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fluture's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
I personally think this second book of Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy is waayy better and more intense than the first book. Just now I could feel the chemistry between Evangeline and Jacks and understand why people got head over heels ove this boy. The plot, the challenges, the events that happened in this book which unveil the dark past and truth about The North was definitely shocking yet enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Blood
Moderate: Grief and Death
Minor: Violence
boba_n_books's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-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
5.0
Spice Rating: 🫑 / 5 🌶️
I *almost* never write a review directly after finishing a book, but with The Ballad of Never After, I just have to get my thoughts out NOW.
After being betrayed by Jacks, Evangeline finds that her trust in him is broken yet again. But in order to rid herself of yet another curse, she finds it necessary to work with Jacks. Again. Evangeline wants to despise him after all of Jacks's betrayals, but something inside is telling her that Jacks might be the only person she can trust after all.
Jacks's and Evangeline's love story has been cursed from the start, but that doesn't keep Evangeline, and readers, from hoping their story has a different ending. Even though I knew the entire time that Jacks had already found his one true love in Donatella (yet again so glad I read the Caraval trilogy first), I found myself hoping along with Evangeline that there might be some back door to the curse of Jacks's deadly kisses.
The ending fake-out was CRUEL, Stephanie!! (I think we're on a first-name basis after that cliffhanger.) I loved seeing the differences between the two times the arch was opened. The line, "There is nothing of equal value to me," has ruined me. Jacks never truly loved Donatella, and that is seen in the selfishness behind his actions in the Caraval series. But no one can say Jacks doesn't love Evangeline--this is a selfless act if I've ever seen one.
Anyone reading this novel should have the next one, A Curse for True Love, at the ready because that cliffhanger is BRUTAL.
I *almost* never write a review directly after finishing a book, but with The Ballad of Never After, I just have to get my thoughts out NOW.
After being betrayed by Jacks, Evangeline finds that her trust in him is broken yet again. But in order to rid herself of yet another curse, she finds it necessary to work with Jacks. Again. Evangeline wants to despise him after all of Jacks's betrayals, but something inside is telling her that Jacks might be the only person she can trust after all.
Jacks's and Evangeline's love story has been cursed from the start, but that doesn't keep Evangeline, and readers, from hoping their story has a different ending. Even though I knew the entire time that Jacks had already found his one true love in Donatella (yet again so glad I read the Caraval trilogy first), I found myself hoping along with Evangeline that there might be some back door to the curse of Jacks's deadly kisses.
Anyone reading this novel should have the next one, A Curse for True Love, at the ready because that cliffhanger is BRUTAL.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Torture, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual content
mariahlynnpeck's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
This books ending made me so mad, can’t wait to read the last one to see how it ends.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Death
alaskachan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Toxic relationship
justinekorson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed this sequel more than the first one but I still have a lot to say about it.
1. AGAIN WITH THE TIME TRAVEL!!! This is part of the reason I hated Finale!!! I think I've mentioned this before in the Caraval series review but... Stephanie likes to add really random lore at odd times. (In the last book vampires were suddenly real and in the Caraval series, specifically Finale, there was a lot of added plot points that I hated. Scarlett being magical for one of them and the addition of her father). The lore always feels like it comes out of left field for me. I'd totally forgotten that time travel had happened until I went back to read my old review of Finale.
2. Jack's reasoning for wanting to use the stones to time travel IS NOT BELIEVABLE. When he first told Evangeline about it all I could think was "That's it? that's the stupidest reason I've ever heard." It didn't make sense to me that that was something he wanted, especially if I'm meant to believe that he's supposed to really love Evangeline. If he really cared for her, he wouldn't want that. SO WHEN HE LITERALLY GOES BACK IN TIME TO SAVE EVANGELINE AND NOT CHASE AFTER DONATELLA AGAIN I WAS PISSED. He kept saying he didn't care for her but he clearly did. I think this story would've been improved with a POV of Jacks throughout it but... whatever.
3. And while on the topic of Jacks loving Evangeline... I don't believe Evangeline loves Jacks. She talks all the time about this attraction between them but... attraction doesn't equate love. In my opinion, Evangeline craves love so badly she's willing to look for it in ANYONE. It was first in Luc, then Apollo, and now Jacks. I don't think she even knows what it means to be in love if she can move her feelings from boy to boy so quickly.
4. Lala's apology... and Evangeline accepting it... felt so fake and so forced. Why the hell would Evangeline EVER trust Lala again?? Why would she say "I can forgive you I just need to know why" (I'm paraphrasing here). This just reminds me of how Donatella lied/manipulated Scarlett all throughout Caraval and how I would have HATED my sister if she did that to me MUCH LESS HAVING A FRIEND PUT A CURSE ON ME AND LIE TO ME ABOUT HER TRUE INTENTIONS WITH BEFRIENDING ME. I would never trust Lala again if I was Evangeline.
5. Also.... Apollo suddenly has powers??? What the hell did he do to Evangeline.
1. AGAIN WITH THE TIME TRAVEL!!! This is part of the reason I hated Finale!!! I think I've mentioned this before in the Caraval series review but... Stephanie likes to add really random lore at odd times. (In the last book vampires were suddenly real and in the Caraval series, specifically Finale, there was a lot of added plot points that I hated. Scarlett being magical for one of them and the addition of her father). The lore always feels like it comes out of left field for me. I'd totally forgotten that time travel had happened until I went back to read my old review of Finale.
2. Jack's reasoning for wanting to use the stones to time travel IS NOT BELIEVABLE. When he first told Evangeline about it all I could think was "That's it? that's the stupidest reason I've ever heard." It didn't make sense to me that that was something he wanted, especially if I'm meant to believe that he's supposed to really love Evangeline. If he really cared for her, he wouldn't want that. SO WHEN HE LITERALLY GOES BACK IN TIME TO SAVE EVANGELINE AND NOT CHASE AFTER DONATELLA AGAIN I WAS PISSED. He kept saying he didn't care for her but he clearly did. I think this story would've been improved with a POV of Jacks throughout it but... whatever.
3. And while on the topic of Jacks loving Evangeline... I don't believe Evangeline loves Jacks. She talks all the time about this attraction between them but... attraction doesn't equate love. In my opinion, Evangeline craves love so badly she's willing to look for it in ANYONE. It was first in Luc, then Apollo, and now Jacks. I don't think she even knows what it means to be in love if she can move her feelings from boy to boy so quickly.
4. Lala's apology... and Evangeline accepting it... felt so fake and so forced. Why the hell would Evangeline EVER trust Lala again?? Why would she say "I can forgive you I just need to know why" (I'm paraphrasing here). This just reminds me of how Donatella lied/manipulated Scarlett all throughout Caraval and how I would have HATED my sister if she did that to me MUCH LESS HAVING A FRIEND PUT A CURSE ON ME AND LIE TO ME ABOUT HER TRUE INTENTIONS WITH BEFRIENDING ME. I would never trust Lala again if I was Evangeline.
5. Also.... Apollo suddenly has powers??? What the hell did he do to Evangeline.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, Confinement, Death of parent, and Gore
snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book made me laugh out loud several times. I even got emotional a few times. The Ending tough, why did we have to do this trope?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Body horror, Abandonment, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Violence, Grief, Murder, Self harm, and Torture
klsreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death, Torture, and Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent
luarna's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Violence
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Rating: 5/5 stars
The second book in the ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART trilogy, continuing the story of Evangeline Fox and Jacks the Prince of Hearts.
I LOVED this book. I read the majority in a single day and had the best time. Jacks is EVERYTHING I want in a morally grey YA fantasy hero (villain?) and there were lines in here so good I literally stopped breathing for a second when I read them (“There is nothing of equal value to me.”)
I can’t say too much more without spoilers, but I cannot WAIT to read book three. Highly recommend this trilogy!
CW: Violence/blood/injury; mentions of torture
The second book in the ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART trilogy, continuing the story of Evangeline Fox and Jacks the Prince of Hearts.
I LOVED this book. I read the majority in a single day and had the best time. Jacks is EVERYTHING I want in a morally grey YA fantasy hero (villain?) and there were lines in here so good I literally stopped breathing for a second when I read them (“There is nothing of equal value to me.”)
I can’t say too much more without spoilers, but I cannot WAIT to read book three. Highly recommend this trilogy!
CW: Violence/blood/injury; mentions of torture
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Torture
nahyaqina's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
3.5
the storyline is okay, very interesting and creative, and the plot twist at the end is also extremely fun to read, and it ends off at a good cliffhanger. the book is very sad i would agree. very frustrating to read because of the characters in the book. speaking of characters, there are WAAAY too many of them to remember their names, and im sure this will be reflected in book 3 as well. just a little thing i need to remember
i also personally do not enjoy evangeline’s personality and how easily swayed she can be. and literally every man in the book has touched her inappropriately someway and that’s just, that’s like sexual harrassment and she isnt bothered by it. i feel very uncomfortable when every man in the book started touching her sexually. that wasn’t fun to read.
Book is a little slow but the plot twists are good. not completely enjoyable but it makes you look forward to the third book!
i also personally do not enjoy evangeline’s personality and how easily swayed she can be. and literally every man in the book has touched her inappropriately someway and that’s just, that’s like sexual harrassment and she isnt bothered by it. i feel very uncomfortable when every man in the book started touching her sexually. that wasn’t fun to read.
Book is a little slow but the plot twists are good. not completely enjoyable but it makes you look forward to the third book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Death