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cameo'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
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Death, and Vomit
sar_lion'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
takarakei'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? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
bookishkellyn's review
- 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
Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail
twistykris'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? No
4.25
I enjoyed This Wicked Fate, but in all honesty, I liked This Poison Heart more. While I loved getting to know more about Circe, Nyx, Persephone, and Marie, the majority of this book is spent waiting and gathering information. They don't set out on their journey until more than halfway through. It also felt like it lacked a certain danger and action; there are some great tense, heartbreaking moments, but I wish they were drawn out more, and the ending felt abrupt and concluded too quickly for me.
I also wish the relationship between Briseis and Marie was more fleshed out (also I'm now feeling kinda meh about Marie being hundreds of years old dating a 16-year old). While I love some queer rep, their relationship just feels very insta-love; they hardly have any deep conversations and I didn't feel like it developed that much in this story.
That being said, it is still an enjoyable urban fantasy duology with some wonderful characters and strong Black girl magic.
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Vomit
lennie_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
After the dramatic cliffhangers from the end of first book I was desperate to know what Briseis was going to do next.
I absolutely loved her as a character and I also really loved her mum's, and how normal they all felt. I also loved the little found family that Bri gathered around her.
I found the magic system fascinating and loved all of the plant lore and Greek Mythology, especially some of the lesser known ones.
I still think the romance was a bit insta-love-y and i had trouble at times really investing in it.
I really liked both of the characters but i feel like we missed the part where they got to know each other before liking each other. Idk maybe I'm just being cynical.
I really enjoyed the ending and in my mind I like to imagine Bri and her family running their little apothecary in their quaint little town whilst solving mysteries and getting involved with supernatural hijinks. It feels rife for a tv spin off tbh and i for one would absolutely devour a cosy witchy low stakes black girl magic tv show.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
icarusandthesun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
i read this poison heart some years ago and thought it was quite enjoyable—the greek mythology, the plants, the likable characters. this wicked fate still had all three of those, but somehow it just didn't have the same impact, the same excitement to it.
i found the whole story except for the ending pretty average and uninteresting. the storyline had this basic, linear feeling to it—it was pretty obvious what was going to happen most of the time. you knew in advance how the next chapter was going to make you feel.
the romance between briseis and marie was a little unbelievable? not because they weren't compatible but simply because they never really talked? not a lot of (deep) coversations, nothing. the only times they interacted was to plot or to kiss/hug. their relationship didn't go through any sort of development, wasn't deepened at all. i think that was handled way better in the first book.
i did however like the ending! it made me tear up a little bit and was all in all just very wholesome. definitely the only extraordinary thing this book's got going on for it.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent
emilyhv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Torture, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
kendal_reads'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
esme_may's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Torture, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol