there weren’t too many characters in their story, but I disliked that the author chose to give Thierren a name so similar to another character—Tierney.
Irrelevant sidestories: Wynter, Vothendrile, Trystan, Tierney, Yvan.
Another complaint I have is how so many of these other characters start out their chapter looking out at some skyline/horizon. Can the author think of no other way to start a chapter?
Another annoying thing is how every character seems to instantly fall in love with some other gorgeous character they just met, and it’s described as their element surging or rushing or some other melodramatic word.
I disliked that the mages in this story were made out to be so pure evil and selfish, when what was good about the first book was how everyone’s prejudice against others was justified.
Tierney’s story was the most annoying. Way too many characters with too many apostrophes in their names. And she’s all possessive over a river like she’s the only person in the world who can claim it. Are there really so many bodies of water in the world that each person can only get one? Isn’t overlap bound to happen? She refers to the Asra’il as “her people” (141). That kind of thinking is what starts racism in the first place—seeing yourself as belonging to a different group than others. Like just because someone is the same race as you, that automatically makes you think of them as family. At least Tierney later redeems herself by saying, “I do not have the luxury of uncomplicated hatred. And you need to let go of it, as well. The Gardnerians separate the world into the Blessed Ones and the Evil Ones. We can’t win this fight if we think that way” (165).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual harassment
melchncookies's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Colonisation, Genocide, Grief, Animal death, Sexism, Sexual content, and Death
Moderate: Slavery, Murder, War, Infidelity, Alcohol, and Misogyny
instalovewithbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book.
Every time I thought things would be getting better they *kept* getting worst. Y'all. I need a palate cleanser for like 2-3 books until I can throw myself into The Demon Tide. It wasn't because it was bad, it was just stressor and emotions the entire time and as the audiobook is basically 20 hours, it was just a LOT. 😂.
There is multiple POVs because basically the entire gang is far apart. It was interesting to see what was happening with everyone (though I didn't hear from the lupins... I wonder what's going on with that).
Anyways, read it.
Every time I thought things would be getting better they *kept* getting worst. Y'all. I need a palate cleanser for like 2-3 books until I can throw myself into The Demon Tide. It wasn't because it was bad, it was just stressor and emotions the entire time and as the audiobook is basically 20 hours, it was just a LOT. 😂.
There is multiple POVs because basically the entire gang is far apart. It was interesting to see what was happening with everyone (though I didn't hear from the lupins... I wonder what's going on with that).
Anyways, read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Sexual content, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Misogyny
Moderate: Confinement, Gore, and Grief
Minor: Genocide and Deportation
anniemac's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
ka_ke's review
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
An incredible continuation of the Black Witch Chronicles. That being said IF YVAN IS STILL ALIVE IM GONNA LOSE IT Ellorens development continues to impress as she becomes a fully-formed character. The world building is so beautiful I wish I could be there!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Grief, Violence, War, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Cultural appropriation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, and Animal death
Moderate: Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Genocide
Minor: Cursing, Sexual violence, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, and Sexual harassment
maddie_rae_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Um, WHAT?! Knowing how book 2 ends, there was a lot of ground to cover, and there are still plenty of questions needing to be answered in book 4!
Elloren has been dealt blow after life-changing blow as the world quickly shifts around her. What is her power? What does it mean? Who is on her side? Can she win?
I love seeing how Elloren has grown through this series. She’s capable yet questions her abilities. Something I think we can all relate to in some level. She may not be politically minded, but she has a huge heart that yearns for peace and freedom for all.
Elloren has been dealt blow after life-changing blow as the world quickly shifts around her. What is her power? What does it mean? Who is on her side? Can she win?
I love seeing how Elloren has grown through this series. She’s capable yet questions her abilities. Something I think we can all relate to in some level. She may not be politically minded, but she has a huge heart that yearns for peace and freedom for all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual assault, Murder, and Cursing
vonny3492's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Racism, Genocide, Blood, Alcohol, Violence, Sexism, Sexual content, War, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Colonisation, and Death
mypatronusisajedi's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Child death, Classism, Racism, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Physical abuse, Blood, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and War
sshelbyreadss's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-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
Updated review 03/2022
Oh my god if I have to hear a phrase about “lines” one more time I SWEAR.
“Caressing my lines,” sending heat through my lines, my knotted lines. My lines this, my lines that. Ahhhh!
I feel like the idea of “lines” is a cop out to actually describing the feeling of the elemental magic and its flow through the body.
I started reading this again (started at 70%) at the same time I was reading The Iron Widow which has a similar idea of elemental magic. And I felt that TIW did a better job of explaining the flow of magic/power (via meridians), and the connection of partners via/with magic.
Glad I stuck with it because
I KNEW HE WASN’T DEAD!
ps. Here is me again saying how much I hate love triangles.
Previous review 2021
*SPOILER ALERT*
Proceed at your own risk.
I LOVED book 1&2! Book 2 is probably my favorite. I made it 3/4 of the way through this one when I decided that I had had enough.
To preface, the love triangle is my least favorite trope. It makes my heart feel horrible. But if it’s for you, you might love this book. I felt strung along during books 1&2 almost to the point of it being too much with Elloren and Yvan. It’s sweet relief at the end of book two when Elloren and Yvan finally get together. And then we get to book 3…and there’s a short snippet of Yvan’s story and then he just dies*and Elloran goes all in (despite her heavily mentioned guilt) with Lukas because she must depend on him for her “safety,” (but she can’t grieve Yvan because apparently there is time for sex and cultic ceremonies celebrating the deflowering of virgins but not grief during wartime 🤷♀️…). It just felt so so lame to me (especially as a member of Team Yvan).
I think one of the things that I dislike about the love plot as well as the evolution of Elloren’s power is the pattern of the idea being too drawn out for far too long. We all saw it coming that Elloran is the black witch. I get it, I get it!… Elloran has no control over her power (as has been mentioned for the kajallionth time…), I get it, Elloren and Yvan CANNOT be together because it’s dangerous (book 2). If the author’s intent was to leave the reader feeling supremely frustrated, then mission absolutely accomplished for this reader. Like, Elloren, get it together! You can light a forest on fire with a toothpick, stop being so helpless! Maybe I’m being hard on her but it seems a departure from her go-getter attitude in the previous books where she empowers herself through knowledge and cleverness by taking her education into her own hands and concocting plans.
From a little spoiler research I did, it seems that Yvan, to my great relief, isn’t dead, so I’ll probably read the next book when it’s released. And it seems that Elloren also gets her girl power going by the end of this book. But life’s too short and I have too many books on my TBR to continue listening to the next 5 hours and feeling the way that I do.
Lastly, the books started with perspectives from others but then transitioned to a great portion dedicated to Elloren’s perspective. I wish they would have been tied together more (Six of Crows did this really well) or that the author had kept the same format as the first books or completely switched perspectives (like SJM did with Nesta in A Court of Silver Flames).
Oh my god if I have to hear a phrase about “lines” one more time I SWEAR.
“Caressing my lines,” sending heat through my lines, my knotted lines. My lines this, my lines that. Ahhhh!
I feel like the idea of “lines” is a cop out to actually describing the feeling of the elemental magic and its flow through the body.
I started reading this again (started at 70%) at the same time I was reading The Iron Widow which has a similar idea of elemental magic. And I felt that TIW did a better job of explaining the flow of magic/power (via meridians), and the connection of partners via/with magic.
Glad I stuck with it because
I KNEW HE WASN’T DEAD!
ps. Here is me again saying how much I hate love triangles.
Previous review 2021
*SPOILER ALERT*
Proceed at your own risk.
I LOVED book 1&2! Book 2 is probably my favorite. I made it 3/4 of the way through this one when I decided that I had had enough.
To preface, the love triangle is my least favorite trope. It makes my heart feel horrible. But if it’s for you, you might love this book. I felt strung along during books 1&2 almost to the point of it being too much with Elloren and Yvan. It’s sweet relief at the end of book two when Elloren and Yvan finally get together. And then we get to book 3…and there’s a short snippet of Yvan’s story and then he just dies*and Elloran goes all in (despite her heavily mentioned guilt) with Lukas because she must depend on him for her “safety,” (but she can’t grieve Yvan because apparently there is time for sex and cultic ceremonies celebrating the deflowering of virgins but not grief during wartime 🤷♀️…). It just felt so so lame to me (especially as a member of Team Yvan).
I think one of the things that I dislike about the love plot as well as the evolution of Elloren’s power is the pattern of the idea being too drawn out for far too long. We all saw it coming that Elloran is the black witch. I get it, I get it!… Elloran has no control over her power (as has been mentioned for the kajallionth time…), I get it, Elloren and Yvan CANNOT be together because it’s dangerous (book 2). If the author’s intent was to leave the reader feeling supremely frustrated, then mission absolutely accomplished for this reader. Like, Elloren, get it together! You can light a forest on fire with a toothpick, stop being so helpless! Maybe I’m being hard on her but it seems a departure from her go-getter attitude in the previous books where she empowers herself through knowledge and cleverness by taking her education into her own hands and concocting plans.
From a little spoiler research I did, it seems that Yvan, to my great relief, isn’t dead, so I’ll probably read the next book when it’s released. And it seems that Elloren also gets her girl power going by the end of this book. But life’s too short and I have too many books on my TBR to continue listening to the next 5 hours and feeling the way that I do.
Lastly, the books started with perspectives from others but then transitioned to a great portion dedicated to Elloren’s perspective. I wish they would have been tied together more (Six of Crows did this really well) or that the author had kept the same format as the first books or completely switched perspectives (like SJM did with Nesta in A Court of Silver Flames).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence