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ritabriar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
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
As always, Kingfisher's main characters are kind and funny and stand up for each other when they can. I love Kingfisher's characterization of Paladins, especially these paladins, as self-sacrificing, self-blaming, and angsty to a fault. Grace is delightful, her interest in scents and perfumes fascinating and handy for solving problems. Marguerite is a remarkably well-developed character for as little as she appears on the page. As always, I love the Temple of the White Rat and all of their people. They certainly help the main characters navigate much of the political intrigue they get tangled up in.
Some things in this book happen by chance, likefinding the first dead body and various chance meetings , but most things happen because the characters make them happen, such as figuring out what's going on and what to do about it.
Magic is common in this setting. The magic that really digs into the plot is a bit horrifying.
Some things in this book happen by chance, like
Magic is common in this setting. The magic that really digs into the plot is a bit horrifying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, Death, Body horror, and Infidelity
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Gore
Grace's husband is a piece of work. This is the source of the toxic relationship, infidelity, and panic attack tags. The horrible smooth men are the source of the body horror and gore tags. A young man has been pressured or brainwashed into making a really bad,britreadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book has everything. A god dies in the first chapter. There are loveable berserkers, a woman with the nose of a bloodhound, a sexy spy. People are being decapitated and no one cares, until they really do. Zombies! A cat! I learned a surprising amount about perfume. Cathedral balcony sex. I don't know what more I can say. Read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
natalie_chase's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
5.0
I really liked this story. The plot is definitely secondary to the character development but does exist. Both the MMC and FMC in this book are a breath of fresh air and build their relationship in a very thorough meaningful way. The side characters are very interesting and active in their interaction with the plot and main characters. The MMC might be the first romance hero I’ve actually thought would make a good book boyfriend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Emotional abuse
mabechel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
4.5
It's a good mix of fantasy world building and a somewhat fluffy romance. Refreshing in it's approach to both.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Suicide, Murder, and Sexual content
Moderate: Violence, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Police brutality
bdingz's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual content and Murder
Minor: Infidelity
chilivanilli28's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Death
Moderate: Murder and War
simothys's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content and Emotional abuse
Minor: Torture
alexijai98's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
If you’re not into “idiots in love” or whatever the trope is called this isn’t the book for you. I came very close to DNFing simply because I was getting very tired of the protagonists continuing to doubt each other’s feelings and self flagellate, but I found that pushing past my annoyance was worth it. Also the infidelity and toxic relationship is NOT between the two protagonists!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Murder, Violence, Grief, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
lillimariexo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Body shaming, Murder, Blood, Emotional abuse, Violence, Cannibalism, and Death
distilledreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
I went into Paladin’s Grace knowing practically nothing about the plot. I genuinely don’t think I read past the first line of the summary, but I was hooked by the premise of a paladin’s god dying and needed to read it. So, imagine my absolute DELIGHT to find out this was a fantasy romance. Kingfisher had me hook, line, and sinker the whole way through and this has become a new favourite series.
I have seen so much praise for Kingfisher online throughout the years, but I don’t read horror, so I never had the opportunity to experience her writing for myself. I am so, so happy I was finally able to change that because I loved the characters she created in this series.
Even though there was an alarming number of severed heads (I was always worried about the severed heads, Stephen), I found this to be the perfect cozy fantasy. I’m not sure if I was just under a rock and missed all discourse about this series, but it is an absolute travesty in my opinion that this series wasn’t dominating the subgenre during the recent surge of cozy fantasy. There is no needless subplot of stalking and sexual harassment, and the treatment of such within the book is handled incredibly well.
Stephen, the paladin MMC, was refreshingly respectful and well-aware when his behaviour slipped from protective to creepy. Grace, the perfumer FMC, was a fierce character self-described as a grey mouse, but watching her confidence grow had me fist-pumping the air.
I lost count of how many times I legitimately laughed out loud while reading Paladin’s Grace. The banter was perfect for me and I loved the foreshadowing that Kingfisher wove throughout the book. The world is intriguing and I can’t get enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Murder, Violence, Blood, and Death