Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by

6 reviews

sydapel's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense slow-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

I need everyone to read this series, like yesterday. Absolutely gorgeous writing, tender love story set against a mysterious and brutal game of court politics. Velasin and Cae fit so well together, but Meadows allows them to find each other rather than rush their relationship, creating a delightful slow burn that feels earned. I also absolutely adore this world and how magic, gender identity and lines of succession are handled within it. Annnnddd the next one comes out this year!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Animal death, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Abandonment, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship

jessiereads98's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

• 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? It's complicated

2.75

This book has potential it just doesn’t live up to. I really enjoyed the romance between the two main characters as well as the characters themselves. Velasin’s journey of acceptance and healing is also well handled and realistic. However, I went into this book expecting politics to play a much bigger role than they did. This book is more of a mystery than a political fantasy. I was disappointed that magic didn’t play a bigger role throughout the book as well. There were also times where the prose and dialogue felt clunky, awkward, and out of place. The occasional lecture-like dialogue from Velasin just seemed out of place with the style of the rest of the dialogue and came across as the author spoon feeding us her point. I found myself getting bored in parts and think this could’ve been shorter. There was a lot of mentions of the moons and religion which didn’t really go anywhere, along with mentions of Velasin’s siblings which served little to no point. I wish we had heard more about Riya and Laecia or other present side characters which would’ve been more relevant to the story. I personally also found the ending disappointing. Unsure if I will pick up the sequel to continue with the characters and romance and see if the promise of politics develops more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Rape, Suicide attempt, Blood, Death, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Confinement

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual content, Transphobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Miscarriage, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

shutupaboutbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-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

4.75

“But in the pale dawn light, with grief behind and grief ahead, I found I relished the danger”. I loved this book so much. The plot twist shocked me. I loved the feeling as being just as lost as the characters on their journey to solve the mystery! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Violence, Rape, Self harm, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Death

Minor: Sexual content and Sexism

bookcaptivated's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Animal death, Gore, Sexual content, Homophobia, Blood, Violence, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Vomit, Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Outing

Minor: Abandonment, Medical content, Transphobia, Ableism, Infidelity, and Self harm

jessie_h's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

5.0

I loved it! That’s the review. Go read it now.

This book, y’all. My heart is full. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It even made me gasp out loud. And it was beautifully and delightfully queer. It is hands down one of my top three favorite books of 2022 and as of right now it IS my favorite of the year. 

Someone please tell me there’s going to be a sequel or companion novel or something because I need more! More of this world and more of these characters! 

That being said there are some heavy topics in this book and the TW/CWs should be paid attention to. I will say that these topics were treated with the kindness and respect they deserved without sugarcoating them. I can only applaud Foz Meadows for her treatment of them.

TW/CW: sexual assault/rape (on page), suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide/self harm, homophobia, PTSD/trauma, violence, injury/injury detail, blood, murder, animal death (horse).*

*There are probably more but these are the major ones that I remember.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Murder, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Animal death, Death, and Grief

Minor: Death of parent, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

motleybooksandtea's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, and Rape

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Homophobia, and Violence