Reviews

Blackveil by Kristen Britain

wannabebard's review

adventurous challenging hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

xjinxedx's review

2.0

This one was hard to get through. I actually can't bring myself to finish it. I absolutely loved the first book and the others after were also pretty good but I can't bring myself to read the rest of this book. I'm not even that far in but I can already tell that I will not like this book. Reading others comments, I am very sure that I would have been upset reading it. The whole love story and non-love story is just awfully terrible to read. I probably won't be finishing this series. This gets a two because I can't be bothered to hate it absolutely.

sam_smith_of_tencendor's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

bibliophilicwitch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

Overall this is a solid installment to the series. We follow developments that make sense to past events and build up to future events all without feeling like a filler book. Kerrigan continues to be an engaging main character with faults and growth as she continues to grow up. Alton's growth is also continued and I don't dislike the turn his arc takes in this. I also deeply appreciated Estora's arc and always appreciate the Captain's.

Oh, and boy am I happy I had the next book ready because our first cliffhanger really pulled the rug out from under us.

Mild Spoilers for Blackveil Below (TW rape)

I found it very hard not to want to shake Kerrigan over her hauty opinion regarding the pieces of her father's past that we learned about in the last book. I had to step back and remind myself that Kerrigan, in her fantasy world, has had very different experiences than myself. She is a merchant and her world does not romanticise pirates so her opinion of her father's past makes sense in that context. It was harder to not be frustrated with her feeling so betrayed that her father would seek company at a brothel. But she is still young and has not come to understand her parents as people yet. I find that is always hard for parents' children to accept.

I also DESPISED that Estora wasn't more reticent in consummating the marriage while Zachary was drugged. Even if he has acknowledged he was at least partially aware and has accepted it as necessary in the circumstances, it read as rape and it makes me so uncomfortable even if she was forced into the situation with blackmail.

theliteraryapothecary's review

slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

This is Greenrider Book #4 

Honestly, I should have DNF'd this book - but I stuck it through because a patron picked it for me to read. But I did not enjoy this read at all, as is evident from the following CAWPILE score - which seems to high to me but it is how it came out. 

CAWPILE Breakdown: 

Characters: 3 - There wasn't really much in character development. Most of our characters felt the same as they did at the beginning of the book, and in book 3. Maybe a little development with the Eletians. 

Atmosphere/Setting: 5 - Maybe Britain's strongest category with this book. I didn't really have any problem with the atmosphere and setting, it was just kind of there... mostly unremarakable. I did like how the forest kind of had it's own personality, but it felt like it was more present in earlier books. 

Writing Style: 2 - I did not get along with Britain's writing style in this book. Choices were made by the author that felt unneeded and also some were out of character and unnecessary - she tried to explain some of these later in the book and it just felt almost like a violation to me. I will probably DNF the series here, unless a patron picks book 5 as a pick, which then I will likely grudingly read. 

Plot: 3 - There was too much going on with the plot. Too many threds to keep track of: some of which didn't even make sense to the story or characters, some felt more like "why do we have this here in this book? We don't need this." It felt like it didn't really advance; it just grew more complicated. 

Intrigue: 3 - There wasn't so much intrigue as there were "why did the author make that choice?" For me, intrigue is with the characters, story, setting, plot. "Why that choice" is more an author decision - if that makes sense. 

Logic/Relationships: 2 - There were too many moments where the logic completely failed for me. 

Enjoyment: 2 - I should have DNF'd this book, but I didn't because one of my patron's picked it for me to read. But there wasn't really anything in particular that I really liked about this book. 

CAWPILE Total: 20/7 = 2.8 = 2 stars 

aekre's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• 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

danbr4d's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.75

clarisse4034's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-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

3.75

ihlonial's review

5.0

Up to this point in the series I was uncertain how I felt about the Green Rider series. It was magical and each novel felt like an episodic adventure with Karrigan that is slowly leading her towards a larger story, but everything felt very insular and sterile and I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep going if that was going to be the tone throughout the rest of the series.

This is the story that finally convinced me that I'm committed to this series. With all of the different POVs that are happening, Britain is weaving a complex, but compelling story that I'm hoping will lead to an epic conclusion.

Karrigan is one of my favorite characters, she's clearly not one who asked to be given the gifts or talents she has and she's committed to doing her job honorably.

Now I just need her to kiss the king and all will be well.

ravage's review against another edition

5.0

Je pensais que mes sentiments pour ce livre allait changer au bout d'autant de temps mais p**** qu'est ce que c'est trop bien