Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

25 reviews

boba_n_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Spice Rating: 🫑 / 5 🌶️

I *almost* never write a review directly after finishing a book, but with The Ballad of Never After, I just have to get my thoughts out NOW.

After being betrayed by Jacks, Evangeline finds that her trust in him is broken yet again. But in order to rid herself of yet another curse, she finds it necessary to work with Jacks. Again. Evangeline wants to despise him after all of Jacks's betrayals, but something inside is telling her that Jacks might be the only person she can trust after all.

Jacks's and Evangeline's love story has been cursed from the start, but that doesn't keep Evangeline, and readers, from hoping their story has a different ending. Even though I knew the entire time that Jacks had already found his one true love in Donatella (yet again so glad I read the Caraval trilogy first), I found myself hoping along with Evangeline that there might be some back door to the curse of Jacks's deadly kisses. 

The ending fake-out was CRUEL, Stephanie!! (I think we're on a first-name basis after that cliffhanger.) I loved seeing the differences between the two times the arch was opened. The line, "There is nothing of equal value to me," has ruined me. Jacks never truly loved Donatella, and that is seen in the selfishness behind his actions in the Caraval series. But no one can say Jacks doesn't love Evangeline--this is a selfless act if I've ever seen one.

Anyone reading this novel should have the next one, A Curse for True Love, at the ready because that cliffhanger is BRUTAL.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Torture, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual content

klsreads's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death, Torture, and Sexual assault

Minor: Death of parent

luarna's review

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death and Violence

nahyaqina's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

the storyline is okay, very interesting and creative, and the plot twist at the end is also extremely fun to read, and it ends off at a good cliffhanger. the book is very sad i would agree. very frustrating to read because of the characters in the book. speaking of characters, there are WAAAY too many of them to remember their names, and im sure this will be reflected in book 3 as well. just a little thing i need to remember 

i also personally do not enjoy evangeline’s personality and how easily swayed she can be. and literally every man in the book has touched her inappropriately someway and that’s just, that’s like sexual harrassment and she isnt bothered by it. i feel very uncomfortable when every man in the book started touching her sexually. that wasn’t fun to read. 

Book is a little slow but the plot twists are  good. not completely enjoyable but it makes you look forward to the third book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Death

mad_ds's review

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Death and Violence

zoeelora's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Alcohol, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

madalina0_0's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Minor: Sexual content

anna_harpist's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual content and Violence

readbyjaimes's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

5.0

It’s been 2 years since I was back in the Magnificent North… and what a warm welcome back! 

I start to tear up whenever I think about this book. I am CHANGED! This was absolutely beautiful. This book was like walking into a storybook from my childhood. I couldn’t love this book more.

I remember loving Evangeline in the first book but I absolutely adored her in this one. All she wants is a happy ending and I genuinely admire her so so much. She never gives up, but she also never sacrifices her morals and her beliefs in pursuit of her happiness and that was amazing to see.

Jacks is one of my favorite characters I’ve ever read. In OUABH he was so shrouded in mystery and it was difficult to see the truth from a trick. But he shined so so bright in this book. I really enjoyed his character before, but you get to know him with so much more depth and it’s so heartbreaking, but also beautiful.

This was one of the easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given and I have no doubts about it. If someone ever ask me about this book I’ll say that there is nothing of equal value to me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Murder and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content and Toxic relationship

tays_books's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Blood, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Stalking

Minor: Abandonment and Infidelity