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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
hopeful
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:
Yes
This reviews a full-copy ARC received from Bloomsbury.
Okay, my full review for VOW contains a whole bunch of spoilers so I'm tidily hiding it at this link for you:
https://bookshelvesandbabble.com/2021/01/24/a-vow-so-bold-and-deadly-review-cursebreak-and-heartbreak-and-a-smashing-finale/
Suffice it to say, though, I think this third novel satisfyingly wraps up the trilogy and was well worth the agonizing wait. By now Kemmerer has done a masterful job of getting us to care for each of her four main characters, and I feel that the narrative arc that she has created for them does them justice. (Except, possibly, slightly, Rhen. Which I talk about a little in my spoiler-y review.)
Do I want more? OF COURSE I WANT MORE. I love these characters and I want to spend more time with them, especially with the path that Kemmerer has laid out for them by the novel's ending. But considering how many trilogy/duology finales have left me:
a) scratching my head
b) tearing my hair out
c) feeling like I've wasted a whole lot of time on these people for no reason, apparently,
...I feel that A VOW SO BOLD AND DEADLY is a triumph!
Okay, my full review for VOW contains a whole bunch of spoilers so I'm tidily hiding it at this link for you:
https://bookshelvesandbabble.com/2021/01/24/a-vow-so-bold-and-deadly-review-cursebreak-and-heartbreak-and-a-smashing-finale/
Suffice it to say, though, I think this third novel satisfyingly wraps up the trilogy and was well worth the agonizing wait. By now Kemmerer has done a masterful job of getting us to care for each of her four main characters, and I feel that the narrative arc that she has created for them does them justice. (Except, possibly, slightly, Rhen. Which I talk about a little in my spoiler-y review.)
Do I want more? OF COURSE I WANT MORE. I love these characters and I want to spend more time with them, especially with the path that Kemmerer has laid out for them by the novel's ending. But considering how many trilogy/duology finales have left me:
a) scratching my head
b) tearing my hair out
c) feeling like I've wasted a whole lot of time on these people for no reason, apparently,
...I feel that A VOW SO BOLD AND DEADLY is a triumph!
A Vow so Bold and Deadly was just… alright. The characters kind of annoyed me, and Book 3 Rhen felt like a very different character form book 1 Rhen.
The first few chapters were very much a recap, (I somewhat appreciate that). The ending was very open ended, likely to make way for the sequel series.
I knew this was going to be the ending somewhere in book 2. I was kind of hoping for something different, but it is still somewhat satisfying.
LOVE this book, this series, this totally enchanting story.
“I know trust is not something you win once, but is instead something you must earn over and over again.“
This was a good series, but the ending was not satisfying. It’s not a cliffhanger but she fan definitely write another book of she wanted.
She didn’t do Rhen’s character justice, up until the last chapter, there was no growth at all. He was still his old anxious, “pity me” self. I would have loved to see him develop.
All characters stayed the same for this book which was expected.
This series did not leave me wanting more.
This was a good series, but the ending was not satisfying. It’s not a cliffhanger but she fan definitely write another book of she wanted.
She didn’t do Rhen’s character justice, up until the last chapter, there was no growth at all. He was still his old anxious, “pity me” self. I would have loved to see him develop.
All characters stayed the same for this book which was expected.
This series did not leave me wanting more.
adventurous
hopeful
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:
Complicated
1.5 Stars
Spoiler Free TLDR:
Okay writing, plot, and characters. No worldbuilding.
Recommended for people who want to just finish this series and be done with it. Ages 17+.
Book 1 was good. Just stop with that book.
---
Christian/Conservative Content Advisory;
Major Spoilers:
-17 uses of "h**l"
-1 use of "a**"
-1 use of "d**k"
-4 uses of "c**p"
-6 kissing scenes
-3 intimate scenes
-m/m Relationship
-MC remembers being tortured
-A lady's tongue is cut off
-Gory attack and battle with the Enchantress
-Guard's throat is torn out
-Guards all killed in terrible ways (only aftermath witnessed)
---
Thought and Spoilers Below:
Plot: 2/5
-Rhen vs Grey
-Rhen and Harper hook up
-Grey and Lia Mara hook up
-Lilith unleashes an attack on Rhen
-Harpe fetches a whiny Grey
-Grey defeats Lilith and takes over the kingdom
------
Writing: 2/5
The writing isn't terrible, but it's not good. About 80% of this book seems like it was just bad fanfiction. The biggest issue for me arose when I'm following four POVs, and there's only one that's decent and one I really like.
------
World Building: 1/5
------
Characters' Rating: 2/5
Main Characters:
The main characters seem to get worse (except Rhen) with each book. Harper is consistently hot and cold about Rhen and can't seem to be consistent with her thoughts. Grey has become one of my least favorite characters, as he is whiny and complains throughout the whole book and even goes as far as to complain how put out he is from Harper begging for his help after she is attacked by Lillith. Lia Mara is just there.
I still love Rhen, and I'm really annoyed how he gets the short end of the stick after every thing he goes through.
Side Characters:
Jake and Noah are still good characters I like. Everyone else is pretty flat and terrible.
------
Overall Enjoyment: 1/5
I suppose this is just another series that went downhill after Book 1. Really sad how things unfolded.
Loved:
-I'm so glad the book doesn't drag out Rhen keeping Lilith a secret from Harper
Nitpicks:
-The 'intimate' scenes. It honestly seems like really bad fanfiction
-Rhen, after sacrificing for his kingdom and trying to save it, loses it to Grey in the end. May I remind you, all the stuff that occurs after Book 1 is Grey's fault. If he told the truth from the beginning, everything that happens could've been avoided. Yet he is rewarded in the end. For being a terrible friend and person. And Grey is a terrible friend and person in this book.
------
Notable Quotes:
-She nods at me in the mirror, but then her eyes fill again. “Sometimes I worry that the light can be doused too easily.”
“Then we just light it again,” I say, even though I’m not sure this is true. But I can’t look at her tearstained face and say anything else. Again, I’m reminded of my mother, how she stood by my father for so long, even though he kept making the wrong decisions. I think of Rhen, and I wonder if I’m doing the same thing. My voice almost wavers and I have to steady it. “We light it again and again, as many times as we have to.”
Spoiler Free TLDR:
Okay writing, plot, and characters. No worldbuilding.
Recommended for people who want to just finish this series and be done with it. Ages 17+.
Book 1 was good. Just stop with that book.
---
Christian/Conservative Content Advisory;
Major Spoilers:
-17 uses of "h**l"
-1 use of "a**"
-1 use of "d**k"
-4 uses of "c**p"
-6 kissing scenes
-3 intimate scenes
-m/m Relationship
-MC remembers being tortured
-A lady's tongue is cut off
-Gory attack and battle with the Enchantress
-Guard's throat is torn out
-Guards all killed in terrible ways (only aftermath witnessed)
---
Thought and Spoilers Below:
Plot: 2/5
-Rhen vs Grey
-Rhen and Harper hook up
-Grey and Lia Mara hook up
-Lilith unleashes an attack on Rhen
-Harpe fetches a whiny Grey
-Grey defeats Lilith and takes over the kingdom
------
Writing: 2/5
The writing isn't terrible, but it's not good. About 80% of this book seems like it was just bad fanfiction. The biggest issue for me arose when I'm following four POVs, and there's only one that's decent and one I really like.
------
World Building: 1/5
------
Characters' Rating: 2/5
Main Characters:
The main characters seem to get worse (except Rhen) with each book. Harper is consistently hot and cold about Rhen and can't seem to be consistent with her thoughts. Grey has become one of my least favorite characters, as he is whiny and complains throughout the whole book and even goes as far as to complain how put out he is from Harper begging for his help after she is attacked by Lillith. Lia Mara is just there.
I still love Rhen, and I'm really annoyed how he gets the short end of the stick after every thing he goes through.
Side Characters:
Jake and Noah are still good characters I like. Everyone else is pretty flat and terrible.
------
Overall Enjoyment: 1/5
I suppose this is just another series that went downhill after Book 1. Really sad how things unfolded.
Loved:
-I'm so glad the book doesn't drag out Rhen keeping Lilith a secret from Harper
Nitpicks:
-The 'intimate' scenes. It honestly seems like really bad fanfiction
-Rhen, after sacrificing for his kingdom and trying to save it, loses it to Grey in the end. May I remind you, all the stuff that occurs after Book 1 is Grey's fault. If he told the truth from the beginning, everything that happens could've been avoided. Yet he is rewarded in the end. For being a terrible friend and person. And Grey is a terrible friend and person in this book.
------
Notable Quotes:
-She nods at me in the mirror, but then her eyes fill again. “Sometimes I worry that the light can be doused too easily.”
“Then we just light it again,” I say, even though I’m not sure this is true. But I can’t look at her tearstained face and say anything else. Again, I’m reminded of my mother, how she stood by my father for so long, even though he kept making the wrong decisions. I think of Rhen, and I wonder if I’m doing the same thing. My voice almost wavers and I have to steady it. “We light it again and again, as many times as we have to.”
Second book is my favouriteeeee
I really started to dislike rhen and harper after the first book...
I really started to dislike rhen and harper after the first book...