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ivegotyourpaperback's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Oooooh this was extraordinarily enjoyable. The authors note lets us know that she has Indian and Persian heritage, of which she drew on to create the fantastical world of Ambar. The world and setting were so rich, and the writing created vibrant images in my mind.
I started off listening to the audiobook while stitching or working, but found that due to the descriptive nature of the text I couldn’t fully take in the story if I wasn’t focused solely on it - so I ended up switching to the ebook.
I loved both of our MC’s, Gul and Cavas. Each time I read a chapter in one POV, I couldn’t wait to get to the next. Gul’s character particularly impressed me. She actually feels like a teenager (she’s 16). She’s quick to anger and impulsive at times. She makes mistakes and says things she regrets. This all made her feel very real rather than a typical idealised fantasy heroine.
Cavas too was very likeable, and I’m enjoying the slow burn nature of his relationship with Gul.
The narrators were both emotive and got into their respective characters. Though, the guy sounded like Matthew Broderick 😆
Extra content warning:
⚠️implied child SA
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty and Torture
courtnoodles's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Colonisation
Minor: Body horror and Abandonment
maregred's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
lunar_witch's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder
yvonne_cl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, Trafficking, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Suicide
decklededgess's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
trigger warnings: death of parents, torture, bigotry, abuse, sexual assault, slavery, sex work, misogyny, violent animal attack
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the cross of mythology and fictionalized fantasy throughout and the use of multiple South Asian languages to create the worldbuilding. I was a bit underwhelmed by the chosen one plot but not so much that it was boring. I have yet to read enough brown chosen one tropes before they get tiresome. I think this book would have been far more enjoyable had the narrator been able to pronounce literally ANY of the non English words INCLUDING the names. She could do only the basic ones and even then they sounded a little off. Publishers if you could be so kind as to find narrators who KNOW PRONUNCIATIONS that would be great. Especially when these books are SET abroad. South Asian American stories are different. American accents are part of diaspora. They are not part of indigenous South Asian stories.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the cross of mythology and fictionalized fantasy throughout and the use of multiple South Asian languages to create the worldbuilding. I was a bit underwhelmed by the chosen one plot but not so much that it was boring. I have yet to read enough brown chosen one tropes before they get tiresome. I think this book would have been far more enjoyable had the narrator been able to pronounce literally ANY of the non English words INCLUDING the names. She could do only the basic ones and even then they sounded a little off. Publishers if you could be so kind as to find narrators who KNOW PRONUNCIATIONS that would be great. Especially when these books are SET abroad. South Asian American stories are different. American accents are part of diaspora. They are not part of indigenous South Asian stories.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Murder
loveleighreading's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"The sky will fall, a star will rise
Ambar changed with the kings demise
Her magic untouched & unknown by all
Marked by the star, she'll bring his downfall"
Being a girl born in the Kingdom of Ambar with a star shaped birthmark is a curse, one that Gul knows all too well. Shortly after the brutal murder of her parents at the hands of a sky warriors, she is saved by the Sisters of the Golden Lotus. While the Sisters are determined to train her in warrior magic to be able to one day fulfill the prophecy, Gul can only think of revenge.
Cavas is a lowly non-magi, who works in the palace stables for a measly wage. To help pay for the medication his terminally ill father desperately needs, he has taken on a rather risky side job of selling palace secrets.
The initial meeting of these two was not at all tame, their tempers & the temperatures rising with each new encounter. Cavas cannot afford to get wrapped up in her schemes, & Gul cannot afford any distractions no matter how tempting. But fate or the Goddess seems to have other plans.
The mix of Indian culture blending with a fantasy world was a wonderful reading adventure for me. There were so many things I was unfamiliar with, like items of clothing or food, but at no time did I feel removed from the story for my lack of knowledge. Bhathena's explanations and descriptions made it very easy for me to imagine this world & these characters.
While I loved her found family in the Sisters & the colorful world of the palace, my favorite part of the story was the romance. Gul & Cavas lit up the page from their very first meeting & you could feel the heat between their every interaction. I cannot wait to get more of them in the sequel.
ARC was obtained through Goodreads Giveaway
<a href=https://booktriggerwarnings.com/index.php?title=Hunted_by_the_Sky#Trigger_Warnings>Book Trigger Warnings</a>
<a href=https://loveleighreading.tumblr.com/post/625133256971616256/favorite-july-read-hi-my-loves-this-is-my>Tumblr Blog</a> <a href=https://www.instagram.com/p/CDS3okBAZNp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link>Instagram</a>
Ambar changed with the kings demise
Her magic untouched & unknown by all
Marked by the star, she'll bring his downfall"
Being a girl born in the Kingdom of Ambar with a star shaped birthmark is a curse, one that Gul knows all too well. Shortly after the brutal murder of her parents at the hands of a sky warriors, she is saved by the Sisters of the Golden Lotus. While the Sisters are determined to train her in warrior magic to be able to one day fulfill the prophecy, Gul can only think of revenge.
Cavas is a lowly non-magi, who works in the palace stables for a measly wage. To help pay for the medication his terminally ill father desperately needs, he has taken on a rather risky side job of selling palace secrets.
The initial meeting of these two was not at all tame, their tempers & the temperatures rising with each new encounter. Cavas cannot afford to get wrapped up in her schemes, & Gul cannot afford any distractions no matter how tempting. But fate or the Goddess seems to have other plans.
The mix of Indian culture blending with a fantasy world was a wonderful reading adventure for me. There were so many things I was unfamiliar with, like items of clothing or food, but at no time did I feel removed from the story for my lack of knowledge. Bhathena's explanations and descriptions made it very easy for me to imagine this world & these characters.
While I loved her found family in the Sisters & the colorful world of the palace, my favorite part of the story was the romance. Gul & Cavas lit up the page from their very first meeting & you could feel the heat between their every interaction. I cannot wait to get more of them in the sequel.
ARC was obtained through Goodreads Giveaway
<a href=https://booktriggerwarnings.com/index.php?title=Hunted_by_the_Sky#Trigger_Warnings>Book Trigger Warnings</a>
<a href=https://loveleighreading.tumblr.com/post/625133256971616256/favorite-july-read-hi-my-loves-this-is-my>Tumblr Blog</a> <a href=https://www.instagram.com/p/CDS3okBAZNp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link>Instagram</a>
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Slavery
Minor: Sexual assault