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rachelgreenreads's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a totally cute, fun read. I had been putting it off because I thought Josie and Haeden being contrived “enemies” would be annoying as hell. But I was craving an IPB book, and expecting to be annoyed by their dynamic honestly made it better? I wasn’t let down when there wasn’t the immediate love/f@ck fest, and I do feel like it had a good payoff.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
smithrachaelynn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
4.25
After rereading: 4.25⭐️ I enjoyed this so so much. While I wanted to just yell at them to kiss already, they both had very real things to overcome before being together. Their pasts are both very traumatic. It got more lighthearted as it went on. The language and cultural barrier was so funny at times. Haeden’s utter devotion to Josie was SO sweet. So many cute moments.
Original review: 3⭐️ This is like ultimate enemies to lovers. This couple has intrigued me throughout all of the other books so I was excited to read this one. Poor Haedon! His story was so sad. I loved reading this!
Original review: 3⭐️ This is like ultimate enemies to lovers. This couple has intrigued me throughout all of the other books so I was excited to read this one. Poor Haedon! His story was so sad. I loved reading this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Abandonment, and Sexual assault
missbliss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Least Favorite Couple Still Good World Building
I have mentioned in my previous review that I really think Ruby builds such solid and unique characters that this starts to be about personal preferences for characters and couples. And I was surprised that this was the first time I felt rather lack luster towards the couple of Josie/Haeden. I will acknowledge feeling disappointed as I am usually into the enemies to lovers trope and I had been very eager to hear more about Haeden's back story. Again the world building and awareness of the Not-Hoth community continues to be very engaging but I found Haeden to feel too Drax like (character from Guardians of the Galaxy) not grumpy as much as flat affect and severely concrete thinker that made him hard to engage with. Josie I think some will not like because she is incredibly self focused in all her decisions without care or concern of the effect on others. I feel like her behavior is almost more explained by comments Tiffany made in the last volume about what trauma can do to a person and the sense of scarcity that can lead to self preservation and the story really drives home how Josie's whole life has built to this. However both Josie and Haeden never felt as alive to me as other characters, and I found myself less interested in their dynamic where I did not experience as much chemistry and more interest in questions that were being set up in the world. For instance the role of the resonance no matter the personal will of the individual. Honestly I thought what would happen if one of the women from earth was a lesbian. I also think there is a building concern being brought up in the scarcity of women and the growing effect this is having on the young eligible males in the group who are as each volume has been demonstrating acting more aggressively and out of character (based on several volumes now of violence against other males like with Salukh in the last volume and the males at the end of this volume). There is definitely a growing unease that even the older mated males seem very concerned about. I also was frankly very put off by the wrap up of this story which felt rushed and blatantly out of character for Josie. Not for spoilers but just that previously Josie had been very emotionally invested in some folks safety and their well being to at the end literally ignoring someone crying out in fear and disturbance so she could have sex with Haeden--for me this is either a hastily written conclusion or is hammering home that the khui literally makes characters act in a manner that goes against the individuals own values and concern for connection with community. Perhaps this is why the lack of resonance is also starting to drive the men to irrational acts of violence and aggression. It poses some interesting albeit dark implications for the relationship with a symbiont that holds such power over the individual who hosts it. The narration maintained the same quality but again I found the characters to fall flat for me as I do not find the grumpy hard withdrawn male to be attractive. I love a dry snarky wit male who can be engaging but this is not that. Haeden is not witty, there is one moment he starts to be playful and I for that brief moment felt more of a connection but that immediately fell away. I continue to love this series and feel no problem continuing and realize that again these couples will land differently for everyone. But just a little disappointed. I am following the reading order from Ruby Dixon's website so will be reading two of the shorts (Having the Barbarian’s Baby and Ice Ice Babies) before moving onto Barbarian’s Touch.
I have mentioned in my previous review that I really think Ruby builds such solid and unique characters that this starts to be about personal preferences for characters and couples. And I was surprised that this was the first time I felt rather lack luster towards the couple of Josie/Haeden. I will acknowledge feeling disappointed as I am usually into the enemies to lovers trope and I had been very eager to hear more about Haeden's back story. Again the world building and awareness of the Not-Hoth community continues to be very engaging but I found Haeden to feel too Drax like (character from Guardians of the Galaxy) not grumpy as much as flat affect and severely concrete thinker that made him hard to engage with. Josie I think some will not like because she is incredibly self focused in all her decisions without care or concern of the effect on others. I feel like her behavior is almost more explained by comments Tiffany made in the last volume about what trauma can do to a person and the sense of scarcity that can lead to self preservation and the story really drives home how Josie's whole life has built to this. However both Josie and Haeden never felt as alive to me as other characters, and I found myself less interested in their dynamic where I did not experience as much chemistry and more interest in questions that were being set up in the world. For instance the role of the resonance no matter the personal will of the individual. Honestly I thought what would happen if one of the women from earth was a lesbian. I also think there is a building concern being brought up in the scarcity of women and the growing effect this is having on the young eligible males in the group who are as each volume has been demonstrating acting more aggressively and out of character (based on several volumes now of violence against other males like with Salukh in the last volume and the males at the end of this volume). There is definitely a growing unease that even the older mated males seem very concerned about. I also was frankly very put off by the wrap up of this story which felt rushed and blatantly out of character for Josie. Not for spoilers but just that previously Josie had been very emotionally invested in some folks safety and their well being to at the end literally ignoring someone crying out in fear and disturbance so she could have sex with Haeden--for me this is either a hastily written conclusion or is hammering home that the khui literally makes characters act in a manner that goes against the individuals own values and concern for connection with community. Perhaps this is why the lack of resonance is also starting to drive the men to irrational acts of violence and aggression. It poses some interesting albeit dark implications for the relationship with a symbiont that holds such power over the individual who hosts it. The narration maintained the same quality but again I found the characters to fall flat for me as I do not find the grumpy hard withdrawn male to be attractive. I love a dry snarky wit male who can be engaging but this is not that. Haeden is not witty, there is one moment he starts to be playful and I for that brief moment felt more of a connection but that immediately fell away. I continue to love this series and feel no problem continuing and realize that again these couples will land differently for everyone. But just a little disappointed. I am following the reading order from Ruby Dixon's website so will be reading two of the shorts (Having the Barbarian’s Baby and Ice Ice Babies) before moving onto Barbarian’s Touch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
kyeruhh's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I can always count on an IPB book to get me out of a reading slump and this one did not disappoint.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Sexual assault
katiekeske's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was nervous starting this book about these two because there had been such buildup in the previous books. I do not like it when characters are mean to each other and have miscommunication, which these two had a lot of. I am giving it a four because there is character growth and more adventure with some more world-building in this one (instead of just being stuck in a cave resonating the whole book).
Once I got to read Haeden's POV and get his background and feelings, I was totally smitten with him. His story is so sad, and his actions make sense once you understand him. I wished he had shared more of his feelings out loud. Of course, that's part of the angsty drama.
I personally had a hard time connecting to Josie. I like that she's supposed to be a sunshine character, but her strong and constant desire to have a baby, especially after all the trauma she's gone through, just doesn't make sense to me. It was a little jarring to go from Tiffany's book, which I thought handled her trauma really well, to Josie's book where she doesn't seem affected by her past at all. She briefly mentions things, but then just gets over it...? (Good for her, I guess. Are there people out there like that? I don't know any myself...) I know every woman is different, so there are women out there who will feel a connection with her. I'm just not one of them. I wished she treated Haeden better sooner.
Once I got to read Haeden's POV and get his background and feelings, I was totally smitten with him. His story is so sad, and his actions make sense once you understand him. I wished he had shared more of his feelings out loud. Of course, that's part of the angsty drama.
I personally had a hard time connecting to Josie. I like that she's supposed to be a sunshine character, but her strong and constant desire to have a baby, especially after all the trauma she's gone through, just doesn't make sense to me. It was a little jarring to go from Tiffany's book, which I thought handled her trauma really well, to Josie's book where she doesn't seem affected by her past at all. She briefly mentions things, but then just gets over it...? (Good for her, I guess. Are there people out there like that? I don't know any myself...) I know every woman is different, so there are women out there who will feel a connection with her. I'm just not one of them. I wished she treated Haeden better sooner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Blood, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, and Abandonment
Minor: Vomit, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
Josie mentions being sexually abused when she was in foster care . She does not go into great detail. Haeden very briefly attempts suicide in a moment when he thinks he's lost Josie.courtknee29's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Pregnancy
alisoun's review against another edition
4.0
Honestly I loved this one!
It's miscommunication because they both express their love differently 🥺🥺🥺🥺 he's all acts of service and she's expecting words of affirmation.
I really enjoyed re reading their journey!
In a way I also think this is a second chance resonance for Haeden but with someone he actually loves!
It's miscommunication because they both express their love differently 🥺🥺🥺🥺 he's all acts of service and she's expecting words of affirmation.
I really enjoyed re reading their journey!
In a way I also think this is a second chance resonance for Haeden but with someone he actually loves!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood
Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
Josie grew up in foster care which is were the brief mention TWs occuredbbygirl21's review
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I don't have much to say about this. But I did enjoy it. I loved Haeden and Josie together. The tension between them until the moment they get together is amazing. I also like how sweet Haeden is with Josie in the end. They both had their own issues and fears with being each other's mates and I enjoyed seeing them work through those issues together when they decided to give each other an actual chance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death
Minor: Grief, Self harm, Rape, Sexual assault, and Vomit
tostita's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Grumpy Haeden and sunny Josie, the last of the human women, finally resonate, much to everyone’s surprise and Josie’s horror. Josie is determined to reject the resonance, despite its seemingly irresistible force, because she refuses to raise a child amid strife and hostility like her own traumatic childhood. That is not an easy feat, and her quest for a fate of her own choosing leads to plenty of unexpected discoveries.
This is the first Ice Planet Barbarians book I ever read, so it will always have a special place in my heart. I have no idea how many times I’ve reread it since then. This time, I was preparing for an upcoming book club, and despite reading it many times before I still found new elements and new perspectives.
This is the first Ice Planet Barbarians book I ever read, so it will always have a special place in my heart. I have no idea how many times I’ve reread it since then. This time, I was preparing for an upcoming book club, and despite reading it many times before I still found new elements and new perspectives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Gore
fritopie's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Abandonment, and Child abuse