Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Bloodmarked

Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

40 reviews

fleur____'s review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

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some_random_person_hi's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Wow. Just wow. Also, I need fanfic rn rn (why are there so little on ao3 this is so sad)
This book has reminded me of how bad I am at spotting plot twists (there is foreshadowing I just can't find them until hindsight kicks in). There isn't rlly an overarching plot throughout the book; it's more of a series of events and characters' reactions to them -> plot harder to follow than that of 1st book. Somehow has more fight scenes than prev books.
Love love love how the magic system & thus world got expanded. Treasured this series so much I was sort of procrastinating reading it so I could keep reading it for longer. This book sure is heavier than the first with how much more racism shows up & affects the plot + Bree's heritage gets explored. Also I just love when writers explore intergenerational trauma. I think Bree's character arc should have had the turning point during the climax instead of after so I felt like the character development could have been stronger.
Two main parts that I am rlly interested in: 1) love triangle & 2) legendborn cycle as ecoliterature
1) Before I read this, I thought that I'd end up shipping the 3 of them tgt as a throuple but now idk if I ship any of them w/ any of the others💀.

Bree's reasoning for kissing Sel even with her rship with Nick does not make sense to me at all. Liked Bree X Nick before that aghhhhhh why did that have to happen :( *Technically* still salvageable though. There is just so much to unpack between Nick & Sel and I worry about whether the author would have time for them to both get past it and also fall in love + they might get more baggage between them as the series progresses :sigh: Sel & Bree has that 2 year age gap which while does happen irl, I feel weird about. Anyway, I loved loved loved the dream sequences where Nick showed up & the parts where all 3 were together were some of my favourite scenes. WHEN NICK LEFT THEM I FELT SO BETRAYED (I kind of feel like Nick killed that mageguard bc of Sel'd bloodlust?) Why did they have to all get seperated as the ending😭😭😭 Now praying for multi POV Oathbound

I would like to take a moment to say that sonnet xvii by Pablo Neruda fits ot3 brilliantly it's like it was written for them.
2) Aether as metaphor for western imprialism's extractivism that is unsustainable w/ a high price (planet dying just like Abatement) while root as metaphor for a more balanced way of interacting and living in nature.

Volition is self-sustaining while the Order felt a need to expand to the point where they have Vassals in power in many places. The way root is more communal and not used for violence while aether users fight the never-ending war against the Shadowborn -> system that cultivates burnout just like a capitalistic society. There is something to be said about the story sold to Legendborn & those who wish to be Scions on how cool & powerful they'd be just like the legends vs it's actl the Regents in power just like the American dream vs extreme wealth inequality in USA w/ very little social support. The way aether users hunt root users down just like how USA interfered in leftist states to prevent their success. Dreaming as a sort of bridge between the past and present, as well as a way for connection (similar to Avatar) & ✨problem solving✨(like Word for World is Forest). "Sometimes, our dreams are memories revisted, sure, but other times, dreams depart from what was, and become something else."

There are sooooo many good quotes it's unbelievable. I'd like to specifically highlight

"There are many reasons to hid the truth from those you do not know. But when there is care between two people, and trust built, there is only one reason that lies continue: not fear of safety, but fear of judgement."
"'Think of the power you possess and the woman who gave it to you.' I used to think that woman was my mother, and, through her, you. Tried it her way, and it didn't work." "And why is that?" "Because you all didn't give me my power. I did"
"You said they ran so I wouldn't have to. But I think they ran so that one day I could choose. And today, I choose me."
"By burning away their roots, I am finally free to grow my own."

Has its flaws but it really is something special so 5 stars anyway. (Also I want to come back and see how long of a review I ended up writing lol)

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ashtonfinnie's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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alilbitofeveryth1ng's review against another edition

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slow-paced

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

3.0

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savvyrosereads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Rating: 4/5 stars

This is the sequel to Legendborn and the second book in the series of the same name.

Selwyn Kane is EVERYTHING and honestly the primary reason I enjoyed this book as much as I did. Overall, I’d say this one suffered from a bit of a sophomore slump—I wasn’t as connected to or engaged with the plot, and I was a bit frustrated with some of the characters’ decisions and with the ending overall.

But SEL. When I latch on to a fictional character I never let them go, and Sel is absolutely mine now. I urgently need more books in this series specifically because I urgently need more of him.

Overall, even with some mild criticisms, I do enjoy this series and think the world and magic system here is so interesting! I highly recommend these books for anyone who enjoys older-YA fantasy, and particularly fantasy with diverse rep and Arthurian inspiration!

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: Arthurian legend; Welsh terms of endearment (IYKYK); Black Girl Magic (literally)

CW: Blood/injury/violence; grief; racism and sexism; discussions of slavery

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imds's review against another edition

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Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

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vaguely_pink's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

I was pretty meh about Legendborn but HOOOOOOO BOY this was so good I’m foaming at the mouth for book 3

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sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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gabriella_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book has almost everything. Structures of oppression, intergenerational trauma, grief, romance, war, friendship conflicts, learned bigotry & privilege, and governmental conspiracy. It scratches any itch you have from Harry Potter, Maximum Ride, and The Hunger Games all rolled into one. Shit, it even satisfies the Warriors cat series fans too. It does all this will surpassing all of these series. Wish I had this when I was a younger, more voracious reader.

Tracy Deonn one-ups herself in this sequel book. This book further expands on characterizing her central cast while also giving other (more background) characters a chance in the limelight. She developed a core ensemble cast that feels compelling and stand-alone. This book made me cry, especially when

Bree talks with her mother

- Bloodmarked is raw and real. Bree is one of my favorite series protagonists I’ve ever read. She feels so real. I love reading about a protagonist who is strong, really strong, and in more than just a physical (or even girlboss) way. She has grit and emotional stamina and she’s navigating through systems rigged against her.

More random things I love about this book that didn’t seem to have a place for me to write them in this review:

The rest of the cast - especially Selwyn - tugs at my heartstrings.
Tracy Deonn’s dream sequences are an amazing exploration of themes that are relevant later in the book and offer a refreshing way to engage with old magic.
The descriptive settings!!
The use of LANGUAGE. Ugh. CARIAD!
The men in this book have a “written by a woman” charm. Well, the men that matter do, at least.

I love the way this author lays the groundwork for future plot twists - she has a gift for finding a way to keep the reader on their toes without insulting their intelligence AND while still making the twists believable. Some you can see coming - but that’s a credit to her foreshadowing.

I just want to keep gushing about this book because honestly it left me soooo hungry for the next book in this series!

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awkwardimagination's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

🫠🫠 I thought Legendborn burnt me out,,, at least I had the second book waiting for me. Now I have to wait for the third for some indeterminate amount of time.

The amount of pain and trauma every single character has gone through in this book is absurd. Just bc the first one had more deaths doesn't make this one any better.

Because this is the second book all the characters are coming into their own more and becoming more loveable.

I'm still not onboard the Sel and Bree train, I wish they would be platonic like Will and Bree, but they are well written I'll give them that.

I'm looking forward to the next book, I need to know how this turns out.

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