Reviews with content warning for Grief - King of Battle and Blood

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair

37 reviews

just_one_more_paige's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

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

4.0

So, I read A Touch of Darkness (in one sitting) on Xmas Day, as I was (happily) home alone and relaxing. It was exactly what I wanted it to be. And I was in the mood for more like it as New Year's Day approached. However, I also had been good with where that one finished and wasn't interested in more from Hades and Persephone, at least right now, so I decided to give St. Clair's new book/series a try instead, since the vibe on the first one had been so right. And let me tell you, not only did this hit the spot, it was even better! And honestly now I'm frustrated (in a good way) because I do want more from these characters, but the rest of the series isn't out yet! Gahhhhh!

King Adrian and his vampire army are on the doorstep of Isolde's kingdom and she would do anything to save her people from their vengeful conquering. So, when her father invites Adrian in to treat with him, and his offer of peaceful power transfer is contingent on Isolde becoming his wife, she agrees. Her secret plan, of course, is to use this opportunity to get close enough to kill him, but when her assassination attempt fails, she realizes she may need to get to know him better to really uncover any weaknesses. Over the time she spends with him traveling back to his home country of Revekka, and the weeks with him there, Isolde starts to realize that there may be more to his monstrousness than she'd originally thought. And there is absolutely no denying the physical pull between them, the sexual tension (and lots more than tension!) are real.

Y'all, there was nothing deep about this book. Nothing. And I loved every flipping second of it. First, and most importantly, there was so much sex. And it was so good and so steamy. I saw a review of this one on Goodreads that said "This might be for you if your first priority is vampire sex." And while that was a one-star review...it was also exactly right. And since I went into it with vampire sex as a priority, I'm giving it a very high star rating for the exact same reason. Moral of the story: know what you are getting into because it's exactly what you get. And for me, it was exactly what I wanted. Related, there was some light, interesting, reflection on how desire and lust are often coated in shame (especially for women) and it does not have to and should not be that way (and the recognition of love and sex not having to exist hand in hand, even if they eventually do).

Other than that, I have to admit that I am also a sucker for the "good monster" trope. Like, in this world, vampires are expected to be terrible and, in fact, are not, it's a lot of misinformation and misconception. I am particularly drawn in by this when it's in contrast or juxtaposition with a "bad human" alternative, as it was here. Great messaging around how looks/assumptions can be so deceiving. Another thing I was totally here for was Isolde's bloodthirstiness. I mean IRL, I obviously vote for the "trial and proven guilty" and whatnot. But in this fantasy setting, I’m *down* with all the immediate stabbing of icky men (and Adrian's unrepentant support of it).

Plot-wise...this is where I was surprised. There was a lot more to the world-building here than I had expected. The story behind Adrian's "curse," the connection that Isolde has to his past, the history of witches and magic and how that ties in with Adrian's current-day conquest(s) and his interest in Isolde was all way more interesting than I had anticipated. And then that ending, with Isolde's father's visit - shocking! - along with a bit of a cliff-hanger that definitely makes me want to know more. I also appreciated that, while this was mostly entertaining and fun and sexy, this plot gave it a bit more complexity as it introduced/intertwined the concept of perspective in history, and the dominant voices being the ones whose story persists, even when that story is not, in fact, the "factual" truth.

This novel had a bit of everything you want in an escapist read: magic and magical creatures (yea, I love vampires, I blame Buffy), drama (political and interpersonal), fantasy-style fighting and violence, and spectacular (quality and quantity) sex scenes. Like I said, I thought I'd be "one and done" with this series because I was with A Touch of Darkness, but the fantasy and surrounding world here grabbed me so much more and I want to see where everything goes next (plus I need more of Adrian and Isolde together, *sweating* thinking about it). So, here I am now, unexpectedly having to wait for the next book to be published. Haha.

“There was a difference between a monster and someone who could be monstrous.”

“History is just perspective. It changes depending on your side.”

“Secrets only make the world curious. Better to display than to hide.”

“What have you learned? \ Things that scare me, I said. \ Do you mean that you have learned the truth? he asked.”

“I did not want to die a hero. I wanted to live as a conqueror.”

Content Warnings

csmall73's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective tense 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

4.75

I was definitely not prepared for the sex content. While not far from reality for someone who is dealing with everything that Isolde is it was quite prevalent throughout. There is a lot of trauma, mystery, blood and violence. Not for the light of heart. Isolde is quite reactive, stabby and arrogant at times. Adrian is cold collected and logical unless it involves her then he submits almost without hesitation.

Content Warnings

our_bookish_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? Yes

5.0

Can I just give this book 10 stars!!?

This is my first time reading Scarlett St. Clair's work, and holy shit, it was astounding! The way Scarlett writes is absolutely beautiful. The descriptions of colors, food, scents, people, how things feel on skin and emotionally, make you feel like you're experiencing it first hand. I can't wait to start the next book, Queen of Myth and Monsters!

Content Warnings

lizzye33's review against another edition

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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

Content Warnings

naaytaashreads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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

5.0

“Not to worry, my sweet. I will not feed from you. Not until you ask.” “I will never ask.” The Blood King’s lips twitched, and when he spoke, his voice was reverent. “You will. You will beg for it.”

There are not enough stars in the world for me to give to King of Battle and Blood.
I devoured, fell in love, needed more and consumed the read like it was made for me.
For a long time, I've been looking for a vampire read, more dark, intense romance, which gave it to me.

I was sceptical in reading the series as I did not enjoy Scarlett St. Claire - Persephone x Hades series; however, this one blew my mind away.
From the beginning of the first chapter, it captivated me with what was going on.
The world introduced to us was pretty fast at the start, introducing the characters and their tension and later on, it slowed down the pace to tell a story of the world and their history.

The storytelling of their history was brilliantly written.
The mixture and parallel of history and Isolde's life were dream-like. I was confused at first by the parallel and overlapped, but later on, it made me awe at how it was done.

I love that we follow the storytelling and get to know the world's truth with Isolde. We discover the history, how Isolde was a part of this history, and why she arranged marriage to Adrian so important. From the pacing of the read, we get to witness Isolde's character growth. She has always been a badass,, but because of who she is, her life has always been dictated by her father, commander, and people. She didn't know who she was and who she was meant to be. It was such a pump-fisting moment seeing her grow throughout the read.

King Adrian Aleksandr Vasiliev is the love of my life.
I have found the one, the top book boyfriend on my list. I'm sorry, Rhysand and Azriel, you're going down the list.
He was phenomenal. He is such a villain hero we all need.
I didn't find frustration in not getting his POV. I felt like his scenes were interjected well in each chapter when needed. Of course, there is a mystery in his story, and feelings and how he found out about Isolde were still questions to be answered.
He had a part to play in Isolde's truth discovery, and though he was an alpha dominant male, he never underestimated Isolde and treated her as an equal.

I can't wait to see how their relationship develops. I love the enemies-to-lovers romance, and it didn't feel rushed; although they did have sexual tension, it was explained through their connection, which made sense. I want to see where they go from here and how they will fight the war that's been long brewing.

P.s I want to see more involvement of the side characters and their interaction. WE NEED A SQUAD.

“All the stars in the sky,” Adrian said. The words made my heart race, and I halted as an answer that was not my own formed in my mind—are not as bright as my love for you.”

Content Warnings

ka_ke's review against another edition

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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.

Content Warnings

ecravens's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny 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

4.0

Content Warnings

midnacine's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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

5.0

I really wanted to include a specific quote in my review for this book, but I'm having trouble finding it and I'm an impatient bitch, so we're just not including it.

Maybe I'm just really into trashy romance novels recently but I fucking loved this book. It feels like this is what a condensed version of JLA's From Blood and Ash would have been without

Casteel's deception plot

. I love that series so it makes sense I would love this too.

It was interesting coming to this after having read A Touch of Darkness because the writing style was so much different and engaging. To me it seems like Scarlett St. Clair really found her voice in this story, and I can't wait to read the second one in December!

Content Warnings

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

4.0

I honestly think this one is spicier than the others I’ve read by this author. I loved the love story. It was enemies to lovers but in the best way. I loved the protagonist. I enjoy how she learns and grows as the novel progresses to become a more developed, understanding person - which is how I think we should all live. There was a bit of predictability in the plot and there were a few grammatical issues that led me to a four star rating as opposed to a five star rating.

Content Warnings

annabelle's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated

3.5

Did I decide to give this author another chance because someone said that the love interest was basically Alucard from Castlevania? Yes. I absolutely did. And I ate it up!!! The story captured my attention. The characters were very entertaining. I liked the world and all the creepy monsters. I really hope we get to learn more about the monsters, goddesses, and countries in this world. Maybe even visit some new places in the next book!!

Now was this groundbreaking literature? Not really. The writing was simple. The plot was predictable. Some important moments of plot/character development were definitely glossed over in favor of the horny moments. It got to the point near the end where I genuinely was like “I appreciate and understand that you are horny for each other, but can we PLEASE discuss what is going on for more than five seconds??!!!” I think I got too invested in the plot and world building for a horny vampire book lmao.

Overall, I had a good time reading this. Isolde is a violent girlboss and we love that for her. Adrian is a classic emo vampire with a tragic past. It’s just a good time. There is mystery, betrayal, magic, and LOTS of stabbing. What more could you ask for?!

Content Warnings

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