Reviews with content warning for Murder - Lord of Population

This is a post-apocalypse dystopian story with some sci-fi, paranormal and vampirism thrown in there. Abel is a strong FMC who is scrappy and witty. She’s going to fight her way out or die trying. Like my girl is a warrior! After a series of unfortunate events, she meets Kane. She lives by certain rules that keep getting amended the longer she’s in his presence. Kane has honestly been protective from the start. Mikey is not a good person. He definitely sexually assaulted her then tried to blame her in addition to all his faults. This book is gritty. Some things are hard to read and make no mistake there’s no shortage of having to survive when gangs, Others and scavengers are out in the population. I think one of the main lessons learned is that it’s okay to have hope. This book would’ve been a 4 for me if not for the grammar mistakes. Around 90% the book felt a little dragged out.

How they trying to be stealthy and they’re slamming doors and calling out names? They do a lot of yelling for people not trying to be found. I also don’t understand why Jack looked like Kane.

More grammatical errors as the story progressed.

TW: Minor/adult relations, sexual assault, violence, murder, loss of parents, pedophilia, cannibalism.

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bookishbrenbren's review

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adventurous dark fast-paced

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

It's complicated...

Let me start with the good: The first 50% of this book (what used to be book 1 in the population series) is amazing. Easily the best fantasy romance/paranormal romance/alien romance I've ever read. EASILY. The scene is set: a dark dystopia, pacific northwest, think of Cormac's The Road or The Walking Dead (sans zombies), gritty, survivalist, hard; the characters are charming: independent, fierce, capable, out for revenge main character, allies with strong silent type; the love is natural: trials bring them together, chemistry builds, love and trust blossom, together they face the cruelties of this new world. The writing is pristine, amaze.

Jump to 51%: eeeeeyikes. let me say, I did not see a single trigger warning for this book but there is definitely a sex scene in this which the main character does not consent to in advance. So what basically happens is,

LOML is captured, his long-lost brother whom I just met is obligated to rescue him, and I actually want to rescue him, so naturally, what do we do? we fuck each other. WHUT, plz... also there is simply no other way to characterize what he does to the MC beyond sexual assault.

and while I can go for the dubcon that comes with fated mates... noncon is a no-go for me, and I wish someone had told me beforehand. Anyways, this development means that this book (after 50%) is mired in two of my least favorite tropes:

cheating and love triangle

. Then, (really don't open this spoiler if you plan to read the book)

after like 200 pages where the love interest is just entirely absent, we get a short reunion where things don't really seem that peachy, our MC dies and comes back to life

meaning a third trope I really hate is included.

So ultimately, I am just very conflicted about this book because the first half was so amazing (and also I just really love the writing) and the second half was so... not. Anyways, eep, I mostly came here to warn about the noncon scene.

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