Reviews with content warning for Murder - Violet Made of Thorns

Ugh, I'm so torn on this book!

First off, the negatives: I couldn't stand Violet most of the time. There's a very fine line between being a "cool" anti-heroine character and being a pick-me girl and most of the time, she was the latter. There was so little build-up to her and Cyrus' relationship and their characterisation sometimes seemed to change at will.

But there was also a lot of stuff I loved! I wish this had been an adult or new adult fantasy because godddd, were those spicy scenes good. Like, came for the fantasy, stayed for the blood kink. In their makeout scenes, Cyrus & Violet had so much chemistry and especially towards the end, it really turned into a dark romance. Obsessed with that! I also enjoyed the magic system and the main villain.

I wish the next book would be more focused on Cyrus & Violet's relationship and less on the, a bit boring, plot. The writing was so beautiful and especially that last chapter makes me tempted to still read the next one 🤫

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chattie_the_mad_chatter's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

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

2.5

To begin with this was a fun fantasy: a prickly cynical heroine; fun fortune telling magic; fate v fairies Enchanted Woods mystery. However the ending felt a bit messy and I struggled with some of the characters motives.

Loved the side characters of Camilla and Dante. A Camilla book I would read. But Violets motivations and end choices were very muddled in the final part. The opptunities for Cyrus and Violet to have chatacter growth remained lost in their powerplay pretty toxic relationship. The attraction, lust and hate aspects were covered, but the caring part was definitly missing.

Also missed any characterisation of the villain, which would have been enjoyable.

I think this is a not for me book sadly.

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imds's review

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

3.0

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erica_reads_everything's review

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adventurous lighthearted tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

This book was cute, but not great. An easy read, it would be best for older teenagers. I think my main complaint is that the author put forth a lot of ideas that were wonderful, but didn’t see them all the way through. It felt like it was too fast, and that she could have explored some of the intricacies of the story in more detail.

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nortayogu's review

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3.25

I think the book is still okay. When I first saw it, I had some doubts cuz the comments about it were quite neutral, somewhat. I enjoyed how the main character is badass but the plot needs a bit more structure.

Overall, I think the book is a good read except for *ahem ahem* parts which is a bit extra and I’d rather skip.

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mandkips's review

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

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thenovelbookshelf's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

A dark fantastical YA novel that gets you emotionally attached like thorns on a vine.

Violet saved a boys life when they were children, she didn't know he was a Prince. As adults they are begrudgingly close and in each others lives, Cyrus as the Prince soon to become King, and Violet, the city's seer.

When the King tells Violet to falsely prophesize the upcoming wedding of Cyrus, she is plagued by the fates dark tellings of the future.

With the fates future unravelling before them, Violet uses her wits to protect herself but ends up having to make a deadly choice.

Although this was a really great storyline, with great characters, the ending felt quite rushed (this is book one of a duology), and was very anticlimactic.

I wanted to love the characters but they lack depth and substance, like they just existed and you already knew them. (Is Camilla just a high maintenance Princess that just likes to eat cake and enjoys balls? Would she want to be Queen? Why does the King want to expand the kingdom? Greed? What do the fairies feel about the woods being burnt?) So much potential and hope that book two brings it.

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