gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved the characters and how they dealt with the mystery and challenges that they find themselves in.
By time I got to the end of the book I was so happy that I already had the sequel. The ending left my mouth agape and me reaching immediately for the sequel.
Graphic: Torture, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
Minor: Rape, Child death, and Addiction
beeleaf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War, Drug abuse, Hate crime, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction
crestoriacrow's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Minor: Addiction
katelynnreads's review against another edition
5.0
“you’re right, you don’t need me fighting your battles. But if you’ll let me, I’d like to be standing beside you as you fight them”
“Our scars define us. They tell a story of courage and survival. They tell of who we are at our deepest being, of the challenges we've faced and overcome”
I devoured this boon on our trip to Canada. It was beautiful & full of horrors at the same time.
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Medical content, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and War
Minor: Grief
sarahamuller1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Torture, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Self harm, and Addiction
Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt
grace_yin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Confinement, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Medical content, Physical abuse, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Self harm, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Domestic abuse
av0universe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book surprised me in a good way. I really like the worldbuilding and Kiva as the main character is interesting, to say the least.
Tipp is the cutest character ever 🫶 and for the most part, I really liked the found family
Seriously, I can’t stop thinking about that ending. It blew my mind even though I guessed most of it. Amazing. The narrator is everything here.
I’m pretty sure I dreamed of this book today
Spoiler
Mother is dead.
I’m on my way to Vallenia.
It’s time to reclaim our kingdom.
Graphic: Vomit, Slavery, Blood, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Medical content, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Addiction, Rape, Sexism, and Torture
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Self harm, Sexual assault, Vomit, Violence, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture
shadyinthesun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Spoiler
I was a bit annoyed by the reveal that Kiva was part of the king lost family line and she has magical powers because of course she is and does. It’s a common fantasy trope. See Throne of Glass. I was just hoping that she wasn’t going to be. I thought with the way the book was going, with no hinting towards her powers, that she might be normal. I was pretty excited for this because it’s not common that in a world with magic the protagonists is powerless. At least in the many fantasy books I’ve read. I wish there may have been a bit more buildup or hinting. Like maybe most of her patients recover more quickly than if it were a different healer or perhaps she’s really good at coming up with healing herb combinations. A little something to earn the reveal at the end.Overall it’s not that big of a deal. It didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book or the plot. Like I jokingly said at the beginning “oh what if she’s the long lost daughter instead of Tilda.”
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Violence and Torture
Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm
geb's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Torture, and Slavery
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic and Self harm
Minor: Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Drug use, Addiction, and Cannibalism
epellicci's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.0
While the aim it to increase the drama of the big reveal at the end, I found Kiva hard to root for when her motivations seemed so all over the place. She takes on the horrific ordeal of the Rebel Queen’s sentence and punishment, yet maintains throughout that she is only mildly sympathetic to the rebel’s cause – instead driven by her oath as a healer. When in the very last pages, it was revealed that there was much more to it than that, I found it hard to believe that the cool, manipulative Kiva who had just been revealed was the same person as the hopelessly naive one who still believed after a decade that her family were on the way to recuse her, and who broke all her rules about forming relationships because Jaren had a pretty face.
Unfortunately, I can see fairly obviously where the next two books are going, and am not invested enough in the characters to watch it play out. Despite this being a pretty quick, easy read, that ultimately did no harm, it reminds me of all the things I didn’t like about ACOTR, and so I won’t be bothering with the rest of it.
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and Self harm
Moderate: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Confinement
Minor: Child death, Rape, and Addiction