Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher

10 reviews

ceredonia's review against another edition

adventurous funny 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Sexual content

bree_h_reads's review

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

Somehow I forgot this was a romantasy between placing my hold on Libby and getting the book. It was a pleasant surprise!

Overall I think it was a good book! I really enjoyed listening to it. Stephen and Grace were really interesting and complex MCs. It was fun to follow them and uncover more about their histories and see how they function in the situation thrust upon them. Not only that, but I really enjoyed each character’s personal arc. Stephen grappling with his grief, struggle with losing his god, and how it’s bonded him so deeply to the other paladins was really compelling. I also loved learning more about Grace’s past and seeing her grow and overcome it.

The characters being so well written and compelling really sold me on the romance and its development. While it moved a little quickly for my taste, I still loved every minute. I thought it was really sweet and the conflict keeping them from being together was understandable. It didn’t frustrate me like some others do.

The book did have its flaws though. I don’t think the book balanced the three plot lines very well. It left me feeling dissatisfied by the conclusion. Also, while I loved the narrator’s voice, I think his delivery was a bit lacking in feeling.

Overall it was a really enjoyable romantasy. I definitely recommend checking it out!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and War

Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Police brutality, and Medical content

karatics's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Gore, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Medical content, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

thisbookisbananas's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Paladin’s Grace is T.Kingfisher’s beginning book in a fantasy romance series. This is not to be confused with romantasy. I love that genre, but that is not this! I’d say this verges on is an eerie fantasy that is distinctly T.Kingfisher with a romantic subplot. It was wonderful and had all of the hallmarks of any T. Kingfisher book I read: snarky humor/banter, lovable, dare I say sweet, characters and the dark fantastical aspects of her writing.I look forward to reading the next book in this series!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Gaslighting

puck_jay's review

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

THE PALADINS ARE ADORABLE AND I LOVE THEM. This was a good book I wish the fandom was bigger. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and War

mirandalikesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A wonderful, funny, sweet start to the series. I loved both of the main characters. Stephen has a sturdy practicality that was laced with genuine kindness. And Grace is so unique and intelligent and caring. The vulnerability of both characters made you love them. The thread of their romance - aka the main point of the novel - was my favorite part of the book. And the fact that both characters were in their 30s was refreshing! I love a book that shows that life isn't over when you leave your 20s. 

The things that kept this from a 4 star read for me are just some simple style choices. The inner monologue, while oftentimes funny, sometimes was a bit too much talking to themselves. Also the poisoning plot and the beheading plot together felt like a lot going on. 

Kingfisher drops lots of breadcrumbs for the rest of the series, and I'm excited to get to it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

sonatica's review

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Medical content

lilbookbee's review

adventurous emotional funny inspiring medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

T Kingfisher has truly solidified herself as one of my favorite authors. I have been in a book slump since August, managing to start very little, never mind actually finishing. But listening to the Paladin's Grace audio on my new long commutes has been a breath of fresh air. I was excited to get into the car and go to work so I could listen to more. And I was just as excited to leave for the day and get more of this story.

I loved everything about this book from start to finish. The characters were funny and broken and compelling. The story itself was fascinating, full of twists and surprises I wouldn't have expected. Stephen and Grace were such a perfectly awkward matched and reading their romance was such a joy.

I truly cannot wait to pick up the next book in this series. And shout out to the audiobook narrator, he was really amazing!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Cursing, Toxic relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and War

fatherprozac's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I wanted to like this book so bad. I loved the world-building and ate up every little detail. Unfortunately, I loved every character except the two protagonists. I found Grace's inner monologues to be so cringeworthy that I barely finished the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

booksthatburn's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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

4.5

The White Rat books definitely have a trend towards featuring broody men who are good at stabbing things and carry around an enormous amount of (understandable but often overwrought) guilt. Stephen is no exception to this. He is a paladin whose god died suddenly three years ago, which left people disturbed and confused that a god could die, and triggered berserker rages in many of the paladins. The survivors are now in one of the White Rat’s temples, offering their services as protectors, guards, and whatever else the temple needs where muscled and frequently brooding swordsmen are of use. Grace is a perfumer who has an excellent sense of smell and finds herself rather suddenly in trouble. 

Grace is so genuinely trusting that she needs someone more cynical and observant around to keep things from turning out badly when people take advantage of her. She can, and has, reset her life after betrayal, but it's so nice to see a part of her life where people help her rather than leaving her to sink or swim in the wake of abuse and betrayal. Stephen and his fellow paladins are living each day without their god, trying to be helpful rather than letting the black tide swallow them. It's nice to read a story where the main characters have lives separate from each other, but it's obvious how their lives are enriched by each other's company and possible affection. Zale is a fantastic wit and an even better lawyer, it's great to see them again.

While technically not a sequel, this is set in the world of the White Rat, mentions places featured elsewhere, and includes at least one character from SWORDHEART. The story itself is entirely new. The worldbuilding focuses on just a couple of locations, but describes places in a way that provides relevant information for this story while giving details which complement what that other White Rat books established. I recommend reading at least SWORDHEART before this, but the main thing that will affect is whether Zale is a new or familiar character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, and Murder

Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, Terminal illness, Excrement, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment