Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

A Court This Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark

13 reviews

datskira's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Child death

katharina90's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

This was okay. The writing was pretty bad, the plot predictable, and the characters underdeveloped. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Rape, Suicide attempt, and War

one_more_chapter96's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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? No

4.25

Enjoyable fantasy romance with slightly different takes on the typical plot and tropes which was refreshing. Loved the two main characters slowly getting closer together over the book & enjoyed the side characters and family histories. Some good plot twists and a touch of spice. At times a little cliche but overall enjoyable! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Torture, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and War

marlenareads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Physical abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and War

avacyn731's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

druzyquartz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

elntastic's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny fast-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

3.75

The story was very gripping and entertaining, maintaining quite a fast pace throughout the story. I really liked the FMC. The MC is definitely a dark/grey character with questionable morals, but he didn’t cross any lines for me (yet).  I also loved the dynamic and slow burn between the FMC and the MC. 
However; the story was definitely nothing new. Everything that happened was more or less foreseeable. The world-building wasn’t very detailed.

The seemingly „good“ king who saved his people turns out to be an evil man who uses his folk? Heard that before. The MC is not who she thought he was? Read that before. She has to make a bargain with him after learning the truth about him? Def read that before. She has powers that were somehow hidden from her her entire life? Read that many many times. So all in all, nothing in this book felt new to me.  

It’s definitely a good story but if you’re looking for something new/different, you won’t find it here. This book feels like a lot of other books I have read before. There were so many parts where I saw direct similarities to other stories. If you’re looking for something different and new I’d suggest reading Carissa Broadbents books or Beck Michael’s „Guardians if the Maiden“ series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Cursing, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Vomit

knottygeek's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

The first half with the mercenary group was great and I loved it. The second half of the hook felt like a lot of almost too convenient things were put into place for the FMC. The end got predictable as well as some of the ending plot twists. Overall though wasn't a bad read and I plan on reading the next in the series asap.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Torture, Blood, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Medical content, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury

vdspreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I really like this story. I'm not a huge fan of various POVs, but it really did work for the storytelling. It is a story of discovery and rebellion that doesn't take itself too seriously.

To me, the narrative is an oberservational view of what powe can do. How power can corrupt and how if wielded by those with ill intentions, it can be used to to oppress, limit access, and create a history that is believed by the masses. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Classism, and Deportation

katvou's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.25

Fantasy romance with forced proximity (one horse trope), found family and enemies to lovers / forbidden romance. Revenge, bargains & betrayal. Interesting and unique magic system.

Mostly I really liked the book and the FMC. The pace was a bit slow to my taste in the middle of the book and it felt like there wasn’t really anything interesting going on but I liked both the beginning and end. End had some nice twist, some I was able to guess beforehand but some were a surprise.

Definitely going to read the rest of the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment