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abicaro17's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book starts off so strong. Alessandra is the second daughter of an earl looking to gain power and acknowledgement by marrying the Shadow King, Kallias. The problem? She plans to kill him right after. Alessandra is cunning, vicious, manipulative, and talented in many ways. I think the general plot was so fun! I love a good murderess and mystery. Alessandra is fun to read as well with all her inner monologue and complex feelings about people. My issues with this book stem from development (or lack thereof). To me, Alessandra and the world building feel underdeveloped. Alessandra is supposed to be this devious murderess with this plot, but her idea is quite literally just to poison him and hope the blame gets placed on a neighboring kingdom. Also past the first few chapters she doesn't seem very murder prone. I think her initial characterization was much more interesting than what we were left with. My other issue stems from world building. In terms of kingdoms and the country laws we are never given any explanations. This leaves me at a loss at times for why things are the way they are politically. I think this book could definitely benefit from some elaboration and possibly a different ending?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Sexism, Violence, War, Alcohol, Gun violence, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Toxic friendship
boydgirl's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual content, Gun violence, and Sexual harassment
katvou's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Medical content, Sexual content, Violence, Gaslighting, Slavery, Child death, Gun violence, Drug abuse, and Sexism
smazzeo96's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: War
kinskinn's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While the female main character, Alessandra was very self-absorbed and unlikable, the storyline was incredibly engaging. The fake dating and strangers to friends to lovers tropes were incredibly well written. The male main character, Kallias, was very likable towards the end of the book. It really takes awhile for the characters and the storyline to get interesting enough to continue though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Colonisation, Gun violence, Slavery, Sexual content, and Misogyny
madarauchiha's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
β€οΈ 𧑠π π π π my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara π π π π 𧑠β€οΈ
I... didn't expect to like this so much. It was a potato chip: delicious, not that filling, but if you like the flavor then it brightens your life while it lasts. It's nothing I'd gush over to friends per se, the plot was interesting and the MC was funny and I enjoyed watching her antics.
It does suffer from a white author trying to write Black characters or characters of color. I've noticed that the characters are essentially white. They just happen to have darker skin tones. By that I mean they don't have culture or specific link to a race or ethnicity.
βͺ Hestiaβs coloring is a rich umber with yellow undertones. She wears her hair short, only about an inch from her scalp, the strands wrapping in tight coils. The lack of length shows off her gorgeous earrings, a pair of garnets encased in complicated brasswork.
βͺ The strands are the same color as my black hair, but her skin is a bit darker, more amber than my dark beige.
So the MC and a few other characters are technically characters of color. But again, they have no culture, no generational traditions passed from person to person, no communal links to each other. Beyond descriptions there's not really personalized touches, like you'd expect if a black character / character of color was portrayed as actually black / of color.
Have fun, but don't expect much in terms of personal representation if you're a Black reader or Reader of Color.
Content warnings:
minor drugs opium, manipulation, blackmail, torture, murder,
medium colonization, violence, parent death, orphaning, hanging, NSFW, slut shaming, whorephobic language,
major dogs, gambling, death, gore, murder, poison, alcohol use, body horror, murder, parental death, gore, anti sex worker sentiment, gun violence, guns,
I... didn't expect to like this so much. It was a potato chip: delicious, not that filling, but if you like the flavor then it brightens your life while it lasts. It's nothing I'd gush over to friends per se, the plot was interesting and the MC was funny and I enjoyed watching her antics.
It does suffer from a white author trying to write Black characters or characters of color. I've noticed that the characters are essentially white. They just happen to have darker skin tones. By that I mean they don't have culture or specific link to a race or ethnicity.
βͺ Hestiaβs coloring is a rich umber with yellow undertones. She wears her hair short, only about an inch from her scalp, the strands wrapping in tight coils. The lack of length shows off her gorgeous earrings, a pair of garnets encased in complicated brasswork.
βͺ The strands are the same color as my black hair, but her skin is a bit darker, more amber than my dark beige.
So the MC and a few other characters are technically characters of color. But again, they have no culture, no generational traditions passed from person to person, no communal links to each other. Beyond descriptions there's not really personalized touches, like you'd expect if a black character / character of color was portrayed as actually black / of color.
Have fun, but don't expect much in terms of personal representation if you're a Black reader or Reader of Color.
Content warnings:
minor drugs opium, manipulation, blackmail, torture, murder,
medium colonization, violence, parent death, orphaning, hanging, NSFW, slut shaming, whorephobic language,
major dogs, gambling, death, gore, murder, poison, alcohol use, body horror, murder, parental death, gore, anti sex worker sentiment, gun violence, guns,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Murder, Alcohol, Body horror, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Violence, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use, Torture, and Murder
sunsetcity's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
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