Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - The Kraken's Sacrifice

Omg. This book is so good. I loved how relatable these characters were. They were doing with their past traumas while also navigating a new relationship.

Catilina makes a deal with a demon to get away from mother and get money to live happily. Thane is a kraken humanoid who has closed himself off after his husband died. Lina just wants to be given love since she was not provided it as a child and her adult life. She has been the person everyone thinks needs to change to be loved. While Thane is very blunt now that his husband passed. Thane doesn’t know why but he wants to make Lina happy and safe but feels like being away from him is the answer to that.

They finally see that they could both be happy but they just stop blaming themselves for everything. They learn to communicate better and their their second chance at a happily ever after.

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ribbitingreads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional fast-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really loved this book. I think it is even better than the first. Just a very tender story of two individuals learning to love again.

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hazelgirl21's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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

3.75

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inkdrinkers's review against another edition

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reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Well that was a book. It had some words put together to make sentences and then sentences that made chapters. That's about my feelings on this one.

I feel like we got spoiled with the Court of the Vampire Queen series, it was the perfect amount of wildly unhinged mixed with interesting politics and intriguing characters. Then, the Dragon's Bride did it's thing and it was pretty solid - some issues here and there. Then... we got this.

Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm not enough of a brat to enjoy Lina and Thane's dynamic, but I really struggled with how much they seemed to dislike and be absolutely ill-fitted for each other. The plot starts out in a pretty similar fashion to The Dragon's Bride, but once Catalina is taken to Thane's kingdom, things quickly go haywire. We're given vague backstories for both characters that never have any meat on them. It's like biting down into a chicken wing and realizing it's all breading - there's not even a bone in it for some structure. There was no substance, whatsoever, in either of their backstories. I desperately wanted to understand Catalina's character, but instead she just became incredibly annoying with her hot and cold, back and forth, will she or won't she, attitude. She never has a full conversation with Thane about what, exactly, her life was like pre-demon bargain and it's just swept away during the HEA.

I understand Thane's grief to a point, he's grieving the love of his life after five years, and he has a moment where he admits things weren't perfect and the grief clouded his love for his husband. But then it's just reduced to a plot device to make Thane and Lina endgame. I felt like we could have had so much more between Thane and Catalina having actual conversations instead of just tentacles every ten pages. The same goes for Embry and the very clouded plot of Thane forfeiting his kingdom/being a firstborn who never wanted to rule. There was so much that could have been explored but it was all very surface level.

This part is just me being grumpy because it's after 1am and I just finished this book:
At 45% I noted, "So far this girl has been so thoroughly traumatized and we've not even gotten an inkling of an apology or her standing up for herself. I miss Briar and Sol." What prompted this? Oh, just Thane locking Catalina in a watery tower for a week and leaving her to eat slices of half-stale bread. THIS IS NOT THE MONSTER HUSBAND I SIGNED UP FOR. Where Sol was patient and a little brash at times, Thane is just daft and abandons her.

I think my gripe with this book just boils down to the fact that I, you, Katee Robert - everyone knows where this is ending. It's going to be a happily ever after - so at least make the things leading up to it make sense. I don't want to read 80% of a book questioning if the main pairing actually tolerates each other or if they're just horny. At least give me some emotional payoff if you're going to make me tap through descriptions of suckers on tentacles and prehensile appendages.

This is the second book I've read this year with a main character named Lina that I couldn't tolerate. I'm beginning to think I have unresolved issues with this name. Will update if I ever read another book with a "Catalina" in it, but I think that's just become one of my book red flags.

Two stars for... I guess the vaguely wholesome bits at the end? And the feminism and queer rep was nice.

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