Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I. Lin

14 reviews

queergoth_reads's review

adventurous dark 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

I received this eARC from NetGalley but all thoughts are my own. 

This picks up straight after the events of A Magic Steeped in Poison. I don't want to spoil that for anyone that hasn't read it so I'll keep it vague. We follow Ning as she journeys across the kingdom, not knowing who to trust or where she belongs, but determined to save it. 

The second book had a different feel to the first one for me. It was darker and while it still focuses heavily on magic, it wasn't quite in the same way as the first. I guess the strong focus on Ning developing her magic in the first book was to introduce the magic system but I just the ceremonies and problem solving of the first one. This one focuses more on the threats to the kingdom and the journey taken to save it and I would have liked a blend of the two a little more. 

I still really enjoyed this though. The magic and mythology are so wonderfully weaved into this story and the author does an amazing job of making you care about every character, even if they have a relatively small part. And as always, I love a good description of food in books and this book gives me that and more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcohol

heatherjchin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Gore, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Blood

karcitis's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Genocide, Gore, Blood, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Physical abuse and Torture

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

adventurous challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

In Judy I. Lin’s follow-up to her gorgeous debut, A Magic Steeped in Poison, Ning is on the run with her newly-saved sister, alongside the princess and her beloved bodyguard.  Even as they run for their lives, Ning can’t help but think of the boy she left behind, the son of the general behind the coup, behind the still-lurking poison.  When at last they meet again, Ning must surrender to trust in order to survive the trials that many more seasoned than she have failed, all in order to save their people from a vengeful, power-hungry god who haunts her at every turn.  With atmospheric scenes of magical connection sprinkled throughout, this sequel satisfies like the perfect cup of tea.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Confinement, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Gore, Torture, Vomit, and Alcohol