Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Wicked King by Holly Black

10 reviews

noellegrace8's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

As stated in my review of The Cruel Prince, I really struggled to get into that first book. But I guess I got used to all the oddities, because I couldn't put this one down. There was less fluff, more politics, and it finally felt like the characters were the correct age for the things that are happening. They are adults now, making adult decisions and playing a dangerous adult game of power, authority, and death. I would no longer categorize this as "teen" literature, but "young adult." What really impresses me is that Holly Black manages to make me root for characters that are truly not good people, which is not typical for me. I wanted Jude to win in the first book. I was smug when she turned her knife on Cardan. But now in this one, I wasn't sure who to vie for. It seems like every time a character does something worth celebrating, they also do something that makes you hate yourself for liking them. The betrayals are painful but enticing. Also the cliff hanger??! My library is backed up 10 weeks for the last book and I am REELING about it. I don't know how I'm going to wait that long. This is fantasy done right, and true enemies to lovers (hopefully? Jury is still out on whether "lovers" is true...).

I don't factor the audiobook performance into my rating of the material itself, but I give Caitlin Kelly 4.5/5⭐. Again, by the second book in a series, I tend to get used to whatever problems I had with the voicing in the first. But honestly, there didn't seem to be as many parts where I felt the narrator wasn't portraying the correct emotion or tone of voice. A good performance, overall.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Xenophobia, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

diana_raquel's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, and Sexual content

kaz_brekkerrr's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Infidelity, and Blood

laneys_library's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This books is AMAZING! I couldn’t stop reading! I think it might just be my favorite book I’ve ever read. The ending shocked me and I can’t wait to start the Queen of nothing!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and War

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

sierrabowers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

The first half of this book was solely character development and although I understand it is important, I would have DNFd this if I had been reading in print and not audiobook. After

Taryn’s wedding,

it picks up a lot! The last few chapters of this book had me audibly gasping in my car on the way to and from work because of how shocked I was!!! It kept me on the edge of my seat and I am so excited to read the third book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: War

jillkaarlela's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Taylor Swift songs: “Don’t Blame me”, “…Ready for it?”, and “Vigilante Sh*t”

Disclaimer: I know this is portrayed as mostly a romance on Booktok, but it’s really not. It’s more of ya fantasy about the main character Jude, who is one of the only mortals in the Fae world of Elhame, fighting the prejudice against her and fighting for power. There’s some romance, but I know that it really only happens later in the series, but it is not the main plot of the book. 

Woah, so much more happened in this book than the first book! If I wasn’t in school, I probably would have binged the whole thing in one or two sittings, it is that addicting. There is just plot twist after plot twist!! 

The romance is a lot more developed in this book than the first book as well. I like that we get even more backstory on why Carden is the way that he is, and we get to see his character development. Again, I love how much of a mastermind/girlboss Jude truly is, and how she is not afraid to get things done if you know what I mean. She is such a strong character and I love her so much. And of course, I am a sucker for the “I hate you, but if you are capture or in trouble I would risk literally everyone and everything to get you back” trope. I am obsessed with reluctant allies/enemies to lovers. This is still more of a slow burn enemies to lovers, but we do see some payoff in this book. The last book’s payoff will be so worth it.

Overall I’m enjoying these books a lot more than I thought I would! I would definitely recommend these!

Age rating: 14+ (suggestive content, nothing explicit, but there is one implied s*x scene that is very brief, and one or two curse words)

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cursing and Sexual content

kinsportch's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Alcohol

Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Vomit

lucasxx's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, and Murder

saoreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

It seemed that Cardan was more humane than the mortal Jude. To reiterate, it seemed. The Elfhame High King has become more clever than ever I loved that part.  What left an impression on me were Cardan's words, " As the High King, I must lead. But I must also be just." Love how he got it all covered, like two birds in one stone, it was an unnerving plan with lots of caution.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment