Reviews with content warning for Torture - A Curse for True Love

Reviews tagging 'Torture'

A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber

27 reviews

louise_french_rider's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

Wow, I devoured the whole series, it is so well written. The characters are very lovable and funny to follow through their journey. I would highly recommend this series. The romance is good and nicely brought, not too much, just what was needed. It’s rare nowadays to have great romantasy series without any smut, I’m glad Stephanie did it!

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chronic_listener's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

3.75

What I Loved

➳ the angst (oh it was ANGSTING)

➳ Jacks' POV (about damn time)

➳ all the twists and turns (the gasps I gusped)

➳ very high stakes (shaking in my boots)

➳ SO many great quotes (*swoon*)

What I didn't like about this was how much focus there was on Apollo. I get that we needed his POV chapters for impact, but did we really need that many..? I hated him with a fiery passion and while I love when a book evokes intense feelings, I do not enjoy being miserable half the time.

The parts in this I loved I LOVED but overall it left me wanting more. More Jacks, more reward for their pain, more answers to some plot points that were just kinda... brushed over or ignored which I wished were focused on before the series wrapped up for a more satisfying ending. (I haven't read the Caraval series yet so maybe that'll shed some more light on it!)

I really enjoyed the writing and worldbuilding, so whimsical and like a pastel explosion (in a good way) but with a slightly darker side of centuries old twisted curses, a metric shit ton of pining, packed to the brim with action and so much happening my face was 😦 a good chunk of the time.

This book hurt me in great (and some less great ways) and even though the ending felt a bit rushed I will definitely re-read this whole series.

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unboundbooklover's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? Yes

4.0

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fridalejon's review against another edition

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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? Yes

4.25

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noellegrace8's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

Okay why were people so mad about this book?? I do agree that there are a lot of loose ends, but doesn't that just mean we'll get more answers in some of her other books? She's coming out with a new Caraval book in a couple months. I actually haven't even read Caraval yet, mostly because I didn't know it existed, but now I think I'm going to. This trilogy was SO good.

Good things: Evajacks is as enticing as ever. And the plot introduces new elements like the two trees and Jacks' heart, which keeps the interest up. Evangeline is portrayed as having more willpower than ever (if you don't think that's possible, just wait). I like that even she has some character development in this one, not just Jacks. I also usually hate the amnesia trope but man. This one... actually does it well?? I finally understood WHY people use it. You're given even more insight into just how much Evangeline is drawn to this man (fate), that not even loss of memory can separate them. Certain characters get their comeuppance. Others' is foreshadowed... but yeah. It was just... a well-written book.

The bad: again, loose ends. I'm confused as to why Marisol and Luc both just kind of disappeared. The history of the arch, the Valors, Jacks, etc.? That's clear as mud, still. I need more answers! Also, we really needed to have been given a glimpse into Apollo's character before meeting him in OUABH. Because his absolutely treacherous, vile behavior in this book is confusing. Was he always like this? Did the curses drive him mad? Unsure. Also, you get a quarter of the way through the book before Jacks makes an appearance, which is torture! But I also think it was done kind of well.... Additionally, I'm confused about Jacks' blood on the arch and the tavern door?? I kept expecting that maybe it's a protection spell or something? But no explanation. Just like there was no explanation for Eva's kiss breaking the spell. I have a theory that maybe someone else has to kiss him first, instead of him being the instigator? Unsure though. We better get a Lala book by the way. I need to know if she and Dain find love and break her curse. Also... how do they take out Jacks' heart and put it back in? It's just casually mentioned that we all have 2 hearts but never explained...

I give Rebecca Soler's performance 4.5/5⭐️. Too loud sometimes, but generally accurate to the text.

I give Dan Bittner 4/5⭐️. He didn't always sound the way I imagined the characters were talking, and his narration seems less organic than it should be.

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jessversteeg's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Loved this book in the trilogy, though I wish for more

Jacks and Eva in love at the end. I need a novella with them being happy!

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boba_nbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Spice Rating: 🫑 / 5 🌶️

Stephanie Garber's writing is some of the best I've encountered in a long time. Written in the same vein as Rebecca Ross, Garber's trilogies will be ones I will return to time and time again.

Evangeline seems to have the perfect happily ever after. She's married to the prince of the Magnificent North and lives in a legendary castle. But something about this ending doesn't feel right to her. Evangeline searches to figure out what exactly it is that she's missing, even though her husband is determined to keep Evangeline's past a secret. The only way for him to secure his happily ever after is to kill Jacks, and he will do anything to go down in history.

As I reflected on this book, I realized that I came away from it with a lot of unanswered questions. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and it kept me on my toes, quickly flipping page after page. Some of the characters disappeared without a trace, and others whom you thought would play a larger role didn't get much time on the page. I think this book could've been 200, or even just 100, pages longer, and that would've solved for some of the things I was wondering about.

However, I completely enjoyed this trilogy. It and the Caraval trilogy are definitely some of the best series I've read in a while, and I'm so glad I gave them a chance. I can't wait to see what else Stephanie Garber has in store for our friends in the Magnificent North.

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