sundae_cone's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
+ A good, quick, intense read; pulls you in for it
+ May be up your alley if you're a Bioshock and/or Arcane fan
- Not as perfect for Gideon the Ninth fans though
- Inconsistent pacing
- Dull cliffhanger (but this was a bit expected as a series)
+ May be up your alley if you're a Bioshock and/or Arcane fan
- Not as perfect for Gideon the Ninth fans though
- Inconsistent pacing
- Dull cliffhanger (but this was a bit expected as a series)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Vomit, and Blood
sulphuric's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
books_andprobablysome_wine's review against another edition
4.0
Holy crap this book was A LOT!
Thank you, Rebecca Thorne, for sending me this e-ARC.
This story centers badass lesbian Nix who finds herself needing to act as her badass lesbian ex Kess bodyguard on what is basically a nightmare cruise. Read the Trigger warnings on this one, cuz it gets´s dark. Messy and dark. (LOVE IT!)
This is a book with non- stop action, secrets, twists and turns and creepy settings. (I´m terrified of the deep sea). I would love to learn more about the lore of the world where the book is set and can´t wait to read book 2!
Once again! Thank you for the ARC :)
Thank you, Rebecca Thorne, for sending me this e-ARC.
This story centers badass lesbian Nix who finds herself needing to act as her badass lesbian ex Kess bodyguard on what is basically a nightmare cruise. Read the Trigger warnings on this one, cuz it gets´s dark. Messy and dark. (LOVE IT!)
This is a book with non- stop action, secrets, twists and turns and creepy settings. (I´m terrified of the deep sea). I would love to learn more about the lore of the world where the book is set and can´t wait to read book 2!
Once again! Thank you for the ARC :)
dynamogk's review
adventurous
dark
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Gore
Moderate: Medical content and Sexual content
starry2013's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Medical content
abigail_adel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
stephv99's review against another edition
5.0
This was yet another amazing book written by Rebecca Throne. I’m in love with this book!! I’ve been wanting to read a fantasy/horror for a while!! It had suspense and action this book was everything!! This was not a cozy fantasy like can’t spell treason without tea but I loved it all the same.
bookmarktavern's review against another edition
4.0
I am a huge fan of Rebecca Thorne’s Tomes and Tea cozy fantasy series. And I was so delighted to be able to get an ARC of her foray into horror.
So I need to start with how much I love how Thorne gets me so invested in her characters so quickly. But it’s also unique. Kessandra and Nix’s relationship and banter is different from the relationship she wrote for Kianthe and Reyna. But I am equally invested in both. We also get to see, even when they are fighting and at odds, how they had similar values. Like showing both characters take time to learn minor characters’ names. And her excellent characterization also goes so far as to make me invested in minor characters that barely show up.
And her world building is always amazing. Just enough to tease an expansive world beyond the immediate story, but also never infodumping. Most of the story takes place on an intricately described submersible, but we also get bits and pieces of larger conflicts and other countries as it becomes relevant. And, when we get a lot of info at once, it narratively makes sense.
I appreciated that the overall emotional arc was resolved, but the fact that a large complication is introduced in the last little bit of the book with a cliffhanger ending, makes me feel a little let down. It felt like I was only getting half of the story.
There is a thoughtful page of content warnings at the beginning, but I do feel an additional heads up is warranted that a part of Kessandra’s backstory is that she, a black woman, has spent a great deal of her life experimenting medically on herself from the age of sixteen.
So I need to start with how much I love how Thorne gets me so invested in her characters so quickly. But it’s also unique. Kessandra and Nix’s relationship and banter is different from the relationship she wrote for Kianthe and Reyna. But I am equally invested in both. We also get to see, even when they are fighting and at odds, how they had similar values. Like showing both characters take time to learn minor characters’ names. And her excellent characterization also goes so far as to make me invested in minor characters that barely show up.
And her world building is always amazing. Just enough to tease an expansive world beyond the immediate story, but also never infodumping. Most of the story takes place on an intricately described submersible, but we also get bits and pieces of larger conflicts and other countries as it becomes relevant. And, when we get a lot of info at once, it narratively makes sense.
I appreciated that the overall emotional arc was resolved, but the fact that a large complication is introduced in the last little bit of the book with a cliffhanger ending, makes me feel a little let down. It felt like I was only getting half of the story.
There is a thoughtful page of content warnings at the beginning, but I do feel an additional heads up is warranted that a part of Kessandra’s backstory is that she, a black woman, has spent a great deal of her life experimenting medically on herself from the age of sixteen.
makeever8's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
maxsslurpee's review against another edition
3.0
this was just okay. main critiques are the pacing was inconsistent and I really didn’t feel the MCs had chemistry