Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair

67 reviews

ems_book_shelf's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

It actually pains me to rate this 2.75⭐️ but i did not enjoy reading this book. The story is very tropey, like one after the other after the other. The betrayal was pretty obvious but at the same thing, it wasn’t even really a betrayal ? There were so many typos in this book, the pacing was all over the place, the characters felt very surface level, and the plot was not anything to write home about. I can love a fantasy series based on vibes, but I didn’t feel like the main love interests had any connection, it felt very forced. I didn’t feel the tension in the way you’d expect from an enemies to lovers. I wish we had more world building and saw more of the Shades training. 

I did really like Keera’s character arc and I liked the action portions of this book. I think if the writing had another pass through it could be a super great NA fantasy book 

I might read the next book to give it another shot!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Self harm, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

jocogr's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism

Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

edey_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

Loved the FMC, who’s badass but very complicated. You get frustrated with her at times, but mainly because you know she can do better. Love the LGBT+ representation as well. Beautiful and complex fantasy world building. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Violence

katscradle's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

I thought the main romance would be sapphic... it's not </3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Violence

Moderate: Addiction and Sexual harassment

dairyscary's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

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

0.5

Not to be a hater but Lord this took me ages to finish. It was very obviously a first publish by this author and was pretty poor quality. I can’t even think of any redeeming qualities. Keep practicing, but also take note of how other authors tell a story and try that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism

crinkledmochi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

I enjoyed this book and will definitely read the next one to see what happens but some of the twists and turns were kinda obvious and the characters could’ve been a little more fleshed out 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

downeytianna's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny tense slow-paced

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

3.0

3.5 ⭐️ 

It was interesting enough to keep me going, but fairly slow. I have higher hopes for the second, hoping this was more world/plot building and that we will have more excitement in book 2 because I do enjoy the plot of this series.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Self harm, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual assault

chrisb913's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Please read the trigger warnings.

This was an absolute fantastic read from start to finish. Everything from the character growth and the world building was on point.

We start off the story with Keera, the Blade to the King and leader of his Arsenal. As the story progresses we see Keera struggle not only with her personal flaws but her commitment to the King. The character development of Keera through out the book had me desperate to continue the story.

This story has a little bit of everything. Lots of action, a mystery surrounding what is truly happening in the kingdom, a fantastic slow burn enemies to lovers subplot, and an absolute badass master assassin that is not ONLY a FMC but truly feels as though they have earned that title. Melissa writes Keera in such a way that truly outshines many other popular female lead assassin books out on the market today.

This is the first of the four book saga and i will absolutely be continuing on with this story. The first three books are out now and I HIGHLY recommend you pick this up and give it a try.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Xenophobia, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

bergha1998's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

3.75

I was not expecting this book to be so unique, I thought it would just be a Romantasy. But it’s so much more dialogues about racism, addiction, slavery. Very well done and interesting. I’m excited to read the second book. 

Fantasy, Enemies to Lovers, Character Development, 2 🔥

“And still he found beauty in the darkness of it, in my light and my shadows.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content

rachelfayreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Genocide, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Colonisation

Moderate: Addiction, Physical abuse, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment