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frenchpants's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Murder, Suicide, and Death
Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and War
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? No
5.0
This was a perfect conclusion to the series. All the threads of our mystery are entangled within our now-expanded cast of characters. It's a joy to have all three couples together for this final installment, and the sense of found family sets this apart in the trilogy.
And first, I have to note how much I LOVED this audio production and narration by Josh Dylan. I would highly recommend this entire series on audio, but I particularly enjoyed this one.
This romance has a harder edge than any of our others, but also resulted in perhaps the most heartfelt declarations of the series. Role playing scenarios from Alan's erotic stories allows Alan and Hawthorne to navigate the class difference and power imbalance inherent to their relationship. Consent is well-navigated, with both establishing boundaries within scenarios and ways of withdrawing consent. I felt it was really well done, and allowed both characters to be vulnerable within a protected space as they begin revealing themselves to each other.
And the mystery! I loved that in each installment we get a new piece of the history of The Last Contract. In this, we get a deeper dive into the fae bargain with England's magicians, the ley lines, and magic houses (These! Magic! Houses!). I loved how this expands the world and magic system even further, and I thoroughly enjoyed every twist.
This is a book about mending and tending, and I absolutely adored it.
And first, I have to note how much I LOVED this audio production and narration by Josh Dylan. I would highly recommend this entire series on audio, but I particularly enjoyed this one.
This romance has a harder edge than any of our others, but also resulted in perhaps the most heartfelt declarations of the series. Role playing scenarios from Alan's erotic stories allows Alan and Hawthorne to navigate the class difference and power imbalance inherent to their relationship. Consent is well-navigated, with both establishing boundaries within scenarios and ways of withdrawing consent. I felt it was really well done, and allowed both characters to be vulnerable within a protected space as they begin revealing themselves to each other.
And the mystery! I loved that in each installment we get a new piece of the history of The Last Contract. In this, we get a deeper dive into the fae bargain with England's magicians, the ley lines, and magic houses (These! Magic! Houses!). I loved how this expands the world and magic system even further, and I thoroughly enjoyed every twist.
This is a book about mending and tending, and I absolutely adored it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Child death, Grief, Blood, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Classism, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder and Gun violence
Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual assault
Pregnancy and sexual assault in a side character's backstory.hendrixpants's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Minor: Homophobia
r0secaptain's review
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The main characters felt like they were there to just watch the story/plot happen, they didn't contribute much which is unfortunate. Really felt like the author didn't know what to do with non-magical characters. But the romance plot between Jack and Alan was amazing even given the relatively little time they had together; it swept me away and I think they've got to be my favorite match up in the series. It's only a shame they didn't get to spend more time together. Overall a good resolution to the trilogy though I think this book had more untapped potential.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual assault, Racism, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Homophobia
cleot's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Suicide
Minor: Misogyny, Homophobia, and Sexual assault
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think this book got caught up in the amount of plot ground to cover that it tended to lose sight of the romance. The two genres tended to feel very distant in a way that they other books didn't. I liked both the plot and the romance but I think it could have felt more relevant. I do think it did a good job of tying everything up in the end, which so many series struggle with, while also leaving it open to the possibility of another series. Also three times is a pattern and the bonding of every couple over erotica is so funny. I love the way romance authors tell on themselves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Grief
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Racism, Death of parent, Police brutality, Ableism, Murder, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Child death
ninjamuse's review against another edition
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Death, Homophobia, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
Is this… the best book I’ve ever read?????
Take this with a grain of salt due to recency bias as I don’t think anything could actually ever top A Marvellous Light for me BUT I did love how perfect a conclusion this story was, especially with the way it brought together all three story lines. The small call backs and the way this story flowed out perfectly from the paths already carved by the previous two made it a completely masterful novel.
A Restless Truth was a great book, but I missed Robin and Edwin. Having the entire gang together and watching this ragtag queer crew (Adelaide Morrissey is an asexual icon IMO) band together made this story electric in a way I missed in ART.
I really think Jack and Alan were the absolute perfect combo to complete the Last Binding trilogy. The chemistry was off the charts incredible, and I loved how they were such perfect foils for each other, highlighting both of their strengths, weaknesses, and growth. And in that growth, realize how much they truly complement each other and need the other to balance them, and match them.
Alan’s life is defined by what he would sacrifice and give to take care of his family; Jack’s is defined by the sister he couldn’t save. Alan has spent so long caring for others he can’t imagine letting go and being cared for; Jack has been selfish and has had everything he wanted handed to him, yet he wants nothing more than to be able to protect those few he actually does care about. While not the most important element of the story compared to the heart-racing plot, this thematic undercurrent supports the heart of the novel.
There are SO many good twists, turns, reveals, and secrets in this story I feel the need to reread it again immediately. The intense “Oh shit!” moments I thought would happen at the end of the book started happening at 40% in and my mind was blown at where the story could possibly go from there. Despite this, I never felt lost or like I had no idea what was going on since the groundwork has been impeccably laid. I want to spend 15 minutes in Freya Marske’s mind just to bask in all these incredible ideas.
Last but not least, Alan and Jack’a sexual escapades are among the best I’ve ever read. I have adored Marske’s sex scenes since day 1 because I find them so deeply informative to the characters and they tell us so much about the relationship dynamics, and APU exemplifies this in the extreme, while simultaneously being the absolute hottest filth you have ever read. I was listening in the car during the study scene (IYKYK) and I think my mouth was hanging open for the whole thing in delighted shock.
I’m afraid I won’t ever read another book quite like A Power Unbound, a title so chillingly perfect for this story I’m kind of in awe I didn’t see how good it was until after I finished it. But if Marske keeps publishing books, I really hope I do.
Take this with a grain of salt due to recency bias as I don’t think anything could actually ever top A Marvellous Light for me BUT I did love how perfect a conclusion this story was, especially with the way it brought together all three story lines. The small call backs and the way this story flowed out perfectly from the paths already carved by the previous two made it a completely masterful novel.
A Restless Truth was a great book, but I missed Robin and Edwin. Having the entire gang together and watching this ragtag queer crew (Adelaide Morrissey is an asexual icon IMO) band together made this story electric in a way I missed in ART.
I really think Jack and Alan were the absolute perfect combo to complete the Last Binding trilogy. The chemistry was off the charts incredible, and I loved how they were such perfect foils for each other, highlighting both of their strengths, weaknesses, and growth. And in that growth, realize how much they truly complement each other and need the other to balance them, and match them.
Alan’s life is defined by what he would sacrifice and give to take care of his family; Jack’s is defined by the sister he couldn’t save. Alan has spent so long caring for others he can’t imagine letting go and being cared for; Jack has been selfish and has had everything he wanted handed to him, yet he wants nothing more than to be able to protect those few he actually does care about. While not the most important element of the story compared to the heart-racing plot, this thematic undercurrent supports the heart of the novel.
There are SO many good twists, turns, reveals, and secrets in this story I feel the need to reread it again immediately. The intense “Oh shit!” moments I thought would happen at the end of the book started happening at 40% in and my mind was blown at where the story could possibly go from there. Despite this, I never felt lost or like I had no idea what was going on since the groundwork has been impeccably laid. I want to spend 15 minutes in Freya Marske’s mind just to bask in all these incredible ideas.
Last but not least, Alan and Jack’a sexual escapades are among the best I’ve ever read. I have adored Marske’s sex scenes since day 1 because I find them so deeply informative to the characters and they tell us so much about the relationship dynamics, and APU exemplifies this in the extreme, while simultaneously being the absolute hottest filth you have ever read. I was listening in the car during the study scene (IYKYK) and I think my mouth was hanging open for the whole thing in delighted shock.
I’m afraid I won’t ever read another book quite like A Power Unbound, a title so chillingly perfect for this story I’m kind of in awe I didn’t see how good it was until after I finished it. But if Marske keeps publishing books, I really hope I do.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Kidnapping, Death, Cursing, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Vomit
ramakn22's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Suicide, Murder, Misogyny, and Classism
Moderate: Child death, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Death, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Rape, and Pregnancy
20sidedbi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Violence, Blood, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Classism, and Suicide
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy