Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

A Taste of Gold and Iron, by Alexandra Rowland

33 reviews

dododenise's review against another edition

slow-paced

• 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

This was exactly my taste. It’s been a while since I took my time and just cherished the book I am reading but I simply didn’t want this book to end.

The story is almost entirely character focused and I loved that. The plot, including politics, mysteries, violence and betrayal served only the characters. Because of that the plot itself wasn’t revolutionary. Instead, there was so much care put into the characters. 

It was a delicious slow burn, with so much yearning and pining. Getting so close to getting together and then pulling apart again and it just pulled at my heartstrings with them. There were so many tender moments between them. The book took its time on long conversation and really developing the characters and their relationships. This was a slow burn perfectly executed. And added to that, a wonderful cast of side characters that I have also learned to adore, including a nonbinary aro ace character who I obviously was a fan of. But all of them found a place in my heart.

Just give me hundreds of books like this and I will be happy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Mental illness, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Animal death

Minor: Pregnancy and Grief

thecatconstellation's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful 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

I love the anxiety rep & the gender and sexuality rep. Cuuuuteeee relationship. Decent plot. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Murder, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

Minor: Blood, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, War, and Pregnancy

vivavia's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Kidnapping, Chronic illness, Classism, Grief, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual content, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders

onemamareads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/a-taste-of-gold-and-iron

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Torture, Murder, Alcohol, Death, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, and Mental illness

mateyy's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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? No

5.0

I already knew I loved Alexandra Rowland's work (A Conspiracy of Truth is amazing). Rowland knows how to do political intrigue/court (government) politics and upping the stakes. I also love how they do magic systems-very specific (If you've read the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb, the touch-taste and truth sayers are written into the book-world a lot like skill and wit are). You can tell that these characters are so cared for, that's especially clear with Tadek.

Spoiler

He could have been so easily pushed to the side and been made a plot device to get in the way of Evemer and Kadou's love story, and he's not a flat character at all.

The chemistry between Kadou and Evemer is palpable and built up well while not getting into the way of the overarching plot (and vice-versa). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Medical content, Violence, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Blood

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

ollie_again's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content

five_rats_in_a_trenchcoat's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny slow-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, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Eating disorder

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Murder, Death, Sexual content, and Kidnapping

Minor: Gaslighting and Death of parent

wanderingtales's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-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

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Mental illness

Moderate: Death of parent, Alcohol, Grief, Death, and Medical content

wilybooklover's review

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

5.0

A stunning fantasy romance. In this story we see stoic, principled Evemer assigned as bodyguard to the anxious Prince Kadou. They soon uncover a conspiracy plot at the behest of Kadou’s Sultan sister, Zeliha (not a particular convoluted mystery, but entertaining nonetheless) and in the process fall in love with each other. 

The romance was the main plot and it was sooo good. I’m a sucker for a slowburn idiots to lovers and it was executed so perfectly here. These two were so gone for each other. If you like some good mutual pining, this is the book for you. 

The worldbuilding was lush and vivid, reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire and full of politics. The secondary characters were fun and realistically flawed and diverse. This is a queernorm world and it was delightful to read how casually queer everyone was. Despite some moments of peril, the whole story felt cosy and soft.

This book also somehow made economics interesting to me and that is talent. 

I have no idea if there’s a sequel in the works but I would definitely like to read stories about Tadek and Zeliha. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Mental illness, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content, Bullying, Murder, Blood, and Death

Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and Drug use