Reviews tagging 'Torture'

King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair

11 reviews

jessihg12's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-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

3.25

This has such a good plot. There could have easily been a 5 star book. There is just so much lacking in character development, world building, and too much focus on Isolde's inner turmoil that we miss out on so much. I plan on giving the second book a chance to see if, now that

Spoiler

her dad is dead

, if we can make some progress and do more world building.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual content

karapillar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Genocide, Murder, Death of parent, Sexual content, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Child death, Gore, Grief, and Sexism

Moderate: Abandonment, Kidnapping, Racism, Stalking, Vomit, War, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, and Cursing

Minor: Infidelity, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Torture, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

lizzye33's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Murder, and Sexual content

Moderate: Gaslighting, Violence, Sexism, Torture, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: War and Slavery

ka_ke's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

What can I say? I’m a sucker for sexy vampires and witches, especially when they don’t sparkle. Scarlett St.Clair is a master at catching ones attention and holding it in a firm grip. While simple, the magic and political systems are truly immersive. I do think Killian needs an ass whooping though, courtesy of Issi. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, War, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Cursing, and Grief

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Classism, Genocide, and Mental illness

Minor: Infertility, Slavery, and Torture

koistyfishy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

Do not go into this book thinking there is going to be anything new that isn’t in another typical fantasy romance… I’ve read this book before previously with a different title…

But you know what? That didn’t stop me from absolutely. eating. this. book. up!!!!!!

Is it predictable? Yes?
Is the plot fairly obvious? Yes? 

This book was like the steamy version of the shadows between us and a different ACOTAR… but it gave me exactly what I wanted! Tropey Entertainment of the best kind! I mean who wouldn’t want a sexy vampire “enemies to lovers almost beauty and the best retelling” it’s like the perfect concoction of a story! 

It’s well written and I frankly could not put it down! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Blood, and Death of parent

lauren_macauley's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Torture, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: War

unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Murder, War, Body horror, Blood, Sexual content, and Death

Moderate: Physical abuse and Torture

Minor: Slavery

toffishay's review against another edition

dark 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

3.0

Adrian is sexy! The plot was excited, even though some of the twists felt obvious. <SPOILER> It's a more than a little frustrating that the female lead is brown and her people were secretly enslaved...<SPOILER OVER>

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Death of parent, Murder, and Torture

ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Murder, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Misogyny and Vomit

gattolinos_nerdy_nook'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

I absolutely loved this book. Fantasy romance is by far my favourite genre combination and something I read the most of. Add in the dark elements, enemies to lovers, and the best sex scenes that I have read in a while and I was hooked. I couldn't not stop reading and had to force myself to go to bed.

We follow Isolde through her marriage to the King of Revekka, Adrian, as she learns more about the vampires and who they truly are, and an alternative history of the burning and Dark Era.
A lot happens in this book and trying to write a review doesn't do it justice. There is a decent amount of sex and sexual tension as well a story and plot, and it is all really well balanced, something I find can be hard to get in some books.
The pacing and the scope of the book felt comfortable as well. It didn't feel like anything was rushed (despite only a couple of weeks passing in the book), and the twists and turns really felt on beat and not like you have been whipped lashed.

This is a book I know I will reread when the sequel comes out, whether it is in a month or 7. It was such a good read I already want to read it again. I am so excited to have found Scarlett St. Clair as an author, I know I will be binging her books and series now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Blood, Death, Misogyny, and Murder

Minor: Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, and War