Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

32 reviews

thereadinghammock's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

I was enthralled by this story from the prologue. The world building was exceptional, the characters were fantastically diverse and beautifully flawed, the narrative was compelling, and I adored every moment I was in the story. I was also a fool ™️ who didn't realize this was the first in a trilogy and book two isn't due it until next spring! Cue me aiming to get it on my library hold list ASAP to get near the front of the line!

10/10 so glad I finally picked this one up! I've been eyeing it on bookshelves for at least a year and it was 100% worth the read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Death of parent

Minor: Eating disorder, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Police brutality

purplepenning's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Sexual content, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and War

earlgreyjedi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

This story was absolutely incredible and I can’t wait for book 2. A diverse and interesting cast of characters mixed with unique and compelling world building makes for a hell of a tale. Kissen, our scarred but strong bi (or pan) queen, was an excellent foil to Inara, a sweetheart with more secrets than someone so young should have ever amassed (including a small god named Skediceth). And then enters Elogast who is also dealing with trauma of the past while trying to figure out what it will take to mend. All of our heroes are somewhere on the “neutral” scale, with Kissen being chaotic, Elogast lawful, and Inara true (although she could potentially be considered neutral good too). Skedi’s alignment is a little more complicated and is what makes his plot so interesting. Watching all of the characters interact with one another is such a treat. Their growth throughout the story as they slowly become found family is really what I loved the most. I also wanted to add that I adored the food descriptions. Please release a cookbook!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content, Slavery, and Trafficking

Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Physical abuse, Self harm, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

kmedusa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content

taylor_arinn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny 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

This book was so good without romance having to be a major plot point, which is rare these days. Loved the world and the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and War

sn8man's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and War

Minor: Physical abuse and Trafficking

no_evil_star's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death and Panic attacks/disorders

reddeddy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Torture, and Pregnancy

callistag1's review

adventurous medium-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? No

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Grief and Religious bigotry

Minor: Child abuse and Trafficking

wordsareworlds's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.5

I saw a quote from Kaner that said that at its core, this book is a quest. Which is exactly the same as its surface and the end of that quest does not exist in this book. 

I was hoping for a book that had a lot more going on with the commentary on the relationships between the characters, and the society as a whole and Kaner's unique approach to gods here. I wanted more on every level, and instead what I got was simplistic characterizations with a ton of repetition and no reflection on how characters get from point to point emotionally on their Epic Quest. 

For all that Godkiller is much more character focused than action action oriented, Kaner fails to give those characters enough layers to hold the weight of page count. Instead we're subjected to the most awkward and author-forced romance between two characters, which I have the sneaking suspicion was only included to satisfy the "but is there spice" question. The overall worldbuilding does not hold up to even a cursory glance, and there was "redemption" moment for Skeddy that only works if you forget the core of his and Inara's relationship

is that their lives are linked so if she dies, he dies. Him saving her life with that in play absolutely does not balance him manipulating her with his powers for years and then literally taking over her body against her will

. The plot itself is by-the-numbers, and the major twist at the end will not be a surprise to anyone who has ever read a fantasy book ever.

On the other hand, there's Kissen. Kissen is the absolute epitome of my own personality and the brand of character I play in ttrpgs. I love her. She's standoffish but desperately wants to have her (found) family close and safe, she throws herself into violence with a wild abandon that is not always backed up by her skill level, but is by her will. The depiction of her disability and physical pain felt incredibly well done. She deserved a better book, but yes I will subject myself to book 2 just to read more about her. 

Read this if you want to read about Kissen and can turn your brain off for pretty much the entire rest of the book. Otherwise just pick up one of the many other, better fantasy books that include characters going on a quest to save themselves but end up finding out they have to save everyone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Self harm