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kristanjenkins's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Death of parent, War, and Death
ktmcd26's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The series has an interesting concept and some interesting scenes, however it suffers from very poor word building an extreme repetition.
The series very much reads as the books were started without a plan for how they are going to end. So things that are set up in the beginning are ignored or essentially re-written later to make way for whatever the author wants later. One of the biggest problems with this is that the world is extremely under developed and I cannot tell you the motivations for a large handful of main characters. Often times this can be ignored if you don’t think about it too hard, but sometimes it is distracting.
The series suffers from the same scenes being replayed over and over again. There seems to be a desire to always have these big dramatic moments, but not enough variety or explanation as to the differences. The repetition can also be seen in the spicy scenes and the wording. If I never read the word Bonded again, I think I will be all right.
I desperately wanted to focus more on the interpersonal connections of the characters and not these big threats.
I also found the immaturity of the MC to be detrimental to the story. I think I would have liked it more if she wasn’t still practically a child.
Graphic: Sexual assault, War, Violence, and Torture
countesslemongrab's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
I rated this a little lower because I have an issue with the “she didn’t say no, so it’s not SA” narrative. Unless it’s a “yes”, it’s a “no”.
Graphic: Death and Sexual content
Moderate: War and Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent
taylormaria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Death, and War
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content
Minor: Gun violence, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
bangiebangs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
What I didn't enjoy:
- the dubious or nonexistent consent (again); they all seem ruled by their bonds occasionally, and one bonding occurs here where neither of the people involved have any agency over their actions, but the bond still completes.
- Oleander is still pretty whiny and naive. Some specks of self-esteem are showing up but if she and everyone else just communicated... this would be much less annoying.
- What I LOATHE in this series is the body shaming... like, Oleander seems to be conventionally pretty/ have a normal, slim body; throughout the book(s) she starts tactical training (sounds like basically CrossFit plus martial arts), so she gets pretty physically fit. AND STILL there are so many scenes where she just thinks about her body, like why the guys would like her "lean, toned" legs (because how is that appealing, a mystery!), or her belly (that was slim to begin with, and is now even flatter). This is also a book with the "she eats more than the guys and still doesn't put on any weight!" trope (both the FMC and her sidekick best friend).
Like, in the scene after the bonding, we're talking sex haze afterglow... just nope:
"I'm definitely not perfect but he says it with so much conviction that I desperately want to believe him. His hand begins to move to stroke over the soft skin of my belly and I'm happy that all my training has shrunk the little belly I have there. I still have one, probably because it's housing my uterus because, hi there, I'm a girl, but it's not something I'm self-conscious of anymore."
What I enjoyed:
- some more hints at the mechanics of bonding... and possibility of manipulating it? I'm really curious to learn what is going on there.
- more of the Resistance, though I still have no idea what their goal might be other than terrorizing the Gifted community? But am looking forward to see what all the foreshadowing was about. So far, a confusing but good villain.
- the bonding itself. With my favorite. Here for it! (Spice overall would say 2/5)
So yeah, some issues with this, lots of CNs to watch out for, but still enjoyable.
Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Classism, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Murder, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Blood and Misogyny
Minor: Car accident and Pregnancy
ka_ke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Body horror, Classism, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, Grief, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, and War
thecajunbookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Trafficking
Minor: War