catherinedsharp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Colonisation, Slavery, Racism, and Gaslighting
gabriella_'s review against another edition
- 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
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
Spoiler
Bree talks with her motherMore 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!
Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Slavery, Blood, Body horror, Death, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Grief, Physical abuse, Stalking, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Child death, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Torture
awkwardimagination's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Kidnapping and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Rape, Violence, Sexism, Torture, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Medical trauma, Racism, and Grief
Minor: Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Car accident, Child abuse, and Death
jadorereadss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Slavery, Rape, War, and Gaslighting
shaipanda's review against another edition
- 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
Truly one of the best series I’ve ever read and worth every bit of hype it’s gotten and more imo :)
Is definitely a darker and more violent book/series at times tho so recommend checking trigger warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Racism, Grief, and Kidnapping
Moderate: War, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Death, Rape, Torture, Toxic friendship, Slavery, and Murder
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Abandonment
smoakwithwifi's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Gaslighting, Violence, Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Confinement
Moderate: Grief, Slavery, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Fire/Fire injury
abookwormspov's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Medical content, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Death, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Sexism, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Slavery, Rape, Emotional abuse, War, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Colonisation, Racism, Cursing, Grief, and Classism
willow_heartfilia's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Confinement, Gaslighting, Medical content, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, and Death
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Torture, War, Blood, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Slavery and Rape
Regarding the slavery and rape content warnings, if you read the first book then you should know thatSpoiler
it is regarding situations in the past with the characters’ ancestors. However, unlike the first book where you experience the memory walk and witness some of their traumatic memories, Bloodmarked may refer to that knowledge gained in passing, but it doesn’t show anything as prominent.saltylane's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
It’s rough listening to some scenes, especially because the reader is excellent at inflecting intense emotions in their voice acting. There are heartbreaking moments, as well as moments that will leave you mentally yelling at the very-much-flawed characters when they make questionable decisions.
The author has a good method of fleshing out characters in a way that makes them very three-dimensional and making their interconnected relationships really show in the best and worst ways. The twist endings and plot points are also ones that make sense and aren’t there only to mess with the reader expectations. The end of this book especially makes me want to know the answers to the many questions left by the last words. If there’s not an additional book in the series, the ending still works, even with threads hanging in uncertain directions.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Murder, Car accident, Grief, Medical content, Racism, Medical trauma, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Confinement, Bullying, and Colonisation
Minor: Misogyny, Vomit, Transphobia, Sexism, Racial slurs, Self harm, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
mimo_'s review against another edition
- 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
i am shaking and crying
Spoiler
i want pg 479 printed onto my forehead and framed above my bedSpoiler
ALSO WHY DID IT END LIKE THAT PLZZZZZZZGraphic: Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Grief, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Rape