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galleytrot's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
FIRST READ: Apr 2024
SECOND READ: Oct 2024
SECOND READ: Oct 2024
FORMAT: Digital, Audio
ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 5 / 5⭐
TECHNICAL / PRODUCTION: 4.5 / 5⭐
FINAL – OVERALL: 4.75 / 5 ⭐
FINAL – OVERALL: 4.75 / 5 ⭐
In this book, Olbric’s attempt at his Transmutation Mastery spell is not quite ready but on the right track, and he’s fairly confident of the component that he’s missing that should get the job done, thus facilitating the need for a Wizard’s Tournament where his conduit will become the prize for the champion. The timing of the tournament couldn’t be better, with public perception of the Crux having suffered a massive hit, but the tournament receives some additional royal interest that the wizards weren’t anticipating. Meanwhile, the search for Diran goes ever on, but a lucky break of divination gives them a brand-new lead – one leading to a high-stakes assignment that must be handled with complete secrecy.
Man, this series keeps getting better and better with every book. I found myself brutally impatient with my slower-reading Buddy Read partner, because I was absolutely glued to these pages but I wasn’t allowed to consume it in the way I needed to. For most of the run of this book, my friend and I formed theories and speculations over what might be going on, what seemed like red herrings, who could or couldn’t be trusted, and so on. We were both fully engaged with every chapter, checking in with each other as we went. Characters we hadn’t been totally sold on before have now become old favourites, growing on us more and more.
I loved to see some chapters in this book written from a perspective aside from Dom’s. I enjoyed that this book seemed to break away from the pattern that the previous two set, where the lion’s share was more-or-less dedicated to showcasing kinky spice, with the final bit sprinkling in some actual (and pleasantly surprising) plot movement. What I’m not so happy about is how this book veered hard away from ending on a satisfying wrap-up, instead choosing cliffhangers. Naturally, I’ve read this third book in the series when the fourth has yet to be released, so now I just don’t know what to do with my sorry, despondent self as I wait. It’s an absolute travesty.
This book has representation for pansexuals, polyamory, and nonbinary and intersex individuals. Multiple characters are non-white, and others are sentient, non-human fantasy races.
The following elaborates on my content warnings. These may be interpreted as spoilers, but I do not go into deep detail.
This book contains: xenophobia; bullying; PTSD (nightmares, crippling trauma response, flashbacks); chronic injury; sexism and misogyny; mention of consensual knife play, blood; competitive violence, weaponized magic resulting in injuries (bumps and bruises, strains) and psychological harm; breach of trust under hypnosis; sex-related injury (tearing, bleeding); transphobia; mention of past child abuses (heavy-handed discipline, property destruction); mention of past sex trafficking of a minor; and, mentions of past sexual violence and abuses.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Trafficking
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
wildatheart1339's review
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual violence
Moderate: Cursing, Rape, Sexual assault, Outing, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Torture, Blood, Trafficking, and Kidnapping
abookwormspov's review
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
oh my god this is my favorite one yet. Olbric <3<3<3<3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Trafficking
hisashiburi's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Dysphoria
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
shinyfox's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Was a 4.5 star rating but I have to knock 1/2 a star off for the sudden pov changes every few chapters between Dom and Olbric. The prior books have been Dom's pov and then I didn't see any clear heads up that we swapped to Olbric and I got really confused and disoriented. It took me out of the book and put a damper on my experiance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Cursing, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
brynalexa's review
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.5
Another wonderful installment. The magic system is so complex and intriguing. I love how the book excerpts at the beginning of the chapters tie in. Definitely more of a cliff hanger than the past books. The sudden perspective switch was a bit clunky but eventually worth it. Looking forward to the next installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Dysphoria
cleolindbooks's review
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
There are things I love about this book and things that I really did not like about this. I absolutely love Olbric’s gender journey and getting to see that development was fantastic. It fits so well for the character and the way it was described in the book felt very realistic and easy to connect to. <Also I’m not gonna lie I completely agree with Olbric that it makes no sense why Dom is being sent on a very important mission when he literally sucks at fighting> I absolutely adore most of the characters in the story and I love the premise but this one did not work for me.
One of the main things I hate about these books is that it constantly leaves you feeling unsatisfied and unfinished. The first book wasn’t as bad but the second and third books felt like they were ending in a really weird place. There was no real resolve and it just leaves you with no real finish to the plot points brought up throughout the story. Especially with Thaddeus and many other major angst points throughout the series there was no real developments or finishes to any of it. As much as it pains me to say it it felt like there wasn’t really much development in this book. It was building up to several things and then it never was realized which makes it very disappointing at the end.
I also really didn’t like the scene between Thaddeus and Dom. They were part of the story where it seemed like Thaddeus was remorseful or caring but then immediately overshadowed by horrible actions and just overall being a jerk. There is no confrontation or discussion about what went down between them. It is just left as some thing that happened and I was expecting either a resolution or some form of connection in the book back to what happened.
Overall I really loved the first book in the series. I liked the second one but I did not like the third as much.
One of the main things I hate about these books is that it constantly leaves you feeling unsatisfied and unfinished. The first book wasn’t as bad but the second and third books felt like they were ending in a really weird place. There was no real resolve and it just leaves you with no real finish to the plot points brought up throughout the story. Especially with Thaddeus and many other major angst points throughout the series there was no real developments or finishes to any of it. As much as it pains me to say it it felt like there wasn’t really much development in this book. It was building up to several things and then it never was realized which makes it very disappointing at the end.
I also really didn’t like the scene between Thaddeus and Dom. They were part of the story where it seemed like Thaddeus was remorseful or caring but then immediately overshadowed by horrible actions and just overall being a jerk. There is no confrontation or discussion about what went down between them. It is just left as some thing that happened and I was expecting either a resolution or some form of connection in the book back to what happened.
Overall I really loved the first book in the series. I liked the second one but I did not like the third as much.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Trafficking