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taryn_g'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Chronic illness
annorabrady'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
adeena23's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Violence and Death
Minor: Racism and Homophobia
bzliz's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
In developing Grey’s character, I feel like Harper’s character dulled greatly.
Lia Mara is the kind of protagonist I can’t help but like- she’s kind, clever and pragmatic despite her upbringing. Her mother makes too perfect a villain. It’s borderline offensive how one dimensional she is.
Despite it all, I did enjoy this and it was worth the couple hours I spent reading it and I care just enough to read the next one also.
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, and Emotional abuse
scarlett_f'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore
Moderate: Alcohol and Death
Minor: Confinement
LGBTq, cerebral palsylittletiramisu'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
roget's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Mental illness, War, and Bullying
Minor: Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Body shaming, and Slavery
Miscarriage doesn't happen, but it almost does, and the scene might be disturbing to some. Pedophilia is alluded to briefly in a few places as a vague threat to a side character, in a way that you understand what the narrative is talking about, but it is not explored or detailed at length, and the relevant character is protected from physical actions of that nature. There is a graphic scene in which two characters are chained and whipped, and one of them is an adolescent.queer_bookwyrm'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
"Easy. Choices are never easy. There are good and bad options, but the most dangerous is to not make any choice at all."
A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer is book two in the Cursebreakers series. I loved this one just as much as book one, even though this is pretty much where the Beauty and the Beast theme ends. These books are so comfortable to read. I fly through these books and it just feels right when I'm reading them.
This is the Grey book. Last book we didn't get any chapters from his POV, but this one alternates Grey and Lia Mara, the new character from the rival country Syhl Shallow. Grey is definitely my favorite character over all. I always like him better than Rhen, and this book only solidifies that. Grey struggles with the knowledge of the heir and what that will mean for Rhen and Emberfall, and seeks to distance himself from it. Lia Mara is the eldest daughter of Karis Luran, but not the heir to the throne. She struggles with never feeling enough or that she matters in the eyes of her mother, because she has empathy and compassion. She was a great edition to the cast of characters and quickly rose up in the ranks of favorite characters.
The big theme that runs through the whole story is the idea that choices are never easy. Each character has a choice they must make, but none of them are good choices. We also get themes of believing in yourself and standing up for yourself and what you believe in. There is also the concept of understanding that you can change the kind of person you are. You don't have to be one thing. Grey doesn't have to be the weapon the others wield.
I loved our band of characters as we got to know them: Tycho, Grey's loyal young friend who is everything and must be protected at all costs. I literally messaged a friend when he was introduced and told her I'd riot if he dies 😆; Jake, Harper's older brother and irritated himbo grew on me this book; Noah, Jake's gentle doctor of a boyfriend who is the constant voice of compassion and reason; and Iisak, the scraver from the Iishellasa Ice Forest. We got to see some really great growth from this gang and I had many moments where I wasn't sure what was going to happen. A couple of things shocked me at the end, none more so than what we learn in the epilogue 🤯.
Anxiously awaiting book three!
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Confinement, Torture, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Violence
bbivnca's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Torture and Death
emily_reads09'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Child death, Death, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture