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Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War
Minor: Pregnancy
I thought the plot was interesting, though overwhelming, with too many plotlines being pulled in different directions which made it hard to follow at times. It has A LOT going on. You would think this maybe wouldn't be an issue in a 543 page book but even with all that real estate many of the characters weren't developed enough. It still somehow felt rushed? Really a missed opportunity to make the reader really connect with the characters. I went back and forth on both Raeve and Kaan. Sometimes I liked them and then just as quickly I found them insufferable. It's an enemies-to-lovers/miscommunication combo that was increasingly frustrating.
And then there's the very graphic sex scenes. Personally, they felt unnecessary and uncomfortable and you can't really skip through them because the characters are simultaneously having important conversation that's moving the plot along. I'm not opposed to including romance/spice in stories as a plot point but these felt needlessly graphic and vulgar in my opinion. There's spice that makes you blush and then there's spice that makes you say "ick". This book was the latter.
Finally, the end of the book felt unfinished. I understand it's intended to be part of a series, and at the end it says the second one comes out in Fall 2025, but nothing was actually brought to a close in this book. None of the problems that were introduced were solved. In other words, this book can't really be read as a standalone, which felt odd to me. Generally a story, even if it's part of a series, follows a standard arc, wrapping up at the end, while still leaving room for further exploration of additional plot lines. This just ended on what felt like a regular chapter and then there was just no more. Pretty unsatisfying.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Torture, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War
The book seemed more focused on setting the stage for future sequels than delivering a strong start to the series.
Sadly the plot twists weren't twisting because they were too predictable.
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Gaslighting
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Trafficking, Death of parent
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Alcohol, Classism
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Torture
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Child abuse, Trafficking