Reviews tagging 'Grief'

A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I. Lin

18 reviews

allisonbrooke's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

pikitat's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

3.0

It was alright. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first book and the conclusion of the story felt a little rushed and anticlimactic to me. It wasn't a very satisfying end to the story. Although,

I thought the part where Lady An pulled the centipede from Ning's arm was an amazing reveal. I enjoyed the Bamboo Forest, too.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Gore, Violence, and Grief

heatherjchin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Gore, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Blood

risten's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

booksthatburn's review against another edition

This picks up with no overlap from the end of the first book. The shift from a first-person perspective only in the first one to a combination of two narrators (one in first person and one in third person) makes the events at the palace feel disconnected. The first book ended in a cliffhanger where it was uncertain whether Ning would live or die, but then when this book begins she's just fine, with very little fanfare. I also remembered very little of the plot from the first book, partly because only a few important things actually happened. The story so far feels like it has very little to do with A MAGIC STEEPED IN POISON, and it's not one I'm interested in.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Animal death, Mental illness, Self harm, Medical content, Dementia, Death of parent, and Murder

karcitis's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Genocide, Gore, Blood, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Physical abuse and Torture

pvbobrien's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Gore, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Confinement, Torture, Blood, Grief, and Murder

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

adventurous challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

In Judy I. Lin’s follow-up to her gorgeous debut, A Magic Steeped in Poison, Ning is on the run with her newly-saved sister, alongside the princess and her beloved bodyguard.  Even as they run for their lives, Ning can’t help but think of the boy she left behind, the son of the general behind the coup, behind the still-lurking poison.  When at last they meet again, Ning must surrender to trust in order to survive the trials that many more seasoned than she have failed, all in order to save their people from a vengeful, power-hungry god who haunts her at every turn.  With atmospheric scenes of magical connection sprinkled throughout, this sequel satisfies like the perfect cup of tea.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Confinement, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Gore, Torture, Vomit, and Alcohol