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dreamreader's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Not quite as enjoyable to me as the first two books in the series. This one felt vaguely repetitive in a way that the others didn't. Mac's inner monologue is tiring, because it's mostly the same thoughts over and over again. She still makes poor decisions and acts based on incomplete information, but I don't mind that so much because it gives her room to grow as a character. I just didn't fully like the character she was in this book, and the way anything outside of character interactions felt a bit repetitive and dull. I also fully didn't expect the ending and didn't love it, not only because I'm worried for Mac now, but because I despise the type of action that took place in those final scenes. I didn't love reading it. Anyway I will 100% continue the series because I know that this is a "it gets worse before it gets better" situation and I still don't know nearly enough about Jericho Barrons, who is the single most interesting character so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
writingbugsal's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
elyssajoh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, and Violence
xoeybear's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I first read these books in 2017 and I’m currently doing a re-read.
Holy crap there’s so much fucked up shit in this book series and in this book in particular.
Please make sure to heed trigger warnings if you’re planning on reading this w/o knowing anything about it.
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the plotting of this book and Mac’s character growth. This is probably the stage of her arc I like best. But omfg pls stop saying “s*vage” on every other page, KMM. I beg you. I know the late 2000s were a wild time, but a lot of this stuff is painful to read in 2024.
Still had fun with this book but I kind of wish I could read a censored or updated version of the story.
Holy crap there’s so much fucked up shit in this book series and in this book in particular.
Please make sure to heed trigger warnings if you’re planning on reading this w/o knowing anything about it.
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the plotting of this book and Mac’s character growth. This is probably the stage of her arc I like best. But omfg pls stop saying “s*vage” on every other page, KMM. I beg you. I know the late 2000s were a wild time, but a lot of this stuff is painful to read in 2024.
Still had fun with this book but I kind of wish I could read a censored or updated version of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment
imaginary_space's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Nothing much happened in book 2, and in book 3, nothing much continues to happen. Even though a lot happens in this book. It's weird. And I was looking forward to shit actually happening, but it happened in the most uninteresting ways possible.
Mac only acts when someone else forces her to, which is pretty lame for someone who's supposed to be super special and find the McGuffin that saves the world. Barrons and the Sex Fae push her around and abuse her, and she lets them, complains about it in her endless inner monologue, then decides not to ally with one of the other factions and stays with the two assholes instead. Because that's what women who constantly (and annoyingly) think about how mature, strong, etc. they've become do. At this point, she's just gaslighting herself to make it easier for the guys. But they're both hot, so it's okay.
Her inner monologue is the most annoying thing. She thinks through every situation from every angle and explains in detail every possible meaning of events, actions and words of the other characters, only to come to the stupidest conclusions and not act on anything. Because she goes through every possible option, she occasionally has a coherent and actually smart thought (for example, that the two powerful, abusive guys are probably not trustworthy), but then decides not to act on it. She tries to keep everything she knows a secret from them (they ignore her efforts, of course), while still expecting them to work with her or help her, and without a plan B for how to save the world.
I have no idea why I continue with this series.
Maybe it's because I've been promised it's going to get better, no, really good, and at this point I've invested so much time that I want that payoff, or at least the right to complain about how I've been misled.
Maybe it's because I've got a lot of work to do around the flat at the moment and I need something in the background that I can ignore for 30 minutes while I concentrate on something else without missing anything important.
What I'm trying to say is that I wouldn't actively sit down and read this book. Or listen to it while running/cycling.
Mac only acts when someone else forces her to, which is pretty lame for someone who's supposed to be super special and find the McGuffin that saves the world. Barrons and the Sex Fae push her around and abuse her, and she lets them, complains about it in her endless inner monologue, then decides not to ally with one of the other factions and stays with the two assholes instead. Because that's what women who constantly (and annoyingly) think about how mature, strong, etc. they've become do. At this point, she's just gaslighting herself to make it easier for the guys. But they're both hot, so it's okay.
Her inner monologue is the most annoying thing. She thinks through every situation from every angle and explains in detail every possible meaning of events, actions and words of the other characters, only to come to the stupidest conclusions and not act on anything. Because she goes through every possible option, she occasionally has a coherent and actually smart thought (for example, that the two powerful, abusive guys are probably not trustworthy), but then decides not to act on it. She tries to keep everything she knows a secret from them (they ignore her efforts, of course), while still expecting them to work with her or help her, and without a plan B for how to save the world.
I have no idea why I continue with this series.
Maybe it's because I've been promised it's going to get better, no, really good, and at this point I've invested so much time that I want that payoff, or at least the right to complain about how I've been misled.
Maybe it's because I've got a lot of work to do around the flat at the moment and I need something in the background that I can ignore for 30 minutes while I concentrate on something else without missing anything important.
What I'm trying to say is that I wouldn't actively sit down and read this book. Or listen to it while running/cycling.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape
colleenmdavis's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Rape, and Sexual assault
naturally's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
jericho barrons..i know what you are! ....i think! it's a toss up between the unseelie king, or the fourth unseelie prince (aka war). either way, he is unseelie! faefever ends with mac being gang raped by famine, death and pestilence AKA the 3/4s of the dark princes that came to earth during samhain. war was notably missing...war was also a theme in the visions seen when mac and jericho kissed in the cave during bloodfever. additionally, mac mentions that the princes were covered in tattoos...jericho has red and black tattoos, iirc. the claims that he is the unseelie king are supported by: (1) his ability to touch the spear and other dark hallow objects, (2) the shades/v'lane fearing him, (3) the shifting silvers in his study. i would further argue that he dead woman in his arms was/is the corpse of his human concubine who killed herself. and when not with mac, he spends his time in the realm he made for his deceased lady love
i love the growing inclusion of the sidhe-seers and the druids/mackeltars. mac clearly has a hunger to bond with her sidhe-seer sisters/make female friends, which is a refreshing change from the not-like-other-girls attitude that tends to plague urban fantasy heroines.
as usual, when one question is answered, three new ones pop up! whomst tf is the dreamy-eyed boy???? i'm beginning to think the lord master is NOT alina's murderer??? WHAT TF IS JERICHO???????????????????
i love the growing inclusion of the sidhe-seers and the druids/mackeltars. mac clearly has a hunger to bond with her sidhe-seer sisters/make female friends, which is a refreshing change from the not-like-other-girls attitude that tends to plague urban fantasy heroines.
as usual, when one question is answered, three new ones pop up! whomst tf is the dreamy-eyed boy???? i'm beginning to think the lord master is NOT alina's murderer??? WHAT TF IS JERICHO???????????????????
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Vomit and Car accident
pinkgiraffe17's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
sunray_sunburn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Moning really got things going in this book! The end was absolutely tragic!! Serious trigger warnings for the last 10%.
Still absolutely love Barrons and this book really solidified that for me.
Still absolutely love Barrons and this book really solidified that for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape