Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Paladin's Strength by T. Kingfisher

20 reviews

ritabriar's review

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

5.0

I adore how Istvhan and Clara are built for each other, how their deep, dark secret flaws are exactly what makes them perfect for each other. As always, the main characters are kind and humorous. Sigrid, Galen, and Brindle are all vibrant and each charming in their own way. 

The story is a quest and a mystery braided together with a romance on a road trip. It really has everything.

We get to visit a new city, with problems the Temple of the White Rat

can't really solve, but tries to manage anyway.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Sexual content, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, Blood, Grief, Slavery, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, and Violence

Minor: Body horror, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Animal death

There are gladiatorial pits and a

group of women

forcibly taken to them. Creepy dolls make an appearance, in a way, associated with the

return of the smooth men

.

rmlknisely's review

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.25

Just a gosh-darn delight

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Sexual content

alexijai98's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Fun and medium-stakes fantasy!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Blood, and Gore

Moderate: Sexual content

abby_can_read's review against another edition

adventurous funny 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

4.0

📱
This was cute and quick read. There were some parts that were slow for me. Overall, I would recommend and I enjoyed reading it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping, and Death

Moderate: Gore, Confinement, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Slavery and Animal death

purplepenning's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Body horror, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Gore, and Trafficking

Minor: Excrement, Infertility, Cannibalism, Slavery, Alcohol, and Child death

kori_dragon's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted 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

4.0

A fun, adventurous story that manages to blend fantasy, romance, and humour into one great read. My favourite line of the book: Clara forgets how to say bath and so says "people laundry" which made me snort with laughter at work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Gore and Animal cruelty

elly29's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

4.0

Overall, I liked it. I liked Isteban and Clara, and I liked the premise, and I liked that it was another romance where two older people who have been broken heal and find love. 

I think I enjoyed most the continuation of the world and overarching plot from “Paladin’s Grace,” but with a different set of characters. Steven and Grace were mentioned (the former by name, the latter not so much), and perhaps we have been set up for Galen’s story, which will be book #3. But this was Isteban’s story, and we got to see his backstory and character growth.

Plus, I liked Clara’s powers.

(Does Isteban call her Clare-bear?)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Animal cruelty

lilbookbee's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

Lord what am I gonna do when I run out of T Kingfisher romances to read? I will be bereft and my long commutes will become unbearable. I will simply have to perish. 😮‍💨

In the meantime though, I'll be thoroughly enjoying The Saint of Steel books. T Kingfisher doesn't MISS, and this book is certainly no exception. With her brilliantly interesting story telling, and wit that makes me laugh out loud fairly often, I cannot resist the pull of these books. They are so well written, so fascinating, such lovely fantasy stories with romances that are just delightful. I cannot speak highly enough about the body of work in general, but specifically this book.

As much as I adored Grace and Stephen, Istvhan and Clara hold my heart. Their witty banter, kind hearts, and eventual ass-over-tea-kettle type love just had me swooning. I knew I was going to love Istvhan based off his appearances in Paladin's Grace, but it didn't prepare me for just how much I would love him. And Clara, sweet Clara, was just such a perfect match and able to go toe to toe with him in all the best ways. I wanted to SWOON every time he called her "Domina" and I give Clara all the credit in the world for not doing so herself. And getting to get glimpses at Galen, and knowing he is the main paladin in Paladin's Hope was perfect. I have a feeling he may become my new favorite!

I cannot finish this review without singing the praises of the audiobook narrator. He did narration for the two Saint of Steel books I have read, and I've learned he does narration for the third as well. He does a magnificent job giving voice and personality to these colorful cast of characters. He really made an amazing story somehow better.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Animal death, Sexual content, and Animal cruelty

maryellen's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

My God, but I love this series so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Murder, Sexual content, Animal death, Body horror, Grief, Death, and Kidnapping

astropova's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Grief, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Sexual content