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_shreyasharma's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The series started off pretty strong, but this book dragged on quite a bit. A lot of unnecessary descriptions, like why did they have to describe a shower for a whole chapter. Poppy and Cas were a whole vibe up until this book, but they got kinda cringe in this one. Love Kieran and the other wolven though. Some pretty good plot twists, which was the only reason it didn't go straight to my dnf pile
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and War
melethwi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
It was entertaining and held my attention for the most part, which is the only reason I'm rating it 2.5 stars and not lower.
Rant review because I'm a salty lesbian lmao.
JLA has a nasty habit of shoving massive amounts of information down readers' throats, passing it off as her MC Poppy always having a lot of questions, when the truth is she just sucks at worldbuilding. Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention but I truly don't understand what the gods are in this world or what their purpose is. Are they just super powerful magic users??? So confusing. Seems like the rules of magic get bent at JLA's will when she needs something convenient to happen.
Poppy, Casteel, and Rhysand from ACOTAR should get together sometime and dissertate on white feminism. This book has a lot of balls to have a black character named Tawny and then turn around and use "tawny" frequently to describe the dark color of another character's skin, whose name (Kieran) means "dark one." Just ????? What ????? Could JLA not afford a SINGLE sensitivity reader?
I really think these books would work a lot better if they would stop kidding themselves about overdramatic plot and just have the romance. As it stands, we just see Poppy and Casteel willing to kill, kill, and guess what? kill people to get revenge for the other person, but the only interactions we actually see Poppy and Casteel have either have almost no chemistry or their attraction is PURELY physical.
I really, really cannot decide if I want to spend time from my life reading the next book. I kept going this long because I thought Poppy and Casteel might go through some sort of development, but there really isn't much to speak for.
Rant review because I'm a salty lesbian lmao.
JLA has a nasty habit of shoving massive amounts of information down readers' throats, passing it off as her MC Poppy always having a lot of questions, when the truth is she just sucks at worldbuilding. Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention but I truly don't understand what the gods are in this world or what their purpose is. Are they just super powerful magic users??? So confusing. Seems like the rules of magic get bent at JLA's will when she needs something convenient to happen.
Poppy, Casteel, and Rhysand from ACOTAR should get together sometime and dissertate on white feminism. This book has a lot of balls to have a black character named Tawny and then turn around and use "tawny" frequently to describe the dark color of another character's skin, whose name (Kieran) means "dark one." Just ????? What ????? Could JLA not afford a SINGLE sensitivity reader?
I really think these books would work a lot better if they would stop kidding themselves about overdramatic plot and just have the romance. As it stands, we just see Poppy and Casteel willing to kill, kill, and guess what? kill people to get revenge for the other person, but the only interactions we actually see Poppy and Casteel have either have almost no chemistry or their attraction is PURELY physical.
I really, really cannot decide if I want to spend time from my life reading the next book. I kept going this long because I thought Poppy and Casteel might go through some sort of development, but there really isn't much to speak for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and War
Minor: Trafficking
abicaro17's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
God this series has tanked for me. Like every other chapter had some sort of "major" revelation. I needed some consistency this book could not provide. The overused trope of Poppy being relatively innocent is getting old as hell too. I do enjoy how badass Poppy is and how much she is growing physically and emotionally but I swear this next book has to be better because I BARLEY made it through these last 50 pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
prairieraven's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
kit_kat006's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
For the most of part of this book, I felt it the story was taking too long and it wasn't my favorite in the series. I wasn't getting the plot in this book... And (unpopular opinion - I'm sorry) I'm not a fan of spice in book in general. Yes we get it, Castell and Poppy cannot get their hand off of each other... I was about done with this book and series to be honest... The last 150 pages changes my mind completely. I was on the edge of my seat and could not get it down. I was almost screaming to my book Noooooooo! Now I cannot wait for the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder
cait's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
missgarceau's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
yarisbooksandbevs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
This book definitely surprised me. I would say this is the best book in the series so far.
I think Poppy really started to blossom in this book and she still makes mistakes but she’s more mature and aware in this book. I loved quite a few characters in this book. I loved Eloanadespite her knowledge of Isbeth and the lies she has also perpetuated , I loved Kieran and Willa. Many of these characters were honest and upfront with Poppy and Cas. There were many secrets revealed (many I didn’t see coming) and lots of twists that fit the story very well.
I do have to say I feel like sometimes Armentrout’s writing is a little repetitive. A lot of jokes are recycled from earlier in the series and a lot of information gets repeated a little too much.I also didn’t like where the sex scene after they get to Spessa’s End and have the argument about Ian was placed. I liked the argument and the sex scene itself was well-written and intimate but I didn’t like where it was placed. I felt like it diminished the discussion they just had .
Overall, this book really surprised me and I’m excited to read the next book and see how Poppy handles the events at the end of this book.
I think Poppy really started to blossom in this book and she still makes mistakes but she’s more mature and aware in this book. I loved quite a few characters in this book. I loved Eloana
I do have to say I feel like sometimes Armentrout’s writing is a little repetitive. A lot of jokes are recycled from earlier in the series and a lot of information gets repeated a little too much.
Overall, this book really surprised me and I’m excited to read the next book and see how Poppy handles the events at the end of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Child death, Torture, and Alcohol
alxisrae's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
thimblewhim's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
I enjoyed the book. I am enjoying the series. But there's a few things that irritate the hell out of me.
1. Iliseeum - why? Why?! WHY?! It's Elysium. We all know it's supposed to be Elysium. It isn't cute or creative or innovative to spell it the same way that a third grader would sound it out. Every time I see "Iliseeum" in the book, it makes me feel like my brain is on fire. Did the author or publishing house think this was cool? Or do they think their readers can't handle big words with y in it? It's already an anglicized Greek word. We don't need to mangle their beautiful culture, history, or language any more than we already have. I am going to struggle with this for the rest of the series I'm sure.
2. My personal pet peeve is when fantasy books take time out of our day to explain modern amenities. Wayyyy too much time was spent describing the magic of plumbing, electricity, and social mobility.... and multiple times!! Completely unnecessary. It's like when you're complaining about the airport and your uncle starts ranting about the magic that is air transit. No we shouldn't take our technology for granted. But for fucks sake I can only manage to read 10 pages a night before passing out from exhaustion. I need my escape. I don't need the concept of PLUMBING explained to me in a fantasy smut novel.
3. Really poor grammar throughout. Dear Editorial staff, how did you let this draft get through? When do you see couples "walking hand and hand"? That was just one. There were many other moments when I had to pause and rewrite some sentences in my head before moving on. I'm used to one or two typos but... big oof.
4. "I realized that each of his steps was in tune with the steady beat of the drum." ... you can step in TIME with a steady beat, but not in tune with them. Footsteps would be considered nonpitched percussion, especially since the ground is not usually a membranophone. To be in tune with a drum would suggest a melodic or pitch component. Perhaps if said drum was a timpani? Or other pitched drumhead? IDK
5. God/Goddess and deity are literally synonyms. I don't understand the logic behind making them mean different things in this world. Just come up with a new word instead? Or, since we're mangling mythology (see #1), how about you just use the word 'demigod'??? It is murky and confusing.
I'm sure I seem quite crazy aggressive and negative now, but I did very much enjoy the book. The story is compelling and yes I'm gonna march my whiny pedantic butt on over to downloading book 4. Don't get me wrong, it was a good time, problems not withstanding. The spicy scenes are spicy. And the story kept me interested and wanting to see what will come next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Blood