Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair

44 reviews

ljp817's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, and Murder

Minor: Trafficking and Sexual harassment

bammys's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

3.25

Im torn over how to rate this book because it shifted from being really engaging and hooking at times to bland at others. I think it was a good book but overall it felt more like a bunch of scenes were written separately and strung together later rather than a coherent step by step plot. It had some good twists and great character development for the MC, but other parts (like the relationship with the antagonist and the plan the MC enacted to reach the end point) felt underdeveloped. I liked how some things were left unanswered for the next book and I liked the cliffhanger ending, both left enough room for me to want to pick up the sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Self harm

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Racism

opaquehour12's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Self harm, and Violence

Moderate: Physical abuse and Blood

3xhhheather's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

3.5

A bit slow, but the characters are interesting enough and the final third of the book picked up in a way that I’ll continue the series. 

Five stars though for making the MC an actual adult going through all this ✨

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Grief, and Murder

koerli's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, and Murder

meaghancook's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Death

akajam's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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

I devoured this book! Melissa Blair has a talent for authentic characters who sizzle on the page. Loved it and NEED book two. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Self harm, Xenophobia, and War

jilljemmett's review against another edition

5.0

Keera is the King’s Blade, his favourite assassin. When a mysterious figure known as the Shadow starts attacking near the capital, the King sends Keera out to find him. She travels to the lands of the Fae to find out more about the Shadow. Keera is shocked when she meets the Shadow, and he isn’t the enemy she thought he was. The Shadow makes Keera question her position as the Blade and who her real enemy could be. 

This book definitely lived up to the hype. It was fast-paced and action packed. This story was based on the way Indigenous people were/are treated in North America. The King in this book took the lands from the Fae and Elves who lived there. Halflings, those who were half mortal, half elf, were deemed as lesser. The King would take custody of and train Halflings as his own soldiers. This story showed how horrible a leader like the King really is, and it’s disturbing that it’s a mirror image to what happened in the real world here. 

A Broken Blade is a fantastic fantasy! I can’t wait to read the sequel!

Thank you Union Square and Co and Manda Group for sending me a copy!

Content warnings: self harm, alcoholism, murder, physical abuse, parental death

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Self harm, Death of parent, and Murder

jht5791's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Alcohol

missgarceau's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail