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lizzelovesbooks 's review for:
Dire Bound
by Sable Sorensen
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I want to start by saying, this isn't a *bad* book. It is, however, a book chock with tropes and clichés that made it difficult to swallow at times. I went in expecting a book with more nuance and history that I could sink my teeth into, but that expectation was on me for misunderstanding the "like Fourth Wing" promo that had been presented.
If you're wanting an easy read that doesn't reinvent the wheel, this is your jam. It's giving Red Queen meets Hunger Games, and in my opinion reads more like YA (with exception of the spice scenes). If you're new to dystopian fantasy, though, this book will probably become a favourite of yours! However, if you're a seasoned fantasy reader, like me, you'll see every plot twist coming a mile away.
My icks:
- Generic themed place-name choices, a bit unimaginative (imo). Name/Surnames bit on the nose/cliche, e.g: Brightbane, Lumina, Therion, Wulf - made me think I was reading an AO3 fanfic at times. I almost DNFed at the names being used, if I'm being brutally honest.
- The kitten nickname 🤮🤮 every time I read it, I wanted to throw the book. (While this was intentional, it worked a bit too well right from the off).
- Ch 6: "or something" just randomly used mid sentence; it felt as if the author had wanted to expand on this comparison at some point and forgot to return.
My loves:
- Sign language rep/hearing impairment mention - specifically the pros of sign language
- Found Family trope ❤️
- Ch 41 "who did this to you" x one bed at the inn - an elite combo that left me grinning.
⚠️ TWs:
- alzhimers(like) reference
- self harm
- parent death (multiple mentions)
- kidnap of minors
- general war/violence
🎧 I did listen to the audiobook while reading, and while the female narrator did amazing at doing multiple voices, the male narrator seemed to lack a range that would have confused me about who was speaking, was I not reading along with the physical book. Overall it was a good listen though.
🐺 Will I continue the series?
Maybe - I won't rush out on release day, but I will pick it up if the mood strikes me. I am curious about where the story could go now it seems like we've got the obvious twists out of the way. I'd love nothing more than for book 2 to grip me in a chokehold and prove me wrong!
If you're wanting an easy read that doesn't reinvent the wheel, this is your jam. It's giving Red Queen meets Hunger Games, and in my opinion reads more like YA (with exception of the spice scenes). If you're new to dystopian fantasy, though, this book will probably become a favourite of yours! However, if you're a seasoned fantasy reader, like me, you'll see every plot twist coming a mile away.
My icks:
- Generic themed place-name choices, a bit unimaginative (imo). Name/Surnames bit on the nose/cliche, e.g: Brightbane, Lumina, Therion, Wulf - made me think I was reading an AO3 fanfic at times. I almost DNFed at the names being used, if I'm being brutally honest.
- The kitten nickname 🤮🤮 every time I read it, I wanted to throw the book. (While this was intentional, it worked a bit too well right from the off).
- Ch 6: "or something" just randomly used mid sentence; it felt as if the author had wanted to expand on this comparison at some point and forgot to return.
My loves:
- Sign language rep/hearing impairment mention - specifically the pros of sign language
- Found Family trope ❤️
- Ch 41 "who did this to you" x one bed at the inn - an elite combo that left me grinning.
⚠️ TWs:
- alzhimers(like) reference
- self harm
- parent death (multiple mentions)
- kidnap of minors
- general war/violence
🎧 I did listen to the audiobook while reading, and while the female narrator did amazing at doing multiple voices, the male narrator seemed to lack a range that would have confused me about who was speaking, was I not reading along with the physical book. Overall it was a good listen though.
🐺 Will I continue the series?
Maybe - I won't rush out on release day, but I will pick it up if the mood strikes me. I am curious about where the story could go now it seems like we've got the obvious twists out of the way. I'd love nothing more than for book 2 to grip me in a chokehold and prove me wrong!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Self harm, Torture, Kidnapping, Death of parent, War
Minor: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting