Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - Famine

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Famine by Laura Thalassa

32 reviews

kirahaycock21's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.5

It was a little slow throughout the middle, but overall a great book.

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mattiedancer's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
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

Writing: 3.5⭐️/5

I feel like in this book Thalassa tried to strike out and make her writing a bit different, but I’m not sure it worked. Much of the writing felt the same. I was, however, less surprised by this than I was when I read book two, War. I feel like expecting the similarities made them less bothersome.

Characters: 3.25⭐️/5

Famine bears similarities to both War and Pestilence, but manages to strike out on his own as the novel progresses. Ana feels very much like a mix of Sara and Miriam from the previous two novels, and while the story progresses to a point that I enjoyed reading about, I wanted a bit more from the characters.

Plot: 3.5⭐️/5

Girl gets captured by a Horseman. Slowly, she falls in love with him. And then, she slowly finds herself as the only reason he wants to stop the apocalypse. It’s very predictable. Yes, I was prepared for the predictability. Yes, I was still a bit annoyed at how similar it was. However, I will say that I did enjoy how Thalassa struck out to make the ending very different. I just wish this would have started sooner.

Who Should Read This Book?

Fans of ACOTAR and dystopian societies
Someone looking for a romance with an intriguing plot
Those who like fantasy/apocalyptic novels that centre on romance
Readers who like (or don’t mind) a bit of spice, but not just spice
Those who liked and loved the first and second books (but maybe take a break between so it’s not too fresh)

Content Warnings?

Death, murder, sexual content, physical abuse, emotional abuse, kidnapping, gore, blood, injury, injury detail, violence, animal death, torture, grief, body horror, sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, alcohol, swearing, child abuse, child death, misogyny

Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5

Made me kind of pumped for the fourth one.

Final Rating: 3.5⭐️/5

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ashwood_15's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

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ramakn22's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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reading_historical_romance's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-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

Apocalyptic/dystopian romance is my jam so I’m not sure why I’m so late boarding the Laura Thalassa train, but I’m here now! And what a steamy ride it is.

I loved everything about this novel. The plot, characters, setting, dialogue, romance, suspense, and, the sex. Oh Mylanta, the sex was delightful in all the ways.

The way that the author put such a unique twist on the grumpy/sunshine trope was brilliant, as both Famine and the heroine, Ana, are also anti-heroes. This twist carried through all of the other themes in the novel, including forgiveness and sacrifice. I loved Famine’s supernatural powers: life and death, healing, and measuring the worth of souls against one another and the earth in and of itself. When he grew the rose for Ana, I squee'd in the best way.

Laura Thalassa has a great voice, and I thought that her ability to develop Ana’s character so completely through her sarcastic wit -- which was communicated solely through the written word and without dialogue tags – was really impressive.

I also loved the ending and the fact that I could not predict it! The climax was fantastic. I am now going to buy the entire series so I can fully immerse myself in the Four Horsemen’s world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.

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bellebookcorner's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

4.0

“Because around you, I feel the oddest urge to use my power to create rather than destroy.”

Read this book if you love;

• Dark Fantasy Paranormal Romance

• Morally Grey Character

• Enemies-to-Lovers

• Hates Everyone but Her

• Post-Apocalyptic World

• Touch Her and You Die

Famine started a little bit differently compare to Pestilence and War. Instead of accidentally meet the FMC during his mission, Famine and Ana (the FMC) have met before the beginning of the story.

Something different that I notice from this book is the addition of Famine’s POV in the last few chapters. It’s a nice change for the story and I really wish there’s more POV by the horsemen since most of the time on the previous books we only get to see from the FMC's POV.

I really like Famine and Ana growing relationship throughout the story, their previous encounter has quite a huge role in their character's development.

Famine is slightly different than War and Pestilence, he’s not destroying human kind not only because it was his purpose but also for revenge after what the humans did to him in the past which made him feels slightly more relatable.

While it may seem Famine lost his faith in humanity, he met the stubborn and lovely women - Ana for the 2nd time.

I admire Ana for still believing the good side of humanity even though she had most of her life experiencing the bad side of it. I also love her sassy remarks and her creative way of picking a fight with Famine which is delightful!

Another different aspect from this book is the ending. The previous 2 books didn’t have a cliff-hanger as huge as this one. Now I’m super interested in reading Death’s story!

Overall, this is a great addition to the series.

I’m enjoying this series so far and now after reading the book I finally understand why some of the fans said that Famine was one of their favorite.

I’m looking forward to read the final book in this series and see how everything got wrapped up!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Death, violence, sexual content, sexual assault, torture, brief mention of child abuse

I received an advanced review copy for free through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thank you to the author and publisher!

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roxxie's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.0

A Captivating Tale of Love Amidst Desolation – Famine by Laura Thalassa

The third book in Laura Thalassa’s compelling series about The Four Horsemen of the apocalypse, Famine, presents an original and captivating interpretation of the enemies-to-lovers cliché. In this bleak and forlorn land, where Famine wreaks havoc and misery, Thalassa deftly crafts a story of passion, survival, and a surprising bond.

Famine ♦ Laura Thalassa

Opinion

The intricate bond between Famine and Ana, two characters who perfectly capture the terrible reality of their post-apocalyptic world, is what makes this book so strong. Readers are kept on the edge of their seats by Thalassa’s deft handling of the delicate balance between their competing positions. Every exchange between Famine and Ana is emotionally fraught because of the enemies-to-lovers dynamic, which heightens the intensity and unpredictability of their interactions.

The unique quality of Famine is Thalassa’s ability to humanize a character that appears to be the epitome of destruction. Famine is portrayed as both vulnerable and menacing, but as the story progresses, it takes on a profoundly different meaning. Ana, who is just as captivating, shows herself to be a strong and tough heroine who challenges the horseman and their desolate surroundings.

The post-apocalyptic landscape is vividly and evocatively described by the author, drawing readers into a world of desperation and deprivation. Also, the world-building done by Thalassa is exquisite and eerie, providing a setting that deepens the protagonists‘ emotional journey.

The novel moves along at a good clip, with thrilling passages that hold the reader’s attention throughout. Famine and Ana’s connection builds gradually in a way that is both convincing and alluring, providing a rewarding slow burn that culminates in a stirring and moving finale.

Famine delves into somber subjects, yet in the end, it conveys a message of redemption and hope. Readers are left feeling satisfied and eagerly awaiting the conclusion of this gripping series by Thalassa’s deft handling of the thin line between hopelessness and resiliency.

Conclusion

In conclusion, readers who enjoy dystopian fiction and paranormal romance should not miss Laura Thalassa’s Famine. This novel stands out in the genre because of the author’s ability to combine a distinctive love tale with the harsh reality of a post-apocalyptic society. The witty arguments and sarcastic verbal slug fest was very entertaining.

I received an advance review copy for free by Bloom Books through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This review was first published at The Art of Reading.

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