Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Heir to Thorn and Flame by Ben Alderson

6 reviews

readingtotravel's review against another edition

3.25

Great world building and interesting plot.

I just can't stand pointless betrayal and didn'  enjoy Cameron being evil after being a love interest and the only one who seemingly cared about him besides Bea (who also betrays him).

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Murder

stormeno's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

behindpaperbacks's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

libraryofaphrodite's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Max is a servant living under the oppressive Gathrax family, constantly pursued by their maniacal eldest son, Julian. 

When Julian chases Max into Galloway Forest, Max discovers that he is a mage, something the south lost long ago. This sets off a chain of events leading to an arranged marriage, battles with dragons, and a quest to uncover the truth of Max's identity.

I had really wanted to love this new M/M fantasy but something didn't quite click for me. I felt at times that descriptions were lacking and the characters didn't have as much depth as I would have liked. At points it read more like YA than adult fantasy (albeit with a large amount of gore) which might be why it wasn't for me. 

I did really enjoy parts and had trouble putting the book down in those sections. It just didn't feel fully realised or consistent yet.

There is definitely an audience for this book - if you enjoy M/M fantasy, slow burn romance, mythological monsters, and warring nations, this may well be the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for an advanced digital copy in return for my honest review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Fire/Fire injury

anapthine's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

 

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

I cannot put it into words how much I love this book. The plot just flowed so flawlessly and had you hooked the entirety of the way through. Alderson writes in such an incredible way that you form such a connection with the characters, with their emotions so perfectly written, making it so easy to imagine - almost as if this is happening right in front of you. There were so many twists and turns in this novel, many of which were not expected, always keeping you on your toes. 

This book contains the following tropes (as if the things I have already listed haven’t made you put this book on your TBR):

• Found family
• Enemies to lovers
• Forced proximity
• Multiple love interests
• Elemental magic
• Dragons, dragon riders
• A lost child

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content

_kayreads_'s review

dark tense slow-paced

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

2.5

First, thank you for chance to listen to this arc. 

There should be a warning of attempted sexual violence, abuse and torture. 

It’s a bit rough to read but I understand that is the point of the start of the story. It is needed to set the stage. 

I wished I could have enjoyed it more.  It has a good subject but I felt like it threw so many different parts of fantasy in there it was a bit lost. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment