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adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
I want to scream right now.
Without giving too much away I hate the emotion earthquake my heart just got put through. But I also stupidly enjoyed it. Clearly I’m a masochist.
I have had this sitting on my up next pile for the last 3 months and I wish I’d read it sooner. I go through books quickly, but this one felt like a blink. I couldn’t stop myself from listening to it and was so invested in every branch of this story. I fell back in love with all the characters instantly.
Cory is the ultimate morally grey book boyfriend. He and Harriston are put in truly terrible situations, and they both make bad calls, or are forced to pick the lesser of two evils often. Lochlan is a person who’s been backed into a corner and is ready to claw his way out and Tessa is a pure hearted woman who does lean to being naive but refuses to stop trying to do the right thing. This series explores so many morally grey characters and terrible choices from so many sides. Even “captain Blackmore” ends up being greyer than he starts out. This series forces you to think and face the fact that even the best of intentions can have costs and the worst seeming people have reasons for their behaviour. So if that’s up your alley start the series!!!! It doesn’t disappoint. Just be prepared to shed some tears.
The end of the book might feel a bit rushed to some, but I appreciate that it’s not all wrapped up in a neat and tidy bow within weeks of the climax, as too much is left falling apart for that to be realistic, but I also recognize that to write months worth of detailed ongoings would have needed another book. So while at times it feels like a summary there are enough important moments inserted between the info dropping that I think it ended up being a good medium between the two options.
Without giving too much away I hate the emotion earthquake my heart just got put through. But I also stupidly enjoyed it. Clearly I’m a masochist.
I have had this sitting on my up next pile for the last 3 months and I wish I’d read it sooner. I go through books quickly, but this one felt like a blink. I couldn’t stop myself from listening to it and was so invested in every branch of this story. I fell back in love with all the characters instantly.
Cory is the ultimate morally grey book boyfriend. He and Harriston are put in truly terrible situations, and they both make bad calls, or are forced to pick the lesser of two evils often. Lochlan is a person who’s been backed into a corner and is ready to claw his way out and Tessa is a pure hearted woman who does lean to being naive but refuses to stop trying to do the right thing. This series explores so many morally grey characters and terrible choices from so many sides. Even “captain Blackmore” ends up being greyer than he starts out. This series forces you to think and face the fact that even the best of intentions can have costs and the worst seeming people have reasons for their behaviour. So if that’s up your alley start the series!!!! It doesn’t disappoint. Just be prepared to shed some tears.
The end of the book might feel a bit rushed to some, but I appreciate that it’s not all wrapped up in a neat and tidy bow within weeks of the climax, as too much is left falling apart for that to be realistic, but I also recognize that to write months worth of detailed ongoings would have needed another book. So while at times it feels like a summary there are enough important moments inserted between the info dropping that I think it ended up being a good medium between the two options.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Confinement, Blood, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Death, War
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, War, Pandemic/Epidemic
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, War
Minor: Vomit
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Blood, Medical content
Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, Pregnancy
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Pregnancy
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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:
Yes
This book was a total roller coaster of emotions. It made me grin, giggle out loud and also gasp and cry uncontrollably.
The thing that really sold this book and series was the relationships between characters and how they all felt so real and raw and beautiful. The brotherly love between Corrick and Harristan felt so true even though they were separated. Tessa and Corrick still stole my heart, but honestly I enjoyed other romantic relationships more.
The relationship between Quint and Harristan was something I'd desperately wanted since book 1 and it was in my opinion the best romance of the series. Killing them both was the most devastating part, but it was still beautiful and the way it happened was on par for the relationship they'd built through the book.
The book just had the perfect ending too. When everything seemed settled, the ending just really shocked me. I'm really thrilled Harristan and Quint lived in the end, they deserved it and their ending is so beautiful.
Put it simply, this book just thrilled me the whole way through.
The thing that really sold this book and series was the relationships between characters and how they all felt so real and raw and beautiful. The brotherly love between Corrick and Harristan felt so true even though they were separated. Tessa and Corrick still stole my heart, but honestly I enjoyed other romantic relationships more.
The book just had the perfect ending too. When everything seemed settled, the ending just really shocked me.
Put it simply, this book just thrilled me the whole way through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Vomit
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Strong ending to the series, the climax comes really fast but a very satisfying conclusion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Murder
Moderate: War
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The last two books in this series really went hard on the character-driven writing. I thought overall this one was slightly better than book 2, but ultimately still a bit of a let down in the way the story was told. Basically there was too much telling and not enough showing. Example we're just told at the end that a truce/agreement whatever between Kandala and Ostriary is reached... but wasn't that kinda the a big thing in this book? so why is it just one line like "oh yeah that happened, s'all good" Plot pacing, because it was so character driven, was also an issue. I felt like the beginning really dragged, and the ending felt a bit rushed to get to our final conclusion.
Which is a shame because I think the overall analogy of Kandala, the sickness etc is fitting at least in the US where our healthcare system is a nightmare. I thought the political parts of this series were the strongest points and I guess I just wish that was a bit more of the focus. Not that I dislike reading about these character's interactions (because the main characters are great!), I just wanted more political tension I guess?
Harristan is my favorite character and this is really his book imo. Will forever be screaming about certain chapters in this book!Also I just wanna say, I KNEW it!
Which is a shame because I think the overall analogy of Kandala, the sickness etc is fitting at least in the US where our healthcare system is a nightmare. I thought the political parts of this series were the strongest points and I guess I just wish that was a bit more of the focus. Not that I dislike reading about these character's interactions (because the main characters are great!), I just wanted more political tension I guess?
Harristan is my favorite character and this is really his book imo. Will forever be screaming about certain chapters in this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, War
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Death
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Vomit, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment