Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent

6 reviews

doahdancer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

Fun, but very short with little world building or character development. I read books 1&2 of The Crowns of Nyaxia before picking this up and I think it's a pretty sensible order. This could be read between 1&2 also, but all the world building is in book 1. This couple plays a minor role in book 2 and it was fun to see afterwards how they came to be.

The MCs of this story are more likable than the MCs of the main storyline, but they are also less complex. The FMC is well developed because it is her view we're seeing it all unfold through, but the MMC is underdeveloped in my opinion.

Overall a nice read that I easily finished up in half a day.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

emilywemily6's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful tense 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

4.75

I really enjoyed this novella, more than the duology! I found the length perfect and the story was sweet. It was slower-paced than other novellas I have read, which I didn’t mind but since I read it in multiple sittings I feel like I might have missed a little bit of the characterization of Lillith and Vale. So I would have loved a little more characterization at the beginning of the book, but I also might have missed it. I enjoyed seeing this relationship progress and how it felt right for Lillith to choose Vale.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

Minor: Medical content

ka_ke's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Blood, and Medical content

Moderate: Sexual content, Xenophobia, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Body horror, Gore, Xenophobia, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

wildflower_magic's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Another fantastic read by Clarissa Broadbent! This book is a novella following characters in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. It can be read after book 1, but I read it after book 2 and think that was a good time as I knew the characters well and this novella provided interesting backstory. I love the characters. The main character, Lilith, presents with many neurodivergent traits in a respectful and accurate way. This novella follows her journey as she tries to protect her loved ones from a god's curse that was placed upon her town. She decides she needs some help from the broody vampire who lives outside of town, thus leading her to create a deal with Vale. Vale is 100% book boyfriend vibes. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Gore, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Sexual assault and War

spicycronereads's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

Short and sweet. Loved Lilith in The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King and it was great to get her backstory and romance with Vale. I think it might have made this story less lovable if I hadn’t already met these characters so I am glad I read it them in the order that I did. Probably doesn’t hurt that I knew in advance they would get their HEA. 

I am not neurodiverse. But I love and work with many who are. They might differ in their read of Lilith. But from my perspective, Broadbent crafted a nuanced and compelling character whose neurodiversity was so often misunderstood and yet it was also a source of her strength. And she is loved for it, not in spite of it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Blood

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Xenophobia and Death of parent

cryosphinx's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

What a delightful short story. It felt so well done and fully fleshed out the ti forgot it was a novella and got sad it was already over. In that short time, you really get a good feel for Vale and Lilith, and I'm excited to see how they tie into Book 2 because they are just wonderful. The only bummer is we don't get anymore than those two, and when there's another character it's really brief. I suppose it IS a novella though. But it was still very good and a wonderful concept.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror, Medical content, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Rape, Death of parent, and War