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godswarriorgirl's reviews
21 reviews
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I know that we all know that the trend right now is the enemies-to-lovers trope, and a lot of authors try to incorporate that trope into their romances in YA fantasy books, but damn. This is an enemies-to-lovers couple done right. It wasn't like how in some books where the female lead is like "Oh I was sent to kill you but now that I have seen how hot you are I have changed my mind and forgot my entire mission". This book made me think that the girl was actually going to kill her man at several points of the book. I also loved how fleshed-out the underwater society was. It was mermaid-world-building to rival Jennifer Donnelly's Watersong series (which I also recommend if you are looking for some more underwater fantasy romances featuring some ladies with fins and gills, but that is beside the point). Anyway, I have read a lot of fantasy retellings but this one has stuck out as one of the most memorable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Death
The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a book I wish I could read for the first time again. It had everything in a book that I didn’t know I was looking for but desperately needed.
1. A main girl who is genuinely morally grey but will protect those she loves with a passion for the WHOLE book.
2. A main couple who flirt CONSTANTLY. Honestly, in every interaction I could feel the romantic tension between the two.
3. Really clever banter that made a re-read necessary.
4. Fantastic world building that felt authentic and interesting without throwing a ton of information at me at once.
1. A main girl who is genuinely morally grey but will protect those she loves with a passion for the WHOLE book.
2. A main couple who flirt CONSTANTLY. Honestly, in every interaction I could feel the romantic tension between the two.
3. Really clever banter that made a re-read necessary.
4. Fantastic world building that felt authentic and interesting without throwing a ton of information at me at once.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Torture, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is one of those books where I liked the platonic relationships better than the romantic ones. I loved every moment of Ismae with the duchess and it was so cool seeing their friendship blossom in a believable, touching way. The romance was fine, but I felt myself rooting for the powerful lady duo instead of the main couple. Overall, a great book with intriguing characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, and War
Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This story doesn’t follow Disney mermaids, it is about young, damaged girls who are transformed by their grief and have to discover whether or not they even want to keep their humanity. It’s beautiful and tragic and I loved it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid
adventurous
dark
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
4.75
This book felt like a 90s anime… with the characters, the sci-fi plot and political intrigue that made up the storyline. A fun and wild ride through a very interesting, twisted world.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
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
5.0
One of the books that introduced me to the YA genre, and what an incredible introduction it was!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Emotional abuse
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
To be honest, this felt like a Kylo Ren X Rey fanfiction set in a faerie universe and I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. Everyone tries to write strong female leads, but most of these females turn out to be insufferable Mary Sues that refuse to listen to common sense because they are "strong whamen" and need to be "independent and stubborn" to be powerfully-written women. Jude was a refreshing main character and was in no way a Mary Sue. She wasn't magically more powerful than the immortal Fae, but was able to use her humanity in a clever way that made it a hidden weapon instead of an obvious flaw. Jude also did not fall in love with Kylo - ahem, I mean Cardin - right away, because she had common sense and recognized him as a jerk. Even by the end of the book, they had barely begun a relationship and I loved how their character transformations were slow and made sense in regards to pacing. When I think of enemies-to-lover couples in YA books, this is the first book I think of.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Alive by Scott Sigler
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was an unexpected gem. I saw all of the positive reviews and authors praising it, but I didn’t realize how interesting the plot actually was until I started reading. I thought this was going to be a bad young adult attempt at a Saw franchise knockoff, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The characters are incredible and the whole book was a thrilling, nail-biting rollercoaster. I don’t want to give anything away because I want other readers to have the same first experience I did, full of pleasant confusion and surprise. Plus the author even included a request at the end of the book, which is not to spoil anything for other readers, which I believe is a brilliant idea and I will completely honor his wishes. Anyway, JUST READ THE BOOK!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Murder