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adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I’m sorry to say this book/duology is overhyped. Things that annoyed me greatly were, among others, Elspeth’s entire personality (is she dumb or is she in denial - I’m not sure which is worse), the mention of the love interest’s title and eye colour the entire time (we get it, readers aren’t stupid) and the not so great writing. If you shake this book, you can hear the clichés jingling against one another.
However, I did like the eerie, gothic vibe and the magic system, and I’m delulu enough to believe the comic relief character/trustworthy sidekick will get more of the spotlight in the second instalment. Manifesting a love interest for him, because I choose to believe he’d be less insufferable if/when he falls in love.
However, I did like the eerie, gothic vibe and the magic system, and I’m delulu enough to believe the comic relief character/trustworthy sidekick will get more of the spotlight in the second instalment. Manifesting a love interest for him, because I choose to believe he’d be less insufferable if/when he falls in love.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
mysterious
tense
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence
Minor: Death of parent
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent
adventurous
dark
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Sexual content, Torture, Death of parent
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
Loved this more than I was expecting. Dark and a bit spooky with an interesting magic system and a great slooow burn romance that I enjoyed immensely.
Didn’t love some of the rhyming poems and some of the dialogue felt a bit too modern in the context of this old fashioned world!
Didn’t love some of the rhyming poems and some of the dialogue felt a bit too modern in the context of this old fashioned world!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Read this basically in a day. How do I describe this book….. it’s got a magic deck of cards that is spread among the people. A sickness that infects people with magic, but they’re killed if they have that infection/magic…. There’s a dark broody guy and a lot of rhyming verse. Great book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Popular trading card game turns deadly as entire kingdom takes it too seriously
Jokes aside, the story is very gripping. The lore and world building were well done, the characters fleshed out. The romance had my heart pounding, and the spicy scene was titillating
I guessed the Nightmare’s true identity pretty early on, but it was a good reveal halfway through anyway
Excited to read the next one
Jokes aside, the story is very gripping. The lore and world building were well done, the characters fleshed out. The romance had my heart pounding, and the spicy scene was titillating
Excited to read the next one
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Death of parent
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Be Wary. Be Clever. Be Good.
"Atmospheric" doesn't even begin to capture the beauty of Rachel's writing. The magic system is so unique and the whole world is built around the lore and use of the cards. I love the characters, especially the Nightmare, and his rhymes set so much of the mood and mystery.
(Any time I see an allusion to The Highwayman, I get chills)
*updated after a reread, and it holds up as one of my favorite books.*
"Atmospheric" doesn't even begin to capture the beauty of Rachel's writing. The magic system is so unique and the whole world is built around the lore and use of the cards. I love the characters, especially the Nightmare, and his rhymes set so much of the mood and mystery.
(Any time I see an allusion to The Highwayman, I get chills)
*updated after a reread, and it holds up as one of my favorite books.*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a fun immersive book! I loved the world created in Blunder and the idea that magic only existed through decks of cards. The story follows Elspeth, who was “infected” with magic as a child, resulting in a voice in her head, the personification of the magical Nightmare card . Elspeth stumbles across highway men one night and her life completely changes as she tries to find a way to save her world.
I wish more time had been given to building Blunder as a world and discussing Elspeth’s family. Particularly Ione, I would have loved to spend more time getting to know her in order to feel properly invested by the changes caused by the Maiden card.
Overall though, I was completely drawn in to the story and I am so worried about the fates of the characters that I have already ordered the next book!
I wish more time had been given to building Blunder as a world and discussing Elspeth’s family. Particularly Ione, I would have loved to spend more time getting to know her in order to feel properly invested by the changes caused by the Maiden card.
Overall though, I was completely drawn in to the story and I am so worried about the fates of the characters that I have already ordered the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent