Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Noi gli sconfitti by C.L. Herman, Amanda Foody

20 reviews

bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark medium-paced
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

“The Grieves had raised Gavin to die. The Lowes had raised Alistair to kill. Both of them deserved a better story.” 

I think I liked this sequel even better than the first book! All of Our Demise is the conclusion to the duology and though I wasn't sure about the direction the series was taking, I ended up liking it! It took me a bit to get back into the story, but then I got really invested. The story follows our champions now that the Veil has been dropping and the Tournament is slowly falling apart. That means outside forces - such as the families, the spellmakers and the press - are getting involved and have a much bigger influence than before.

Isobel, Briony and Finley are working together to break the Tournament's spell in a controlled way, as otherwise they are all going to die. Unfortunately, not everyone cares about that and lots of people see only the high magic they could gain, no matter how it happens. I liked Isobel much more in this book, as she continues struggling with the media attention and the fallout of her casting a deathly hex on Alistair. Her own family's curse is making her feel like she's fading away. I still don't love Briony as she was very self-righteous in the beginning, but I liked that her past actions were addressed and she had to confront the cost of the plan! Her relationship with Finley was sadly bland and uninteresting to me, I didn't really care about their dynamic. To me, Isobel's love-hate relationship with Reid was much more intriguing. Reid wrote the book about the Tournament and was a famous spellmaker who tried to play them. Now he's forced to work with them to undo the curse, but there's obviously a lot of bad blood between them. I wasn't sure about him at first, but Isobel had much better chemistry with him - compared to Alistair in the first book - and their animosity felt more intense and intriguing to me!

Gavin and Alistair end up teaming up against the others and I loved it!! Alistair's not interested in breaking the Tournament, as his brother Hendry - who died - is part of it now and could be lost again. After killing their whole family, Alistair is only out to finish what he started and gain the high magic by winning the Tournament. Since everyone else is now involved and the others are trying to find another way, he needs a new ally. Gavin's the only one who isn't taken with Briony's plan, especially since he's still dealing with the aftermath of using his life magic to cast spells. I've been saying from the very beginning that Gavin and Alistair would have made a better couple than Alistair and Isobel ... and I was right!! I couldn't believe it at first, but there is a romantic dynamic between Gavin and Alistair!! I loved it so much: the pairing of the underdog and the vicious favorite; the forced team up and great tension!! Alistair and Gavin both have reason to distrust each other, but can't help but get to know each other beyond what their families intended for them. Their complicated feelings for each other were so well-written! They both deal with the expectations and legacy of their respective families and mirrored each other so well.

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samwambam's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

I absolutely loved this book, dare I say even more than the first one. I say this because in the last book I was not a big fan of Isobel and since she’s a main part of the plot it was hard to enjoy ALOT of parts. Although, in this book I grew to like her more towards the middle/end. 

I would most definitely re-read this book and book series. Truly a delightful read I recommend.

<Spoiler>
I adored Alistair and Gavin’s relationship through both books. I love those two together since book #1 when Gavin had been looking at Alastair’s photo and said he thought he was very good looking- but not that it mattered. Even then I knew! I’m not sure if the authors originally intended to make them endgame, but I am so glad they are! I would’ve greatly disliked the book if Alistair had ended up with Isobel. None the less, yes! I’m just so in love with how Alistair and Gavin’s relationship has unraveled. They are a relationship I will root for till the end of time!! :)))

As for Isobel, I find I have grown to like characters more when they paired up with someone romantically. So when I noticed something was going on between her and Reid I was all here for it. (Again even shipped then since book one!!) My only main problem with the two was the age difference. We know Isobel is sixteen while Reid is said to be two years older, making him eighteen. I’m not to sure how I feel about a sixteen year old and an eighteen year old dating…..but besides their age gap which is a bit concerning. Then I love the pair!!

In conclusion, this book was such a fun read and a roller coaster of emotions. I can’t tell you how many times I have cried while reading this entire book series. I love all of these characters and just wow! Great book ❤️

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isitcertain's review against another edition

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dark emotional fast-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

4.5


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bzliz's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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

5.0

The conclusion to this deadly tournament could not have clutched me in its grasp any harder. I know it would be easy to criticize certain character choices or plot points but I simply do not care that characters bounce from one alliance to the next like a ping pong ball (they are children faced with nothing but uncertain, impossible choices doing the best they can with the information they have in that exact moment) or just how convoluted the relationship between the spell makers, the government & the families ends up. I don’t even care about how convenient it is that the remaining champions- including a new addition, bound to the tournament against his will with hasty, experimental magick- end up with someone to pair off with.

The relationship between Alistair and Gavin is a fantastic development from enemies to lovers. Isobel and Reid also make sense to me, still enemies to lovers but in a more this relationship is definitely a little toxic considering we both took each other as prisoners at one point and we each have our own serious personal growth to do kind of way. Briony and Finley are the most predictable and boring but I think that has more to do with him being essentially a prop in her story than anything else. Briony’s final sacrifice made me tear up- she became a true hero rather than the heroic charade her family had been playing at.


There could not have been a better ending for this sequel and it certainly could not have been happier without completely betraying the horrors faced by everyone whose lives were impacted by the tournament curse. 

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katymat18's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

I’m not sure what I expected for an ending but I genuinely love this duology. I stand by all the so-called villains, and quite frankly I forgave them before they even forgave themselves. Just when I thought the enemies to lovers trope couldn’t get better All of Our Demise delivered even MORE! The ending had me gasping, but ***SPOILER**** we knew not everyone could survive. 

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louisegraveyard's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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


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maregred's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0


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terriep's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-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? No

4.0

A strong conclusion to the duology. The magic system is still my favorite part of the story - it has the "traditional" method of magic, i.e. casting spells, using unusual ingredients to create spells, etc. but there are clever twists, clever spells, and there's a limited amount of magic to be used. There's good character development with some teen attraction and romance but all 'closed door'. Action filled and entertaining, but I found it a bit too long - the middle dragged and seemed to go on too long in developing the alliances and everyone's angst. Otherwise, a good read. Recommended.

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takarakeireads's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious 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

Absolutely loved this, even more than the first book!
This one is much more character driven but there is some plot, just not as much as the first book. Really loved the character development, the romance(!!!!!), and how the story plays out was interesting. There were definitely some tears. This series has some great sibling love - Alistair & Hendry are just a beautiful family. Just as dark if actually not more so than the first book. These people are gonna need some serious therapy.

One of the best enemies to lovers romances I’ve read -
fucking Alistair and Gavin ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I love them so much!!!
I was so afraid one of them would die in the end (I mean I’m glad they didn’t). I think Briony was kinda the easy choice and a bit of a cop out. I was prepared for serious pain. But of course even tho we all knew Hendry would have to go eventually but doesn’t make it any easier.

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sharib's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0


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