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Moderate: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent
the book started off a little slow for me, since there are a lot of characters introduced in a short amount of time and makes it a bit difficult to keep track of who is actually relevant.
probably about 4 chapters in this book really took off for me. it definitely brought me out of my reading slump with the world building and mysterious magic system of the providence cards. i was hooked pretty quickly from the interactions between characters and trying to figure out how the magic works along with the main character, Elspeth.
i am glad i didn’t read this book until now, only because the sequel is releasing in 2 weeks. the book ended with a bit of a cliffhanger but one that just makes me all the more excited for the next book.
i will say i found some earlier parts of romance to be very cringey, but it got way better as the book went on. im rooting for
after i finished this book i immediately preordered the next. i am counting down the days until it comes out, since i think it will have very good autumn vibes as it builds up to the winter solstice.
Graphic: Violence, Blood
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Death of parent
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Blood, Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
Graphic: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Death, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Death of parent
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Violence
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent
We meet Elsbeth, cursed with the infection and possessed by a creepy nightmare beast/man, let’s just say life’s complicated.
For years she’s stayed hidden from those hunting the infected but then on one fateful day (courtly ball) she finds herself suddenly face to face with the man who is in charge of ridding the world of the infected (yup not great), and yes he is handsome and broody with some mysteries of his own (well hello captain).
Thus we start a tale of two sworn foes thrown together to help save their world. But of course they both have secrets they are yet to share.
I have to say I love me some ye old- timey fantasy/ magical books. We have kings, castles, curses, heroines and a broody MMC who I am sure is a spitting image of Henry Cavil 🤣.
There was a great unique magic system and it was a fun way to see the price paid for using magic and how it is wielded.
Pet peeve of course is a cliffhanger where there is no resolution to the story and you need to read the next book. But I will happily do this as it was great.
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent, Abandonment
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Classism
Minor: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death of parent