Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Hanged Man

The second book of the first trilogy in the Tarot Sequence begins somewhat quietly, with Rune Sun, the last remnant of the Sun Court, making a pillage run through the ruined Sun Estate with his Companion, Brand. During the course of his investigation, he comes across a file on Brand detailing his family history -- and Rune isn't sure if he's brave enough to give it to Brand.
Then the plot takes off at full speed, with Max, Rune's ward and a survivor of the fall of the Lovers' Court, almost being kidnapped by the Hanged Man, who had arranged a marriage between himself and Max prior to the fall of the Lovers' Court. However, the Hanged Man is a mysterious character, known for his viciousness and his taste for youthful brides, and Rune isn't about to leave Max to such a horrible fate. His conflict with the Hanged Man leads him to the Dawncreeks, a family once aligned with his father's court. The eldest son, Layne, ran away to the Hanged Man's court, providing Rune and Brand the perfect cover to investigate and, hopefully, save both boys in the process.
This is a very brief and generalized summary of the plot; so much happened within these pages, and my heart was racing almost the entire time.
Although I feel this book deserves five stars, it's not 100% perfect. The biggest drawback for me was the investigation of the Hanged Man's hideout, the USS Declaration. Without giving too much away, I'll simply say it reminded me of watching walkthroughs of the video game "Amnesia," which wasn't my thing. I found the constant back and forth between the past and present a little jarring, and it dragged on a little too long for my liking. It's an important sequence for the story, I understand, but I felt it could've been shorter.
There were a few other smaller details that I disliked, but they're not significant enough to pick apart. This book was just too good! If you're a sucker for the found family trope like I am, know you will be FED. Rune's relationships, both existing and new, are well developed throughout this sequel, and I'm continued to be impressed by how distinct each of them is and how rich the secondary characters are to make that possible. Other reviewers have commented on the grown-up behavior shown in Rune's relationships, especially with Addam, and I fully agree; it's so nice to read about two people being together who actually *communicate* and respect each other -- basically, they act like adults, and it's incredibly refreshing. Granted, Addam's comment to Rune at the end of the book was like a knife to the heart and made me lose sleep, but I know it'll be addressed in the next book, so I'll bear with the pain.
I also enjoyed seeing Rune mature. As the book went on, his responsibilities began to add up, but rather than run from them, he took them on willingly and magnificently: He cares about the people who used to be a part of his father's court and embraces them with open arms; on the political front, he starts to establish himself as a new player to watch by the ruling powers; and at home, he remains considerate and protective of those he loves, always putting their needs before his own and trying to keep them out of danger.
I just love these characters. The people, the plot, the humor, the love -- this book has it all.

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stayc_girls's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious 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? No

4.0

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mugs_it_is's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

3.5

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alouette's review

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adventurous emotional funny 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

5.0

what else to say but wow... any and all gripes i might have had with the first novel of this urban fantasy were amended with this thrilling sequel. the new characters were lovely, and the dialogue just as fun. it was near impossible for me to put the book down, as following the adventures of the most beautiful found family i've ever seen is a completely immersive experience. the blend of action, intrigue, emotion, darkness, and love- there's probably a dozen other aspects to name, mixed in so well to create a stunning product.

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allofmyboats's review

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adventurous dark 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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astudyinfic's review

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adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

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frantic_vampire's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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

Reread April 2022:

I loved rereading The Hanged Man. This time it seemed to go by so much faster and I tired to savor it. There were so many little things that I missed the first time around! I still love Rune and Brand to pieces. I also loved the everyone is starting to see Quinn’s potential! This book is still a solid five star read and I’m so excited for book three.

Original Review Jan 2021:
Oh. My. God. This book......*incoherent fangirl screeching and flailing*. I loved this book with my whole heart. There’s just no other way to say it. This went some unexpected directions and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out in the rest of the series.

The Hanged Man is filled with some of the most lovable characters. From Rune and Band, to Max and Quinn, to the Dawncreeks and all the rest. There is just no way that you couldn’t fall in love with them. Edwards really knows how to pull on your heartstrings. And damn, did he ever! Also! Quinn is one of my favorite characters from this series. He’s precious and just needs a hug.

There were so many amazing moments in this book! Soft moments with the kids and connecting as a ragtag found family. WTF moments filled with hideous and dark forbidden magic. Totally badass moments filled with new found powers and the claiming of birthrights. But there were also hilarious moments to balance everything out. It was all so good and I don’t think there was anything I didn’t like about this book.

Honestly, this book was amazing. I was totally blown away by it and I can’t wait to get my hand on the next book....and all short stories. The Hanged Man is getting a solid five stars.

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