A review by annebronte
Heir to Thorn and Flame by Ben Alderson

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Unfortunately this book does not work for me. The description grabbed my attention, but overall I was not drawn into this book. Mainly because the book is somewhat kneecapped by the marketing that lists it as an adult fantasy romance, when the book itself leans more towards YA territory, and the romance element itself only appears in fits and spurts. I went in with expectations that were not met, and I never really connected with the characters. Especially the main character, Maximus, who did not move along the plot so much as the plot moved him. 

An enjoyable enough read, but at the end of the day I am not that interested in keeping up with the future installments. 

My thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

At the very beginning of the book, within the first few chapters, a character sexually harasses the main character. This escalates into an attempted sexual assault. Throughout the book there are vivid descriptions of gore, specifically during battle and fight scenes.