Reviews with content warning for Grief - Broken Bonds

Content Warnings: violence, ptsd, grief, bullying, kidnapping, physical abuse, body shaming, death of loved ones, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.

Joined a local book club and this was our first book club pick. I've heard from a lot of mutuals that this series was good but never heard any specifics about the series. Going in not knowing anything aside from the back of book description was a lot of fun.

Though she's only 19 I easily related and loved Oli and her BFF Sage. We get good world building and I love the way each relationship with each of the bonds is different but also constantly evolving.

I planned to read this slow...so I could attempt to space it out but...it was so good I devoured it. I was at 30% and the next thing I knew it said I was at 89%...at which point you have to finish. Right? haha

I'll definitely be jumping immediately into book 2 😎

Content Warnings

taylormaria's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective 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

4.0

i honestly loved this. the plot , the characters , the conflict : chefs kiss. i def recommend you read this!

Content Warnings

bangiebangs's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Oh this was a tricky one.

Things I liked:
- the writing (notwithstanding occasional typos)
- the mysterious setup... this feels like a pretty new take (maybe I just havent read the book series similar to this one?)
- Gryphon. Also Atlas. They seem like rounded people who think before they act. (The rest of the bonds are just insufferably childish, self-centered dudes)

Things I disliked
- he world-building. There is some info about what these bonds are and how they work, but why, when do you usually learn about your bonds, how do you find them (like, some people are "waiting to find" them? Also, seems like you can reject a bond, what happens then? How is power heightened or acquired when a bond is completed? So many questions, but not in a good "mystery we will uncover" way, but more a "causes confusion when reading" way. Also, what is the Resistance resisting against and why? No idea. But they seem to be the baddies for some reason?
- the FMC's naivité. Annoying as hell. I'm personally not a fan of mysteriously self-sacrificing characters, especially when it is then used to explain some shitty behavior without much context?
- description of FMC through the book. She seems to have a normal (or even hot) body in the beginning, enjoying her food, and as soon as she is forced to do more physical exercise the fact her clothes don't fit and are too big gets mentioned a lot. I find that annoying.
- How old are the bonds? Like, all around same age, or some way older? Some are councilmen and uni professors, others students?

But overall... I read this quickly, and I was hooked. Spice is not happening here (0.5/5 for some drooling over hot bodies), but that's likely because this is setting up the series. Wished that I wasn't so confused half of the time when it comes to in-world politics, but hoping that things will clear up.

Content Warnings

jackieyvette's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark 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? Yes

0.5

I would have said at least a 3.25 if it did not have an SA scene, so that is the only thing that let it get more than a 0. I was not expecting it it literally came out of nowhere and was the only explicit scene in the whole book.

Crying score: no.

Content Warnings

briochebun's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.0

3 out of 5 ☆’s.

”I'm playing to win, Oli. This is one hand I refuse to lose.”

ੈ✩‧₊˚

I have heard many many things about ”Broken Bonds” within the past year & I am so excited to be beginning this journey! :)

I want to start off by saying that I adore the premise of this novel — it’s very original + interesting!

While the characters are also intriguing — I can’t wait to delve deeper into their personalities — there were times where they came across as being a bit juvenile? I wish there was better communication amongst all of the characters & not an absurd amount of mentions about things that Oli could never even think to share with her bonds (or the audience, for that matter).

ੈ✩‧₊˚

I am excited to continue the rest of the series & see how all of the relationships progress, though! ♡

Content Warnings

cait_reads2024's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

I've never been so quickly invested in a book in my entire LIFE. It consumed my thoughts all day every day and I was reading any chance I could get: on my phone while at work in between tasks, walking to my car, while eating, and laying in bed (and losing A LOT of sleep). There was so much hatred and mystery between the full cast of characters and I just wanted to keep going to get any morsel of interaction or answers that I could get. I loved every single second.

Content Warnings

bialves's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-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

Content Warnings

More...