Scan barcode
elledanie's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
4.5
My fav Risdaverse 🦾
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Rape, Gun violence, Gore, Excrement, Cursing, Torture, War, Slavery, Blood, Violence, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Murder, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Death
lilbookbee's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? No
5.0
This book has singlehandedly convinced me that I can like blue alien books. Specifically, this has turned me into a Ruby Dixon believer. This book has tempted me to abandon my carefully curated TBR list and start a Ruby Dixon binge, starting with the Risdaverse.
No but seriously. This book had so many things I love, and things I didn't know I loved until I read it. We got hot aliens, we got grumpy sunshine, we got forced proximity. Jerrok and Sophie are literally meant to be. Their slow build relationship felt wholly genuine, especially when navigating both of their traumas. Jerrok spent so much time being grouchy, but when he finally opened up to Sophie, it was beyond sweet. And their spice, god, it was so hot.
This review would be incomplete without me mentioning Sleipnir. I adored that big weird cat adjacent alien thing. I just thought he was the most fascinating thing!
No but seriously. This book had so many things I love, and things I didn't know I loved until I read it. We got hot aliens, we got grumpy sunshine, we got forced proximity. Jerrok and Sophie are literally meant to be. Their slow build relationship felt wholly genuine, especially when navigating both of their traumas. Jerrok spent so much time being grouchy, but when he finally opened up to Sophie, it was beyond sweet. And their spice, god, it was so hot.
This review would be incomplete without me mentioning Sleipnir. I adored that big weird cat adjacent alien thing. I just thought he was the most fascinating thing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Body horror, and Trafficking
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
wilybooklover's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
I almost DNFed this a few times at the start because Jerrok was a bit too mean of a grump for my tastes. But he softens up a bit around the 20% mark and that’s when I started to enjoy this. He’s a big marshmallow inside, and Sophie is just pure sunshine. They’re both suffering from a lot of trauma and find a haven in each other. Very sweet romance, although a bit too long and circuitous (which I'm gonna blame on it starting life as a serial).
I loved seeing Bethiah again, she’s such a fun character!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Slavery, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Violence, War, Rape, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual violence
Minor: Ableism, Classism, and Torture
bookedinsideout's review against another edition
4.5
It’s the long-awaited (for me), very much adored When She Belongs! I so loved the isolated feeling of the two of them on the abandoned space station with Sleipnir the carinoux. Even in a world that can be awful and ugly, these characters carving out space for love and happiness and belonging is so hopeful and necessary. I especially loved the care and respect that went into learning each other’s boundaries and working on healing together. The lack of angst is perfect for me, though the concern that they might have to part with Sleipnir lasted a little long!
While not all of the answers are given in this book (what exactly happened to the va Sithai brothers), I can forgive that since they’ll get their own books and it’s a pretty cool idea to write a book as a serial even if I would be too impatient not to read the whole thing at once.
Unfortunately for a book with generally good disability representation (dealing with pain, prosthetics, sick care, etc.), I was disappointed to see the word “invalid” used… twice. First Sophie: “you’re having to take care of me like I’m an invalid” when she burned her hands, and then later Jarook telling Sophie that he’s “not an invalid” when she tries to help him with something. That’s just not a word we should be using, for what I feel are obvious reasons. Having a disability doesn’t make someone an “invalid”, nor does needing help or a break or care of any kind. I’m excited to read Zakoar’s story, the prosthetic surgeon who has prosthetics and a metal spine himself, but I’m really hoping not to see that word again, especially in a contemporary story.
My plan was to take a break from the Rubyverse after this book, but now I feel like I have to quickly read the Corsairs (which would be kind of like a prequel for me) so that I can then find out what happened to the va Sithai’s with the Corsair Brothers and then re-start the Ice Planet Barbarians and intersperse that with Ice Home… stat!
While not all of the answers are given in this book (what exactly happened to the va Sithai brothers), I can forgive that since they’ll get their own books and it’s a pretty cool idea to write a book as a serial even if I would be too impatient not to read the whole thing at once.
Unfortunately for a book with generally good disability representation (dealing with pain, prosthetics, sick care, etc.), I was disappointed to see the word “invalid” used… twice. First Sophie: “you’re having to take care of me like I’m an invalid” when she burned her hands, and then later Jarook telling Sophie that he’s “not an invalid” when she tries to help him with something. That’s just not a word we should be using, for what I feel are obvious reasons. Having a disability doesn’t make someone an “invalid”, nor does needing help or a break or care of any kind. I’m excited to read Zakoar’s story, the prosthetic surgeon who has prosthetics and a metal spine himself, but I’m really hoping not to see that word again, especially in a contemporary story.
My plan was to take a break from the Rubyverse after this book, but now I feel like I have to quickly read the Corsairs (which would be kind of like a prequel for me) so that I can then find out what happened to the va Sithai’s with the Corsair Brothers and then re-start the Ice Planet Barbarians and intersperse that with Ice Home… stat!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Sexual violence and Ableism
theyannibannireads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Slavery, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and War
More...