dealfea's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Slavery, Murder, Blood, Animal death, Trafficking, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Sexism, Confinement, Classism, and Bullying
scrummyb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
In my typical fashion, I'm writing this review after reading books 1-4 of the series cause I didn't feel like pausing in between to review each individually. So this review encompasses all 4 books. First off, trigger warnings galore: rape, abuse, violence, child grooming, child abuse, misogyny, it goes on and on. A friend warned me ahead of time, so I hesitated to read it, but I'm glad I finally did. It's definitely a series that builds and gets better as it goes. Reminded me of ACOTAR that I wasn't into the first book that much, but then the real winners come after the first. After the first, I devoured it, though I did lose steam in #4, but I'm chalking that up to my own ADHD. While I never really grew to like the main character, I thought the author does a good job of showing how deeply trauma can affect a person and how hard it is to undo that conditioning from trauma. The other characters are delightful though & deliver the witty banter I love. And the villains!!! Ooooo she can write a villain! I was seeing red at some parts. The spicy scenes are also a fun kind of spicy that stands out from the typical tropes you read. Another thing the author does an excellent job at is the slow reveal. She frequently drops a nugget in one book and later you're like, "wait, will we ever find out ______??" and then a book or two later she reveals. I'm a big fan. By the end of book 4, there are multiple viewpoints happening in the book. I haven't decided yet if I like the multi-POV, but it does add a new dynamic. More political intrigue which I'm always a fan of. My biggest hang up is there were some fairly big plot holes that had me scratching my head. I chose to just suspend belief, cause it's a book and I'm here to be entertained, but it did detract from the escapism. Overall, I'd give the series 4 stars so far. I'll be back for book 5, for sure.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Adult/minor relationship
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