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woad674's review
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Confinement, Trafficking, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
michelle_mightbereading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Gore, and War
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
birbpal's review
adventurous
emotional
slow-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
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars
Reading 𝘙𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, another book by Grace Draven, I was surprised at how dark the tone was for this story. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it immensely and finished it in a day.💖
✅️The Good:
• The stakes were high and yet personal for both characters. Gilene needs to get home back to her village in order to continue her role as a Flower of the Spring to spare her village. Azarion must return to his clan where he will take his rightful place as chieftain. But in order to do that, he must bring Gilene.
• A lot of moral dilemmas that came up in the book made me question what I would do if I were in any of the character's shoes. Would I continue to sacrifice myself for a village that doesn't care for me? Would I steal, murder, and lie my way to return to my clan, even if I might die doing so? These questions made me appreciate Gilene and Azarion as the main characters all the more. It made them fleshed-out and interesting.
• The battles/fighting were well written. Oftentimes, I have a hard time imagining battles in books, but Grace did a wonderful job making me feel as if I was witnessing the fights with my own eyes. It was very exciting!
🚫The Bad:
• This was an enemies to reluctant allies to lovers story. The enemy/ally part of the book was written pretty strongly. The romance part of the book, however, felt lacking. One moment, Gilene barely tolerates Azarion's existence. In the next, he is suddenly the hottest man she has ever laid eyes on, and she loves him. Their love story just didn't feel natural to me. Logically, I understand they spent a lot of time constantly together, but I wish the author had shown more of this along with their progression of falling in love. We didn't get a lot of tender moments between them where the barriers keeping them from forming a bond were beginning to fall.
I noticed this similarly happening in 𝘙𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 but unlike in this book, the romance was more believable due to the fact the main character became very good friends before lovers. With Gilene greatly disliking Azarion for the majority of the book, I can't suspend my disbelief.🤷♀️
My final thoughts? I enjoyed this book more as a fantasy read than a romance. I will be reading the next book in the series, and hopefully the romance will be written a little bit better. Otherwise, I enjoyed every other aspect of this book. 🐥💕
Reading 𝘙𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, another book by Grace Draven, I was surprised at how dark the tone was for this story. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it immensely and finished it in a day.💖
✅️The Good:
• The stakes were high and yet personal for both characters. Gilene needs to get home back to her village in order to continue her role as a Flower of the Spring to spare her village. Azarion must return to his clan where he will take his rightful place as chieftain. But in order to do that, he must bring Gilene.
• A lot of moral dilemmas that came up in the book made me question what I would do if I were in any of the character's shoes. Would I continue to sacrifice myself for a village that doesn't care for me? Would I steal, murder, and lie my way to return to my clan, even if I might die doing so? These questions made me appreciate Gilene and Azarion as the main characters all the more. It made them fleshed-out and interesting.
• The battles/fighting were well written. Oftentimes, I have a hard time imagining battles in books, but Grace did a wonderful job making me feel as if I was witnessing the fights with my own eyes. It was very exciting!
🚫The Bad:
• This was an enemies to reluctant allies to lovers story. The enemy/ally part of the book was written pretty strongly. The romance part of the book, however, felt lacking. One moment, Gilene barely tolerates Azarion's existence. In the next, he is suddenly the hottest man she has ever laid eyes on, and she loves him. Their love story just didn't feel natural to me. Logically, I understand they spent a lot of time constantly together, but I wish the author had shown more of this along with their progression of falling in love. We didn't get a lot of tender moments between them where the barriers keeping them from forming a bond were beginning to fall.
I noticed this similarly happening in 𝘙𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 but unlike in this book, the romance was more believable due to the fact the main character became very good friends before lovers. With Gilene greatly disliking Azarion for the majority of the book, I can't suspend my disbelief.🤷♀️
My final thoughts? I enjoyed this book more as a fantasy read than a romance. I will be reading the next book in the series, and hopefully the romance will be written a little bit better. Otherwise, I enjoyed every other aspect of this book. 🐥💕
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, Torture, Death, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
Minor: Blood, Gore, and Kidnapping
rheagoveas's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Sexual assault, and Slavery
buzby72's review
adventurous
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual content
imreadden's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape
seasaltrose's review against another edition
Subject matter was darker than previous books I had read by this author (Radiance). The writing and characters were good I just wasn’t in the mood for dark romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Rape, and Sexual assault
noellelovesbooks's review against another edition
4.25
Content Warnings: sexual situations, violence, death, murder, torture, rape, human sacrifice, sexual violence, confinement, animal death, and infertility.
OMG, my first Grace Draven read and it was beautiful! We get a barbarian-esque [definitely some Kal Drogo vibes with the whole tribes constantly moving, living off the land, etc] man who's determined to get back to his family and people...and a woman who constantly sacrifices so much to protect those that she loves.
The world building, lore, tension...just so yummy! I cannot wait to read more Grace Draven!
OMG, my first Grace Draven read and it was beautiful! We get a barbarian-esque [definitely some Kal Drogo vibes with the whole tribes constantly moving, living off the land, etc] man who's determined to get back to his family and people...and a woman who constantly sacrifices so much to protect those that she loves.
The world building, lore, tension...just so yummy! I cannot wait to read more Grace Draven!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Torture, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Confinement, Sexual assault, Murder, and Infertility
seasonedreadings's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
1nky's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault